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Blatter, Medvedev meet in Moscow over WC bid
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Ivan Saenko Photo uk.eurosport.yahoo.com
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FIFA head Sepp Blatter met with Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev here on Friday over Moscow's bid to host the 2018 or the 2022
World Cup.
"Football is the most popular type of sport," Medvedev said.
"People love it everywhere. It's not surprising then that they love
it in Russia."
"Even today, when it is minus 25 (degrees Celsius) outside, people
are playing football," said the president as quoted by the RIA Novosti
news agency.
Blatter has already discussed the World Cup bid with Russian Prime Minister
Vladimir Putin last October and voiced his support for Russia's move.
While on Friday, the top official of world soccer hailed the development
of the sport in Russia while regretting Moscow's knockout from the 2010
South Africa World Cup.
The Russian bid, which was officially launched last October, has won the
government's support, with a bidding commission chaired by First Deputy
Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov.
Russia has never hosted a major football tournament, although Moscow was
the host city for the 1980 Olympic Games and the Black Sea resort of Sochi
will stage the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Russia has seven competitors to host the 2018 World Cup, including England,
Australia, Belgium and the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal, and the United
States.
Xinhuanet.com,
Jan. 22, 2010
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