^ Saw that and it was tagged here by the media as 'Can Putin really speak English'?
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Gamblers not game to bet on World Cup matches involving Russian team
Russia's World Cup squad training in May
A sports anti-corruption consultant says professional gamblers are avoiding betting on World Cup matches
involving host nation Russia because of doubts over their integrity.
"I'm certainly worried about it," Mark Phillips, director at Global Sport Integrity, said.
"I know there are professional gamblers who are looking at these matches in Group A — Russia, Uruguay, Egypt
and Saudi Arabia — and saying we can't bet on those games, because they don't know if they're going to be completely straight."
Mr Phillips admits the evidence for integrity breaches is purely circumstantial, but he argues the reputation of soccer's governing
body FIFA has been badly damaged.
Allegations of kickbacks and bribery within FIFA came to a head eight years ago, during the bidding process for the rights to
hold the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, which were eventually awarded to Russia and Qatar respectively.
"I think Russia has been very lucky that Qatar won 2022," sports administrator and FIFA whistle-blower Bonita Mersiades said.
"That was such an absurd decision for this tiny little state in the middle of the desert to win a World Cup tournament,
that everyone ignored the fact that Russia won in two rounds of voting.