World Cup debacle: media was to blame, says Ogura

The identity of the only non-English Fifa committee member to back England's bid to host the World Cup has yet to be confirmed, but the motives of the five or six others who promised England their votes and then backed another country are becoming clear.
 
Junji Ogura, the Japanese member of the Fifa committee, has told reporters that fear of the British media was a major factor, following attempts by the Sunday Times and then BBC Panorama to expose corruption within international football's governing body.
 
"I thought England was a very strong candidate," said Ogura (above right). "Their presentation was one of the best presentations. But I think there was a big influence from the BBC and the Sunday Times. These reports possibly influenced people. It made damage for some people."
 
Ogura is rumoured to be the one delegate, other than English committee member Geoff Thompson, who supported England's bid, but he refused to say who he had backed. "It's totally complicated," he said. "Nobody will say which country they voted for."
 
Andy Anson, who led the English bid, said he had been told that committee members were warned off England by Fifa president Sepp Blatter (above left), who spoke to the committee of the "evil of the media" just before the voting got underway.
 
"I was told by someone who was in the room that that's the last thing they were told by Sepp Blatter," Anson revealed. "There was a final sum-up before they voted and I think it was at the beginning of that. That's not helpful to our cause."
 
He added: "They are saying to us that our media killed us."
 
Anson claimed several delegates had lied to the England team. "Individual members promised us their vote and then didn't vote for us," he said. "For me the biggest disappointment is that we clearly had the best technical bid, the best economic evaluation, and everyone has told me we had the best presentation."
 
A disappointed David Cameron, deeply frustrated by the Zurich result, has lifted the lid on the lengths Prince William went to while helping to lobby on England’s behalf.
 
He revealed: "'I met Prince William coming out of one these meetings and said, 'How did it go?' He said it had gone really, really well. I said: 'Gosh, how did you do it? What did you offer him, an invitation to the wedding?' He said: 'Prime Minister, I went so far I think I offered to marry him'." ·