Izvestia: “Will Putin fight for the world cup?”
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin told his cabinet yesterday that Russia is attempting to host the world football championship in 2018. Competition will naturally be tough. But the CSKA victory over Spanish Sevilla is just more proof that nothing is impossible.
In order to host the World Football Championship in 2018 Russia should prepare its application book as soon as possible. A FIFA Commission will drop by in August and the final decision is to be made in Zurich in December.
"How are things going?" Vladimir Putin asked first Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov.
"This time around, it is not an ordinary application," he replied. "FIFA has decided to accept applications for two world championships at once, 2018 and 2022. The states that are applying now are trying to form coalitions.
"We officially sent documents to FIFA in March of last year. It remains to complete the application book – a complicated document consisting of three 1000-page volumes. The deadline for submitting it has been set at May 14.
"In common practice, the state submits eight standard guarantees attesting to availability of proper infrastructure," Shuvalov continued. "But they have asked us for an additional state guarantee against the eventuality that the business community and the regions fail to prepare such an infrastructure."
The Finance Ministry and the Ministry of Economic Development have promised to deliver these documents within ten days. Thereafter, we can think about submitting our application in Zurich. Incidentally, it is usually done at the top level.
"You, Mr Putin, have received an invitation to take part in the application ceremony," Mr Shuvalov said. "Everybody remembers your performance at the presentation of our application for Sochi 2014."
The Prime Minister acknowledged the accolade with a nod.
By Anastasia Savinykh
