FIFA gets back to business

ST PETERSBURG — FIFA and Sepp Blatter put their corruption crisis aside and got back to World Cup business at the 2018 tournament qualifying draw hosted by Vladimir Putin at a Russian state residence on Saturday (Sunday morning, Singapore time).

The two presidents met on stage for speeches to open a draw ceremony that almost two hours later paired Spain and Italy, the 2010 and 2006 champions respectively, in a group, and revived the game’s oldest international rivalry of England versus Scotland.

With the focus once more on football, the embattled FIFA leadership and much-criticised host nation Russia could display a confident and united front during a slickly staged show. It was Blatter’s first major public event since American and Swiss criminal investigations into corruption in world football were unsealed two months ago.

Putin and Blatter got a standing ovation from Russian and football officials and guests when they walked on together in a temporary venue built on the splendid grounds of Konstantin Palace.

“We are here to launch a football marathon,” said Putin through a translator, almost three years ahead of the finals tournament kicking off after around 850 qualifying matches.

The preliminary rounds will decide 31 qualifying slots for teams to join Russia at the month-long tournament in 11 cities, from western exclave Kaliningrad to Yekaterinburg nearly 2,500km east.

“It is a good chance to visit a multi-faceted and open Russia that can surprise and inspire,” said Putin, who promised “a special atmosphere of unity and overwhelming joy”.

Still, this week saw black players at Russian clubs again draw attention to racial abuse by fans in domestic matches. Blatter has long defended Russia against criticism, and earlier Saturday confirmed his backing at a brief photo call with Putin.

“We say yes to Russia, we are providing our support,” said Blatter said of the host nation, whose winning bid campaign is being examined by Swiss prosecutors in a wider case focusing on World Cup bidders and FIFA spending.

“We see what’s happening around football, but I know how you feel about it,” Putin noted. “We thank you for concentrating your time and attention on football above all, despite this.”

A total of 141 of FIFA’s 209-member federations were involved in the draw, including top-ranked Argentina, joint No 207-ranked Djibouti and Cook Islands, and South Sudan on their World Cup debut.

Co-hosted by supermodel Natalia Vodianova and television presenter Dmitry Shepelev, Saturday’s draw ceremony was conducted by Blatter’s right-hand man, secretary general Jerome Valcke, on his second trip to Russia since May. Valcke has avoided countries where he risks extradition to the US.

Sport mixed with politics in one part of the draw, as the US will travel during regional group play to Trinidad and Tobago, where indicted former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner is fighting extradition.

On the field, Germany will start defending their World Cup title in a six-team pool where the Czech Republic seem the biggest barrier to them advancing as group winners.

A tough European group put the Netherlands with France and Sweden, whose star forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic has perhaps his last chance to play again on football’s biggest stage. Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal got a favourable draw with Switzerland, their highest-ranked rivals.

Opening the draw, FIFA paired four continents whose teams take part in two-leg playoffs in November 2017 that will complete the World Cup lineup. A CONCACAF team will face an Asian team, and Oceania’s best will play a South American team.

The 2018 World Cup kicks off on June 14, and the final is on July 15. Those matches are at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, the main venue of the 1980 Olympics, which is being rebuilt for the world’s most-watched sports event. Putin should still be in power then, alongside a new FIFA president. AP