FIFA probe verdict on November 17 – Blatter

World football chief Sepp Blatter confirmed on Friday that the verdict of an investigation into the controversial 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding race would be given on November 17.

FIFA earlier this month launched a two-pronged investigation into allegations of corruption in the bidding process as well as illicit collusion between some of the bidders, following a British newspaper report.

The ethics committee in charge of the probe “will meet on November 15, 16 and 17 in Zurich,” Blatter told journalists, confirming dates given informally by the committee’s chief.

“The ethics committee will announce its verdict on November 17,” he told journalists after a FIFA executive committee meeting.

Blatter also confirmed that FIFA’s decision-makers would press ahead with the announcement of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts as scheduled in Zurich on December 2, despite the controversy dogging the race.

“This is enough time to take adequate steps if something serious should happen at the meeting on November 17,” the FIFA president added.

England, Russia and joint bids by Spain-Portugal and Netherlands-Belgium are in the running to host the 2018 World Cup.

For 2022, the contenders are Australia, Japan, Qatar, South Korea and the United States.

FIFA has already provisionally suspended two executive committee members pending the probe into alleged vote selling, following a report by British newspaper The Sunday Times.

The paper ran a report and video on Sunday by undercover journalists posing as lobbyists, which included reported remarks by ex-FIFA general secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen about Spain-Portugal and Qatar’s bids.

On Thursday, the chief of the joint Spanish-Portugal bid, Miguel Angel Lopez, denied allegations of collusion with 2022 candidate Qatar in the bidding process.