Russia fought honestly for the right to host the 2018 World Cup and the decision should not be called into question, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.
Saint Petersburg: Russia fought honestly for the right to host the 2018 World Cup and the decision should not be called into question, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.
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Swiss judicial authorities are probing the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar as part of a far-reaching corruption scandal that has also raised questions about the 2010 event in South Africa.
“We fought in an honest manner (for the tournament) and we won. We do not think the decision should be questioned. We were ready, and that’s what convinced FIFA,” Putin told journalists on the sidelines of an investment forum in Saint Petersburg.