普京将不会出席2018年世界杯主办权会议

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has confirmed he will not be in Zurich for Fifa's decision on the 2018 World Cup on Thursday.

俄罗斯总理普京证实，他将不会出席本周四在苏黎世举行的2018世界杯举办权大会。

He said Fifa had been the victim of a smear（诽谤，污点） campaign and should be left to make its decision "in peace and without any outside pressure".

He did not elaborate（详细描述） but appeared to be referring to the BBC report and others on alleged corruption within Fifa.

England is bidding for 2018 against Russia, the favourite.

A personal appearance by Mr Putin might have clinched（扭住，敲弯） the bid, correspondents say.

If successful, Russia will be hosting the World Cup for the first time.

The 22 officials on Fifa's executive committee will vote in secret on Thursday, after hearing presentations by the four bidders.

Apart from Russia and England, there are two joint bids - by Spain and Portugal, and the Netherlands and Belgium.

No European states are bidding to host the 2022 tournament, which is also being decided by Fifa on Thursday.

'Unscrupulous competition'

Mr Putin said he had informed Fifa by telephone that a deputy prime minister, Igor Shuvalov, would make Russia's presentation on Thursday morning, as previously scheduled.

"We have unfortunately witnessed a campaign against members of the Fifa executive - filth and compromising material has been poured over them," he told ministers in Moscow.

"I see this as unscrupulous（肆无忌惮的，寡廉鲜耻的） competition ahead of the vote.

"I would love to represent our entry in person. However, under these circumstances, I think it would be best not to go out of respect for the members of the Fifa executive committee, so that they can make their decision in peace and without any outside pressure."

The BBC has defended a Panorama documentary which alleged three members of Fifa's executive committee (Exco) took bribes in the 1990s.

Nicolas Leoz, Issa Hayatou and Ricardo Teixeira took the money from a sport marketing firm awarded lucrative（赚钱的，合算的） World Cup rights, Panorama alleged.

Denying any wrongdoing, Mr Hayatou has threatened to sue. Mr Leoz and Mr Teixeira are said to have also denied wrongdoing.

Fifa's position is that the three were investigated by a Swiss court in 2008, none was accused of a crime and the case is closed. All three men will be voting on Thursday.

Two Exco members, Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii, were suspended following allegations of wrongdoing made by the Sunday Times newspaper in October.