SIR – Five years ago there were calls by some people suggesting the Government should consider stripping the BBC of the right to show games of the 2018 World Cup.
These people attacked the BBC Panorama programme for claiming that three members of world soccer’s governing body Fifa had taken bribes in the 1990s.
They also claimed that the BBC’s criticism of Fifa could cost England the chance of staging the World Cup.
Around 15 years ago the author David Yallop, in his book, They Stole Our Game echoed the sentiments of the BBC.
So why has nothing been done until now?
Am I the only one cynical of the American authorities’ intervention on this issue?
They clearly don’t want the World Cup to be held in Russia for political reasons, but for the rest of us we need to root out the corruption endemic in football.
The beautiful game has become ugly.
John Appleyard, Firthcliffe Parade, Liversedge
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