In August 2000, President Vladimir Putin said that one victory in sports does more to unite people than a hundred political slogans.
So Vladimir Putin did everything to hold the Olympic games in Sochi in 2014 and world Cup in 2018.
On Saturday 17 June, Russia started the Confederations Cup. This is a dress rehearsal for the world Cup, which will take place next year. The following is a article about how Russia won the dirty fight for the world Cup in 2018.
Every time when FIFA should choose the host country for the finals of the world Cup begins giant economic and political game. It was when Russia won the right to host the world Cup 2018. This time the game was more sophisticated and politicized than ever before.
This confirms a number of previously unknown documents and new information that was received by Nettavisen publications and Ekstra Bladet.
Humiliating
To understand the scale of the game around the world Cup, we must first go to Australia, which also took part in a dirty game around the world Cup, but lost heavily.
So our story starts in Sydney, Australia.
The players don’t like to lose. It’s humiliating. But that’s what today feels Australian billionaire Frank Lowy (Frank Lowy) who wanted the world Cup held in Australia.
The biggest football tournament in the world should be conducted in the new territories.
Australian Frank Lowy first wanted in Australia hosted the 2018 world Cup. But when it became known that in 2018, the year the world championship will be held in Europe, he took aim at the 2022 world Cup. Lowy maintains contacts with a number of influential forces around the world, in particular, with the German football Association (DFB), “Keiseren” and football star Franz Beckenbauer, who at the time when was made the decision, was a member of the powerful Executive Committee of FIFA.
But Lowe was duped.
He survived several unpleasant moments, the authors were Franz Beckenbauer, the then Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin and Mohamed Bin Hammam of Qatar, who at the time was President of the Asian football Association (CFA) and Vice-President of FIFA. Bin Hammam was not only a powerful man in Qatar, but also one of the most powerful figures in international soccer.
He promised Loewy their full support.
Australians were fully convinced that the 2018 world Cup to be held in them. Lowy, President of the Australian football Union, organized a large campaign, supported by the government, assignable for this purpose millions of euros of taxpayers.
In international football it is impossible to achieve anything without having strong partners, and so the Australians turned to Germany, which in 2006 had a very successful world Cup.
The chief architect of the campaign, which has been translated the world Cup in Germany in 2006 were Franz Beckenbauer and his squire and a specialist in public relations, Radmann Fedor (Fedor Radmann). Later Beckenbauer was accused that he used bribes to conduct the German world Cup campaign. The authorities of Germany, France and Switzerland are currently trying to establish whether Beckenbauer was involved in corruption schemes. Beckenbauer had very little to say about these accusations, and in cases where he ever said that, then denied that he did anything illegal.
Nettavisen and Ekstra Bladet tried using agent Franz Beckenbauer Marcus Hafla (Marcus Höfl) to obtain a response from him to questions about his role in various Affairs. But he did not respond to sent questions.
When Frank Lowy in 2007 established contacts with the German football Union made offers, he apparently did not know about the allegations of corruption.
And Australia and Germany in 2011, wanted to host world Cup for women, that was one of the chips in the game to receive the world championship for men in 2018 and 2022. A source close to the Australian football Union, told Nettavisen and Ekstra Bladet that Lowe proposed to remove the bid of Australia to host the world Cup for women in exchange for German support for the Australian bid for men’s world Cup.
According to the source, the parties shook hands, and in July 2007 an agreement was signed.
The source also told Nettavisen publications and Ekstra Bladet that the Australian Committee for the world Cup has hired a number of international advisors, in particular, is ambiguous Peter Hargitay, who previously many years preparing press materials and conducted the election campaign for FIFA President Sepp Blatter (Sepp Blatter). Was also signed an agreement with a friend of Beckenbauer Fedor Radmannen.
