A FIFA official slams B.C. to withdraw from the 2026 World Cup bid



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Victor Montagliani, leader of the soccer leadership team in North and Central America and the Caribbean, says he's done "everything I could at the eleventh hour to get extensions" but Prime Minister John Horgan did not have it "


Gerry Kahrmann / PROVINCE

The head of the Vancouver soccer organization in North America, Central America and the United States. The Caribbean has finally spoken of its disappointment to its hometown not part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico.

"Am I disappointed?" Victor Montagliani told Kurtis Larson of Postmedia on Monday

"Not only is this my city, where I grew up, and my province, but I am Did everything at the last minute to get

Montagliani rejected several interview requests in the days leading up to the finalization of United's candidacy in March, when the news revealed that Vancouver could be outside.

Monday, the United States candidacy having won the right to host the tournament of 2026 and the Men's World Cup in Russia, the former boss of the Canadian Soccer Association and l & rsquo; # 39; one of the main organizers of the 2015 Women's World Cup, He was apparently ready to share some ideas

Motagliani, unsurprisingly, disagreed with the position taken by the provincial government.

"They can say anything they want, but from a simple admin He added that the province could have withdrawn by 2020.

" In reality, they did not not pay attention to the file, "he said." They put a junior person on the file. They did not pay attention to the eleventh hour. "

Montagliani said that Prime Minister John Horgan never called him to talk about the situation.

" They probably thought it was a Timbits tournament. No seriously. They simply do not understand the scope of this sport in the world and what this tournament means. "

" It's the story, "concluded Montagliani." We must go from the front. "

Before Vancouver was excluded from the record of appeal Submitted to the FIFA, Horgan had declared that his government was ready to support the matches of the World Cup in Vancouver. "

" We have been struggling with supporters who want us to sign a check in white, a conditional agreement that can be changed by FIFA, but not by us, "said Horgan on March 13.

The tender contract for two surfaces of natural turf must be prepared for installation at BC Place Stadium – the current surface is an artificial surface approved by FIFA – with a second power supply for the stadium, the province and the city covering security costs, the exclusive use of the stadium for two months around the event, a ban on advertising no approved by FIFA in a large area around the stadium, tax and labor law exemptions and the ability to import and export large amounts of foreign currency.

In response, the provincial government asked for a detailed plan outlining all anticipated costs, federal responsibility for security and compensation to protect British Columbia "I do not regret for a minute the decision we have Take us out, "Horgan said earlier this month after the FIFA Congress in Moscow confirmed that North America would be the host in 2026, beating a rival offer from Morocco.

"We are still not ready to write a blank check for a football tournament that would not guarantee a specific number of matches, which would not guarantee the duration of the BC close"

The same day Tourism Minister Lisa Beare made similar comments at a press conference.

"Our government has a responsibility to ensure that the people of British Columbia are not on the ground." hook for hidden costs, "she said. "We tried very hard to get badurances and raised our concerns, but these badurances were not taken into account."

She also pointed out that Chicago and Minneapolis had asked similar questions and had been withdrawn from the bidding process. With the provincial government backing down, the bid received support from the federal government and the City of Vancouver

In a statement, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said it was fantastic that the Canada is the host in 2026.

This is an opportunity for Vancouver to be part of it or to support the efforts and legacy of Canada Soccer, we are delighted, " he said.

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twitter.com/risingaction [19659004] – with files from Postmedia News

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