FIFA president Sepp Blatter has pointed to UEFA boss Michel Platini for FIFA’s election of Qatar’s 2022 bid for World Cup hosting rights.
The 79-year-old’s spokesman said it was Blatter’s preference to have Russia and the USA host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups respectively.
Blatter – who is set to step down from his position in February – told Russian news agency TASS that the 2010 vote on both World Cup hosts was the impetus that set off one of the greatest crises ever faced by football’s governing body, which has resulted in Blatter and Platini receiving 90-day suspensions.
“We had a discussion of the World Cup and then we went to a double decision,” Blatter said.
“For the World Cups it was agreed that we go to Russia … and for 2022 we go back to America. And so we will have the World Cup in the two biggest political powers.”
But Blatter claims a meeting between Platini, former French president Nicolas Sarkozy and Qatari officials changed the way of the vote. Platini has admitted the meeting occurred, but has refuted any suggestions Sarkozy told him to vote for the Middle Eastern nation.
“There was an election by secret ballot. Four votes from Europe went away from the USA,” Blatter said.
He praised Russia for its 2018 preparations.