A FIFA delegation began a three-day visit to Australia on Mondayto inspect stadiums and other facilities for the country’s 2022World Cup bid.The inspection team from football’s world governing bodyincludes six delegates led by Chilean Football Federation PresidentHarold Mayne-Nicholls. Danny Jordaan, chief executive of theorganizing committee for the recently concluded World Cup in SouthAfrica, is also part of the delegation.Australia, the third stop on tour of the nine countries whichare bidding to host the 2018 or 2022 FIFA World Cup tournaments,was cleared last week by FIFA of wrongdoing.FIFA said it reviewed allegations that expensive gifts wereprovided to some FIFA Congress delegates in May 2008 – eight monthsbefore official campaigning began – but decided there were ”nogrounds to open a formal case.”Although it considered the matter closed, FIFA remindedAustralia’s soccer federation about bidding rules.FIFA started investigating last month after Melbourne’s The Agenewspaper reported some FIFA executive members were given jewelryand offered travel expenses.On Monday, the FIFA team was treated to a traditional Aboriginalsmoking ceremony welcome on the Sydney Opera house forecourt. Theywere joined by FFA chairman Frank Lowy and Federal Sports MinisterKate Ellis before hearing their first briefing from the Australianbid team.”For us it is a real pleasure to be here in… Read full this story
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