Gary Lineker would have snubbed World Cup draw if Sepp Blatter was still Fifa president

AFP/Getty Images
Tom Dutton1 December 2017

Gary Lineker insists he would have turned down the opportunity to host the World Cup draw if Sepp Blatter was still in charge of Fifa.

Lineker, who will present Friday's draw in Moscow, has been accused of hypocrisy for agreeing to lead the draw despite regularly criticising football's governing body and the role of former president Blatter.

The former England captain once branded Fifa a “revolting organisation” with "nauseating" levels of "corruption", and accused Blatter of "running it like a dictatorship".

The former Fifa chief was banned from football in December 2015 amid allegations of financial impropriety.

"Most of the old guard, the ones responsible for corruption, are now thankfully suspended, locked up or about to be locked up," said Lineker ahead of Friday's draw.

Gianni Infantino was named Blatter’s successor at Fifa in February 2016 and Lineker said on Wednesday he would "continue to tweet about corruption and human rights issues if and when necessary".

On his decision to present the draw, Lineker added: "I thought about it and I spoke to Fifa about it. They are making lots of changes, a massive amount, and there is hardly anyone left from the old guard."

POT 1 POT 2 POT 3 POT 4
Russia Spain Denmark Serbia
Germany Peru Iceland Nigeria
Brazil Switzerland Costa Rica Australia
Portugal England Sweden Japan
Argentina Colombia Tunisia Morocco
Belgium Mexico Egypt Panama
Poland Uruguay Senegal Korea Republic
France Croatia Iran Saudi Arabia

"If Blatter had still been in charge, I wouldn't have done it but you have a lot of ex-footballers running the show now.

"They are making changes and it's only fair to give them an opportunity.”

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