Sepp Blatter's World Cup Allegations Denied By Former German President

Source: thewillnigeria.com

Former German president Christian Wulff has rejected allegations by embattled FIFA chief Sepp Blatter that he tried to exert political pressure before the World Cup was awarded to Russia and Qatar.

Blatter, who has not been accused of any wrongdoing, has become entangled in a corruption investigation of the sport’s governing body that involves the decision to hold the World Cup in the two countries.

The 79-year-old Swiss claimed in an interview in German newspaper Welt am Sonntag that Wulff and former French president Nicolas Sarkozy had tried to influence their voting representatives before the World Cup was awarded to Russia and Qatar.

“Therefore, we now have a World Cup in Qatar. The people who decided this should also take responsibility,” Blatter was quoted as saying.

However, Wulff's office issued a short statement on Monday, denying Blatter's claims.

“The statement by Mister (Sepp) Blatter regarding former President Christian Wulff is false,” it said.

There was no immediate reaction from Sarkozy’s office, but UEFA chief Michel Platini has repeatedly said that nobody had asked him to vote for Qatar. “Neither Sarkozy nor anyone,” he told the newspaper L’Equipe a year ago.

Blatter announced in June that he would step down as FIFA president after an election that is likely to take place late this year or early next year.

SKYSPORTS