Peter Hargitay, Fedor, Radmann and other counselors didn’t want to work in Australia became public. This was my reasons. Later, Australian media company Fairfax Media has learned that Peter Hargitay collaborated with Qatar, one of the competitors in Australia, and at the same time worked on the Australian Committee for the world Cup.
In an interview with Nettavisen and Ekstra Bladet Peter Hargitay denied having worked for anyone else except the Australian Committee for the world Cup.
“Our goal was to promote the application of Australia at the world Cup among the members of the FIFA Executive Committee, and the coordination of relations with FIFA and occasionally organizing media events,” says Hargitay in an interview with Nettavisen.
He also denies that there was any form of cooperation with the committees for world Cup, Australia and Russia.
“All committees of the applicants from time to time met with each other since we were in contact with each other on the same social issues. That’s all. Never had any other forms of cooperation,” says Hargitay.
According to him, he received a month of more than 200 thousand Norwegian kroner for his work, while sources in the Australian Committee for the world Cup say that Hargitay and his company received almost 350 thousand NOK per month for a period of 24 months. Through his lawyer Norbert Scharf (Norbert Scharf) Fedor, Redman said he did not want to comment on his work on the Australian Committee of the world Cup.
But the Australians learned too late about the work of Hargita in Qatar.
Frank Lowy and the rest of the staff in his Committee on the world Cup was in a good mood, when the then Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd (Kevin Rudd) in February 2008 announced that the government wants to economically support the request for FM.
Sudden change
And then FIFA makes unexpected move.
The application process changed dramatically when the FIFA Executive Committee in may 2008, decided to organize a competition to host the world Cup in 2018 and 2022. The decision about who will host the final game had to be made to vote on 2 December 2010.
This decision was made the whole application process much more expensive. This did not stop the Australians because the Australian government made a promise about the allocation of money and has invested about 500 million euros (at current exchange rate) on a campaign to host the world Cup. Part of this money was used by international consultants, who were hired Loewy, and later joined by German Andreas Abold (Andreas Abold), is also one of the closest partners of Franz Beckenbauer.
Andreas Abold also did not respond to a request for Nettavisen and Ekstra Bladet to answer questions related to his work in the Committee on the world Cup in Australia.
PPriglashenie the President of the Asian football Confederation
In spring 2008, Frank Lowy invited the powerful President of the AFC Mohamed Bin Hammam. The program of this visit also included a meeting with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
Australians perceived the meeting as a success.
Bin Hammam in a letter dated June 8, 2008, the content of which acquainted Nettavisen and Ekstra Bladet, reported that enthusiastically learned about the plans of the Australians to hold the world Cup.
The letter began “Dear Frank”, written by hand and contained a number of suggestions on how Australia can improve its chances in the race for the world Cup.
“I have listed here some countries (which need the support of approx.ed.) and outlined their thoughts on how Australia can help them,” wrote Bin Hammam.
AFC President suggested, in particular, to Australia economically supported football in a poor Chinese province, as well as in Cambodia, Laos, Burma, and the Philippines.
Like Australia, these countries belong to the Asian football Confederation, but since Australia, in addition, needed support outside of Asia, Bin Hammam also wrote that it would be nice if Australia had sent the money for the development of soccer in several African countries.
“Still, in my opinion, it is necessary that Australia, as it has applied to host the world Cup, also took into account the need to support African countries. That would really help the promotion of Australia to other continents,” wrote Bin Hammam.
The letter ended with a gracious appeal: “Brother, you can be sure that’ll always be home in the AFC. So come to the AFC, when you’re comfortable, and you call me if you need anything”.
Subsequently surfaced a number of corruption scandals in which Bin Hammam was involved. Later it to the end of life was excluded from all football organizations. Bin Hammam has appealed against this decision in sports arbitration court, the CAS, but the appeal was dismissed.
Russia’s bid for world Cup
Much indicates that in Australia during this period was in a good position. With the support of the President of the AFC and Germany in the face of Franz Beckenbauer, it looked very promising.
