Lib Dem MEP urges boycott of football World Cups amid FIFA corruption scandal

Lib Dem MEP Catherine Bearder is calling on all EU countries to boycott the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
C131016-2  Catherine Bearder, member of the European Parliament for the south east.Picture by Kate Shemilt.C131016-2 ENGSUS00120130722181454C131016-2  Catherine Bearder, member of the European Parliament for the south east.Picture by Kate Shemilt.C131016-2 ENGSUS00120130722181454
C131016-2 Catherine Bearder, member of the European Parliament for the south east.Picture by Kate Shemilt.C131016-2 ENGSUS00120130722181454

These were awarded to Russia and Qatar in 2010. but she is calling for countries to withdraw their teams unless the bids are re-run and allegations of corruption are properly dealt with.

In a European Parliament debate on the FIFA scandal, she urged countries around Europe to show a united front in boycotting the tournaments until the organisation cleans up its act.

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The European Parliament is set to vote today on a resolution which will call for:

- Sepp Blatter to stand down immediately so an interim president can be appointed,

- A full review to be launched into the Qatar and Russia World Cup bids,

- FIFA’s Executive Committee to put in place wholesale reforms to improve transparency and root out corruption.

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Mrs Beader, a Member of the European Parliament for the South East, said: “The endemic corruption in FIFA is tarnishing the whole sport with the same brush.

“We need to send a strong message to FIFA that they cannot continue to get away with dragging the beautiful game through the mud.

“I’m urging all EU countries to withdraw their national teams from both the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments unless FIFA cleans up its act.

“Sepp Blatter must go immediately, and whoever replaces him must re-run the Qatar and Russia World Cup bidding process in a fair and transparent way.”

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Mr Blatter announced he would resign as president of FIFA following the indictment of several current and former FIFA officials, but only after his successor was elected.

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