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Russian minister says ‘no threat’ to World Cup from Blatter’s exit as FIFA president

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File- This June 1, 2011, Swiss FIFA President Joseph (Sepp) Blatter speaks during a press conference after the 61st FIFA Congress in Zurich, Switzerland. Blatter said in a Sunday, July 5, 2015, newspaper interview that French and German presidents applied political pressure before the 2018 and 2022 World Cups were awarded to Russia and Qatar, respectively. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, File)

MOSCOW – Russia says that Sepp Blatter’s decision to step down as FIFA president poses “no threat” to its hosting of the 2018 World Cup.

Blatter announced his intention to quit last month and new elections will be held against the backdrop of U.S. and Swiss investigations into corruption allegations, including some that involve the bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko says that any new FIFA president will “provide full support” for Russia’s World Cup, which he called FIFA’s “pearl.”

FIFA should now “restore trust” in football after various scandals, he added.

The date for a new presidential election will be set at an emergency meeting of FIFA’s executive committee on July 20 in Zurich.

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