But then came Russia. That, apparently, has completely changed the game. Russia announced that it also wants the world Cup in 2018 held in her.
This forced Australia to change its strategy. So Lowe and his staff began to fight for the 2022 world Cup.
Still having the support of Germany and Bin Hammam, the team Lowey advocated cooperation agreement with the Russians to coordinate the work and to gain votes in the powerful Executive Committee of FIFA.
The goal was to both Russia and Australia would have received the right to host the championship.
As an important arena was chosen as the meeting of G20 leaders, where top officials discussed international economic cooperation.
Nettavisen and Ekstra Bladet has gained access to a secret memo from March 2009, where Lowe and his Committee for the world Cup told the Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd on how he should behave at the G20 meeting in that year to strengthen Australia’s position in the struggle for hosting the world Cup in 2022.
“We really would like to see the Prime Minister held brief talks with President Medvedev,” — said in the note, which was provided marked “confidential”.
The authors note, urged Rudd to hold a particular conversation with then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on applications for the world Cup in 2018 and 2022. The note clearly stated that Prime Minister Rudd has invited Medvedev and/or the then Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin to visit Australia for a state visit.
It comes in the Australian Committee for the world Cup
Two months later, Lowe himself is taken to be the case.
He wrote to the then Minister of sports of Russia Vitaly Mutko and congratulated him on his election to the FIFA Executive Committee (FIFA rule). Lowy also used this opportunity to invite the sports Minister to a meeting where they could discuss possible cooperation between the two countries.
This meeting occurred later on Board a private yacht Lowe in the Mediterranean sea.
Nettavisen and Ekstra Bladet saw the letter in particular says: “I look forward to the opportunity to meet and discuss common interests and possible cooperation in the near future.”
In early July 2009 was prepared by a new secret memo to Prime Minister Rudd. This time he had to attend the G8 meeting. Again he was asked to communicate with President Medvedev.
“Cooperation, cooperation, cooperation”, — is written in the article, which reviewed Nettavisen and Ekstra Bladet.
“It would be very good if the Prime Minister proposed to establish close links between the Russian football Union and Australian football Association and also discussed the holding of a future meeting between the leaders of the unions to discuss the capabilities of the host countries of world Cup 2018 and 2022,” says the note.
The Australian Prime Minister also asked to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel (Angela Merkel) to talk about close cooperation with the German football Association and member of the FIFA Executive Committee Franz Beckenbauer. But in the article it was stressed that cooperation with Beckenbauer has not publicly discussed.
As a member of the Executive Committee, he could not, of course, work to any country submitting the application.
Close cooperation between the Australian football Union and Beckenbauer “not widely known” is the wording used in the article.
Australia cheated
The Australian Committee for the world Cup has started cooperation with the relevant Russian Committee. Anyway, thought Frank Lowy and his team. This was attended by consultants Fedor, Radmann and Peter Hargitay.
But it says a lot about what Australia spent.
In early 2009, Mohammed Bin Hammam of Qatar has said he supports the bid of Australia to host the world Cup in 2022. Then Qatar decided to also submit a bid to host the 2022 world Cup. And after that, the position of Bin Hammam has changed.
Australia has now become a competitor in the distribution of applications.
This caused a panic in the Australian camp world Cup.
Frank Lowy and his team tried in vain to convince Bin Hammam to withdraw the application of Qatar to host the world Cup. Wrote this informer FIFA Mersiades Bonita (Bonita Mersiades) bloghe published the Australian edition of the Football Today in 2016. According to Mersiades, in October 2009, Frank Lowy sent Franz Beckenbauer and Fedor Radmann in Qatar, to convince the Emir to remove the bid of Qatar for the world Cup. But all in vain.
Bonita Mersiades is the main person. Informer FIFA was dismissed from the Australian Committee for the world Cup in January 2010 after a disagreement on the issue of strategy application. She was also one of the main witnesses of corruption scandals FIFA in recent years, in particular, to the FBI and Swiss police and one of the key witnesses in its own investigation of FIFA corruption cases related to the struggle for hosting the world Cup in 2018 and 2022. About it it became known that FIFA itself has exposed her as an informant.
