London: Russia`s 2018 football World Cup bid chief Alexei Sorokin has rejected suggestions that his contingent was behind recent allegations about England star David Beckham`s private life and the sting that saw former FA Chairman Lord Triesman resign.
Conspiracy theories have grown in recent weeks after the false affair allegations against bid ambassador Beckham, with fingers being pointed in the direction of Moscow."We haven`t given FIFA any hard time with stupid complaints or fake scandals and we intend to do so until the end of the race," The Telegraph quoted Sorokin, as saying.
"We have been focused on the benefits of our bid and will be for the next two months. I honestly do not think it has any ramification on Russia whatsoever." The ideas that are floating around are ludicrous. We are just sad for our English fellow competitors that it happened to them this way. I honestly do not think that is going to be a factor for the progress of their bid," he added.
He has also denied that issues with racism in domestic football could derail their campaign.
"Racism and its manifestations is a universal problem for the football world, no matter where you are. We can`t take one minor outbreak here and there and blow a tendency out of it," Sorokin said."There is a very strong voice in Russia that condemns racism and sanctions against it," he added.
ANI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.