Panorama

[amershamwrighty]

I agree completely with SO (shock, horror).

I'm no betting man, but I wouldn't have put a even a fiver on England getting the nod irrespective of the Panorama programme.

As for the bid team suggesting that the programme is detrimental to the bid, that smacks of running for cover and choosing a scapegoat prematurely.

Would I settle for Engalnd's bid succeeding and these allegations not being followed up ?

No. We've got the Olympics, after all.

FIFA clearly has a case to answer.

[SmileyMan]

I expect we'll win, because presumably William is there with a stash of wedding invitations. There's nothing that self-important puffs like FIFA want more than the chance to rub up to real royalty.

Interestingly, my license fee is 210 times as much as I pay towards the monarchy.

[Yankee Clipper]

Better to air a valid and relevant programme like that, than to listen to the chairman of the bid and all of FIFA's crooks who both castigated the Sunday Times and the BBC for daring to raise these issues. The bid team called it unpatriotic. What, so we should just let corruptuion happen, and turn a blind eye?

Personally, I couldn't give two fucks if the media have derailed the bid - I applaud them for daring to speak out.

But this was neither valid nor relevant. It was a regurgitation of old news. It dealt with historic claims. It was weak arsed journalism at best.

I'm all for free speech and a free press, but this was timed with the sole purpose of causing as much disruption as possible. Nothing to applaud there.

I can not see how having the World Cup back in England could be anything but positive to the Country and the sport.

I have total sympathy for AFC and their fans but the thoughtless selection of Stadium MK is not reason enough to not back the English bid.

Still feel that the BBC should be ashamed of their actions.

[Sackcloth Ox]

Better to air a valid and relevant programme like that, than to listen to the chairman of the bid and all of FIFA's crooks who both castigated the Sunday Times and the BBC for daring to raise these issues. The bid team called it unpatriotic. What, so we should just let corruptuion happen, and turn a blind eye?

Personally, I couldn't give two fucks if the media have derailed the bid - I applaud them for daring to speak out.

But this was neither valid nor relevant. It was a regurgitation of old news. It dealt with historic claims. It was weak arsed journalism at best.

I'm all for free speech and a free press, but this was timed with the sole purpose of causing as much disruption as possible. Nothing to applaud there.

I can not see how having the World Cup back in England could be anything but positive to the Country and the sport.

I have total sympathy for AFC and their fans but the thoughtless selection of Stadium MK is not reason enough to not back the English bid.

Still feel that the BBC should be ashamed of their actions.

Don't agree. FIFA is a raddled old prostitute. Our game deserves better.

And better this is sorted out then our country gets into bed with the old tart.

[Yankee Clipper]

Better to air a valid and relevant programme like that, than to listen to the chairman of the bid and all of FIFA's crooks who both castigated the Sunday Times and the BBC for daring to raise these issues. The bid team called it unpatriotic. What, so we should just let corruptuion happen, and turn a blind eye?

Personally, I couldn't give two fucks if the media have derailed the bid - I applaud them for daring to speak out.

But this was neither valid nor relevant. It was a regurgitation of old news. It dealt with historic claims. It was weak arsed journalism at best.

I'm all for free speech and a free press, but this was timed with the sole purpose of causing as much disruption as possible. Nothing to applaud there.

I can not see how having the World Cup back in England could be anything but positive to the Country and the sport.

I have total sympathy for AFC and their fans but the thoughtless selection of Stadium MK is not reason enough to not back the English bid.

Still feel that the BBC should be ashamed of their actions.

Don't agree. FIFA is a raddled old prostitute. Our game deserves better.

And better this is sorted out then our country gets into bed with the old tart.

I totally agree that FIFA is a raddled old prostitute. But that in itself isn't news. Sadly we are inextricably linked to the old tart and have been in bed with her for many years.

And we cannot escape as without her we would have no standing in world football and the game as we know it would die.

I just don't see hosting the World Cup as acquiescence of the corruption.

If FIFA are to be challenged it must be done by a collaboration of the key member countries not the mental tramp on Panorama!!

[John Byrne's Underpants]

Well it's official - England didn't get it, in fact they were fourth out of the four bids. Read into that what you will (there were rumours weeks ago that the England bid would be dumped out first), but I don't think FIFA ever wanted England to have it in the first place.

[Hog]

Wot! You mean after after all the prime minister's hard work and all Prince William's hard work (source: David Beckham) and all the super-confident hype I've been hearing on Radio 2 about how it was in the bag that England actually got knocked out in the first round? They didn't even make it to the quarter final! Ha ha ha! No wonder Putin stayed at home, he knew it was already a done deal.

So that means I'll probably never see another World Cup in England in my lifetime and even if I do I doubt my pension will stretch to a ticket! Oh well, what's on the telly?

[A-Ro]

The FA should form a breakaway Champion's League style World Cup.

[Hog]

Wot! You mean after after all the prime minister's hard work and all Prince William's hard work (source: David Beckham) and all the super-confident hype I've been hearing on Radio 2 about how it was in the bag that England actually got knocked out in the first round? They didn't even make it to the quarter final! Ha ha ha! No wonder Putin stayed at home, he knew it was already a done deal.

So that means I'll probably never see another World Cup in England in my lifetime and even if I do I doubt my pension will stretch to a ticket! Oh well, what's on the telly?

Actually I suppose this WAS the equivalent of a quarter final elimination!

[Hog]

I suppose they could ask Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to start with ...

[SmileyMan]

You can almost hear the corks popping in TV Centre. Job done - Cameron embarassed on the world stage.

Next stop - The IOC before 2012. Let's do Boris over as well.

[Snake]

England appear to have got one vote (apart from the bloke from England) confirming England as one of the least popular nations on Earth.

A bit like the Eurovision Song Contest – you reap what you sow...

[deanwindass]

What exactly have Russia sowed (other than brown envelopes full of cash, perhaps) that's made them so internationally popular?

[Snake]

What exactly have Russia sowed (other than brown envelopes full of cash, perhaps) that's made them so internationally popular?

Err, getting rid of Hitler, having nuclear weapons but not actually dropping a couple on a nation like the USA did, knowing when to get out of Afghanistan, not going into Iraq, moving communism towards socialism (albeit in a capitalist sort of way) and having no monarchy (we may as well have put Phillip up there today rather than his Wugby loving grandson). Hey, these days they come across as quite friendly!

However, I concur with your main point - they know how to cover up the brown envelopes better than we do

[Pie Eater]

What exactly have Russia sowed (other than brown envelopes full of cash, perhaps) that's made them so internationally popular?

Err, getting rid of Hitler, having nuclear weapons but not actually dropping a couple on a nation like the USA did, knowing when to get out of Afghanistan, not going into Iraq, moving communism towards socialism (albeit in a capitalist sort of way) and having no monarchy (we may as well have put Phillip up there today rather than his Wugby loving grandson). Hey, these days they come across as quite friendly!

However, I concur with your main point - they know how to cover up the brown envelopes better than we do

The Russian Mafia and FIFA seem made for each other.