According to the sites of the Football Union of Qatar, in an interview alleged that Beckenbauer has supported their bid to host the world Cup, while the international media, particularly the BBC, hinted that he preferred a request of Australia. The Guardian also published the relevant hints.
No Franz Beckenbauer or Fedor, Radmann not responded to the request Nettavisen and Ekstra Bladet to talk about who they supported or what they were saying to the Emir, when he was in Qatar in 2009.
The Russian plan
The then Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and sports Minister Vitaly Mutko has also developed a strategy to host the world Cup in 2018 and 2022. It Australia was not mentioned.
There the emphasis was on cooperation with Qatar and the contracts, taking into account national interests.
In this strategy a Central place, in particular, was occupied by Igor Sechin.
Igor Sechin is Chairman of the Board of the giant Russian oil company “Rosneft”. He has close ties with a group of former KGB and FSB (FSB is the successor to the KGB). One of them is Vladimir Putin. The group today has a strong influence on what is happening in the Kremlin. It is called “security forces”, these people typically originate from the Russian intelligence service or the army.
Igor Sechin worked, in particular, a KGB agent in Angola, he is a personal friend of Secretary Rex Tillerson (Rex Tillerson) in the administration of Donald trump (Donald Trump), and since 1991 — one of the closest allies of Vladimir Putin.
The meeting in Qatar
Igor Sechin held the post of Deputy Prime Minister, when in April 2010 he was sent to Qatar to discuss gas contract between Russia and Qatar.
At meetings in small country lying in the desert, conducted a conversation about the world Cup in 2018 and 2022. Nettavisen and Ekstra Bladet have documents that representatives of the Committee on the world Cup in Russia after this meeting, too, was in Qatar and held talks with Bin Hammam to discuss bid to host the world Cup.
The Sunday Times reported that the then Russian Minister of sport Vitaly Mutko, who was not present at the meeting in Qatar, later praised this meeting in a letter to Bin Hammam. He expressed great pleasure with the close cooperation between the two countries.
This letter Mutko mentioned in the explanation of the Sunday Times journalists, Heidi Blake (Heidi Blake) and Jonathan Calverts (Jonathan Calverts) the British Parliament in November 2014.
It looks like close cooperation was so good that Mohammed Bin Hammam at the AFC Congress in June 2010 stated that Asia will support Europe as the host of the 2018 world Cup. It is most likely that he meant Russia.
A week later after a visit to Doha Sechin Russia and Qatar issued a joint gas contract. According to the contract, they were supposed to produce gas on the Yamal Peninsula and a large gas field in Siberia.
But the matter is not over.
Relations between Russia and Qatar become even closer when Bin Hammam was invited to Moscow in late October and early November 2010. It happened less than a month after the vote in the Executive Committee of FIFA. In the Russian capital hosted a meeting of Bin Hammam, Vitaly Mutko the Prime Minister-Minister Vladimir Putin. The theme of the meeting was sports contracts between Russia and Qatar.
Meeting in the Kremlin
2 November, the Emir of Qatar, landed in Moscow, where he met with President Dmitry Medvedev. The theme of the meeting was a trade agreement between the two countries. Putin and the Chairman of the Board of Gazprom Alexey Miller also participated in the meeting. Gazprom is one of the main sponsors of the world Cup in Russia next summer (and Franz Beckenbauer is now the Ambassador to the company).
Since then, trade between Russia and Qatar is growing from year to year. In addition, the Qatar Foundation has bought a 19.5% stake in Rosneft, where Sechin is still the Chairman of the Board.
Vitaly Mutko, who is also a former KGB Petersburg, today occupies the post of Deputy Prime Minister.
Australia and Frank Lowy? More about them, no one thinks.
