Sepp Blatter blames Michel Platini, "bad losers" England and the United States for igniting and escalating the corruption scandal engulfing FIFA. And he claimed a deal was in place to award Russia the 2018 World Cup, and the USA the 2022 edition before the secret vote to designate the hosts took place. But according to Blatter, Platini and former French president Nicolas Sarkozy skewered the 2022 plan by cosying up to eventual hosts Qatar. The 79-year-old Swiss told Russian news agency TASS: "In 2010, we (FIFA's 22-strong executive committee) had taken a double decision, we were agreed to go to Russia (in 2018), then in 2022 we'd return to the United States. "That way, we'd have had the World Cups in the two biggest powers." That all changed, he told TASS, "after talks between Sarkozy and Qatar's Prince (Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani) who is now running the emirate," — a meeting followed by lunch between the two men and Platini. As a result of that Franco-Qatari summit, at FIFA's secret ballot in December 2010, "four European votes deserted the United States and the result was 14-8 (to Qatar). "If those four votes had not changed it would've been 12-10 (for the USA). "And if the United States had received the World Cup all we'd be talking about now would be the marvelous 2018 World Cup in Russia and not about any problem at FIFA." He dismissed calls to strip Russia of the 2018 World Cup as the bleatings of "bad losers". "England invented the magnificent game. They created fair-play. But (at the vote) there was only one vote for England, no one wanted England." In the hard-hitting interview, Blatter identified Platini as the original cause of the crisis at the top of football. "Platini wanted to be FIFA president, but he didn't have the courage to put himself forward (in the May 29 election in which Blatter saw off Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein for his fifth term of office). "And now look where we are! And the victim of all this at the end of the day is Platini himself! "UEFA didn't want me as president, but they didn't get their way, I was reelected." He accused European football's governing body of "being victim for years to an anti-FIFA virus". Platini, confirmed by FIFA Wednesday as one of seven candidates for the February 26 election, was the one-time heir apparent to succeed Blatter. But the Frenchman's seemingly smooth ascension to the FIFA throne has been, if not fatally, then at least severely damaged by the crisis. Both Blatter and Platini are serving suspensions from all football-related matters over a $2million (1.8 million euro) payment the UEFA boss received from Blatter on behalf of FIFA in 2011 for consultancy work carried out years before. The ban means Platini, one-time favorite to succeed Blatter, can take no part in the election campaign until the suspension is lifted and he is cleared of any potential wrongdoing. Nakhid misses out Soccer's governing body FIFA confirmed Wednesday that seven candidates had registered as candidates for its presidency, with former Trinidad and Tobago international David Nakhid the only surprise omission. The seven candidates were Prince Ali of Jordan, Shaikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa of Bahrein, Frenchmen Jerome Champagne, Michel Platini, Swiss Gianni Infantino, Liberian Musa Bility and South Africa's Tokyo Sexwale. They must now face integrity checks under FIFA's code of ethics. Nakhid said he will appeal FIFA's decision, saying it was all part of a "dirty tricks campaign." Since 2010, FIFA's own Ethics Committee has banned more than one dozen current and former members of the executive committee, either while in office or after they had left. FIFA said that Platini's bid would not be processed while he is banned, but he could still stand if he wins an appeal. FIFA said that one of the five declarations of support for Nakhid was provided by a footballl association which had also declared support for another candidate. FA to probe Blatter's 2018 World Cup claims Football Association chairman Greg Dyke said on Wednesday his organization would investigate suspended FIFA president Sepp Blatter's claim a deal was agreed to award the 2018 World Cup to Russia. Blatter told Russian news agency TASS there was an agreement to award the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tournament to the United States, only for UEFA president Michel Platini to back Qatar's successful 2022 bid. England submitted a bid for the 2018 tournament, but was eliminated in the first round of voting after receiving only two votes from FIFA's executive committee. "We will look into detail at what Mr Blatter says," Dyke told the British parliament's culture, media and sport committee in London. Marin to be extradited Switzerland's justice ministry says 2014 World Cup organizing head Jose Maria Marin of Brazil has agreed to be extradited to the US in the FIFA bribery case. The Swiss ministry says Marin agreed to the US request at a hearing Tuesday. Marin "must be placed in the custody of a US police escort and taken to the USA within 10 days," the ministry says. The 83-year-old Marin was arrested on May 27 in a dawn raid at a luxury hotel in Zurich, two days before the FIFA presidential election. — Agencies
