Post by Macmoish on Oct 19, 2010 7:29:39 GMT
The Return of the Evil Empire 
Telegraph
Alexei Sorokin also accused the British media of running a campaign of criticism against the Russian bid, and suggested English football had a problem with racism.
He also suggested that Peter Odemwingie, the former Lokomotiv Moscow player who was the subject of a poster featuring a banana and the message “Thanks West Bromwich Albion” when he left Russia for the Hawthorns, was using the incident for publicity purposes.
Sorokin’s remarks, made in a wide-ranging interview with Russian newspaper Sport Express, could be considered a breach of Fifa’s rules preventing bids from criticising their rivals.
The Russian bid has been stung by reports in the UK media of the Odemwingie incident, and Sorokin’s comments came when he was asked why Russia had not responded.
“We do not enter into squabbles,” he said. “It’s no secret, for example, that London [has] the highest crime rate when compared with other European cities, and the highest level of alcohol consumption among young people. But why should he poke his nose in that.”
He went on to say that the burning of a US flag at Old Trafford on the same day as the Lokomotiv fans displayed the banana banner constituted “inciting ethnic hatred”.
“We were aware of [the flag burning] but did not focus on this. We could start a conversation about the lack of tolerance and inciting ethnic hatred by English fans, but do not behave like the aunt in the kitchen criticising our neighbours.
“The [banana] banner was not a racist,” he added. “It was directed against a particular irrelevant football player.”
Asked why Odemwingie had spoken about his treatment by the Lokomotiv fans and complained about the banner, Sorokin said: “Maybe he simply wants to become more popular. In any case, I am sorry that this is happening.”
Sorokin said he believed the British media had focused on the Odemwingie story to deflect attention from the resignation of Lord Triesman as bid chairman.
“We realised that this would happen, just after the publication of th article about Lord Triesman. Because when the British – I mean the journalists, rather than their bid – realised what they had done, they needed a way to divert attention away from this unpleasant story. And they did this by looking for negatives about a competitor.”
He said the UK press specialised in “caustic comment on any drawbacks, not only of strangers, but their own”, though he exempted journalists who had travelled to Russia to view their bid. “We were surprised by their objectivity,” he said.
Campaign own goals
Russia’s bid for the 2018 World Cup has been dogged by controversy.
Alexei Sorokin, head of the Russian bid, claimed there “was nothing racial” about a banner unfurled by Spartak Moscow fans, thanking West Brom for signing their Nigerian player Peter Odemwingie and featuring a picture of a banana.
Concerns have been raised over whether Russia can build sufficient new stadiums in time for 2018 and at the cost that will be incurred – a staggering $6 billion.
Alexander Bubnov, a former Russian player and TV analyst, claimed malpractice is rife in his home country’s football system. “The level of corruption in Russian football is still very high,” he said.
www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/8071903/World-Cup-2018-Russian-bid-leader-Alexei-Sorokin-launches-attack-on-England.html
