FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Tuesday called for an overhaul of the World Cup selection process in order to ensure a fairer distribution of football's premier sporting event by continent.
In a letter addressed to the executive committee of football's world governing body, Blatter outlined a new format to assure the World Cup was not always awarded to the same continents.
Calls for an overhaul of the selection procedure have increased since last Thursday's controversial vote in which the 2006 World Cup was awarded to Germany ahead of South Africa by a narrow 12-11 vote.
The selection of Germany was the tenth time that football's biggest extravaganza has been awarded to Europe while Africa has yet to host the event.
In Blatter's letter he suggested:
- the introduction of a principal which would distribute the competition between the continents;
- a limitation of the number of candidates from each continent;
- the simultaneous appointment of the hosts for the next two World Cups;
- combining the three principals or the adoption of new legislation which would serve the same purpose.
FIFA also indicated that they had received a letter from the African Confederation with principals along the same lines as Blatter's proposals.
FIFA's executive committee will meet next on August 3 to "discuss openly all possibilities that would permit FIFA to adopt new politics,” – (AFP)
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