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Sheikh Salman could re-visit 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding

Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa
Image: Sheikh Salman could re-visit the bidding process for the next two World Cups

Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa could re-visit the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups if he wins next month's FIFA presidential election and previous 'wrongful conduct' has been proven.

Football's world governing body is facing criminal investigations in Switzerland and the United States, where 41 officials and sports entities have been indicted on corruption charges.

Switzerland's prosecutor is also investigating FIFA's awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar.

Jerome Champagne is a contender to replace Sepp Blatter as FIFA president
Image: Jerome Champagne is a contender to replace Sepp Blatter as FIFA president

Asked by fans in a survey conducted on social media by campaign group #NewFIFANow of the five presidential candidates, the Sheikh declined to answer if he would vote again for Russia and Qatar if the bidding process was hypothetically re-run.

However, the Asian Football Confederation president did say: "If serious wrongful conduct is proven by a court of law we would of course re-visit the [hosting] issue".

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Tokyo Sexwale says he'd like to see England host another World Cup

Jerome Champagne, one of the Bahraini's election rivals, said he would vote again for Russia to stage the finals in 2018 and award the 2022 tournament to the United States.

The other presidential candidates, Jordanian FA president Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, UEFA secretary general Gianni Infantino and South African businessman Tokyo Sexwale, declined to respond to the survey.

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Prince Ali, Champagne, Infantino and Sexwale are due to present their plans for the FIFA role at a January 27 forum convened jointly by the European Parliament Sports Intergroup and #NewFIFANow in Brussels.

FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini
Image: Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini were handed eight-year bans by FIFA

It comes after FIFA ethics investigators said they are planning an appeal that could extend eight-year bans on outgoing president Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, raising the possibility of lifelong exclusion.

On Wednesday, FIFA fired secretary general Jerome Valcke amid alleged corruption involving World Cup ticket sales.

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