(ATR) Despite Russia’s economic woes, UEFA president Michel Platini says he has no major concerns about 2018 World Cup preparations.
"We are confident in a perfect organization of the World Cup 2018 and we are sure that a lot of tourists will visit Russia," Platini told reporters on Tuesday, according to Sputnik News.
Platini’s arrival in Moscow on Sunday for meetings with Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko and Russian FA chief Nikolai Tolstykh came two days after FIFA president Sepp Blatter’s meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin, who offered assurances that Russia’s financial crisis would not impact its delivery of the World Cup.
Russia's economy is set to contract by up to five percent in 2015, with inflation forecast to hit around 17 percent by the spring.
Russia is building and renovating stadiums in 11 World Cup host cities, with billions being invested in transport infrastructure.
According to the Associated Press, Blatter said Putin had informed him ''there is no intention to ask FIFA to change anything in the pattern and the programme of the World Cup and we trust Russia will find a solution.''
Blatter said he no longer advocated FIFA’s previous position – to drop one of the host cities in a bid to reduce the size, complexity and cost of Russia’s World Cup preparations.
''There is no need to cut the number of stadia and the number of cities. It has been decided," the Swiss was quoted as saying.
Restating his previous comments about Russia’s tournament preparations, the 78-year-old FIFA chief said the country was ahead of Brazil in its progress at the corresponding time during the build-up to the 2014 World Cup.
"When I compare the same time with Brazil, at the time, I wouldn't say it's like heaven and hell, because I don't believe that hell exists, but I think that's a different heaven that we are facing here,'' said Blatter, who was attending the Commonwealth Cup in St. Petersburg.
Platini, meanwhile, waded into the row over the payment of wages to Russia’s national team manager Fabio Capello.
The Frenchman urged the Russian FA to pay what was owed to the Italian, who reportedly hasn’t been paid wages for six months.
"Capello has never issued any complaints," Platini told a news conference, according to AFP.
"But I don't think it's right that the RFU are not paying his wages. It's bad publicity for Russian football ahead of the upcoming 2018 World Cup. I recommend that the RFU move to solve this problem."
The RFU president said it was able to pay off some of the payment arrears thanks to funding from FIFA. "We're making every effort to clear off Capello's overdue wages," Tolstykh was quoted as saying.
Reported byMark Bisson
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