England's Football Association is to abstain in the vote for the presidency of football's world governing body FIFA.
"There are a well-reported range of issues both recent and current which, in the view of the FA board, make it difficult to support either candidate," FA chairman David Bernstein said in a statement Thursday.
FIFA has been hit by allegations of corruption surrounding the votes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Meanwhile FIFA president Joseph Blatter, who is seeking a fourth term of office at the FIFA Congress vote in Zurich on June 1, said football's world governing body is to hear evidence from the person who has alleged bribery in the World Cup bidding process.
Blatter is being challenged for the presidency by Qatari Mohamed Bin Hammam, the president of the Asian Football Confederation.
"The FA values its relationships with its international football partners extremely highly. We are determined to play an active and influential role through our representation within both UEFA and FIFA," Bernstein said.
"We will continue to work hard to bring about any changes we think would benefit all of international football."
England failed in its bid to host the 2018 World Cup, which went to Russia. The English bid received just two votes and went out in the first round.
Qatar was chosen to host the 2022 World Cup.
However the lead up to the vote on December 2 was overshadowed by allegations of bribery involving FIFA officials.
Two FIFA executive committee members were suspended two weeks before the ballot following allegations they had offered to sell their votes.
Last week, former English FA chairman Lord Triesman, giving evidence to a House of Commons inquiry, accused four FIFA members of seeking bribes in return for their backing of England's failed 2018 bid.
British member of parliament Damian Collins also told parliament that it had received evidence from the Sunday Times that two other members of the executive received 1.5 million dollars to vote for Qatar as the 2022 hosts. The claims have been denied.
In Zurich, Blatter said the person who had worked for the Qatar 2022 bid organization had agreed to come to FIFA to give evidence.
"We are anxiously awaiting for these evidences or non-evidences in order that we can take the adequate steps," Blatter said.
"The newspaper has agreed that we will bring this whistleblower here to Zurich and then we will have an investigation of this."
The interview will be conducted by FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke and legal director Marco Villiger.
Blatter said he was also keen for the independent investigation commissioned by the FA into claims made by Lord Triesman to provide their findings as soon as possible.
With FIFA's Congress opening in 11 days, Blatter said: "We have to see evidence and then we will intervene. We have received the declarations made in the House of Commons but we have not received any evidence.
"The whole procedure cannot be done in 11 days but before 11 days we must know whether the allegations are true or not true - or unproven. If they are not true this case is over.
"The ethics committee is already alerted and alarmed - they are not just lying on the beach - and the members will come for the Congress and can convene at very short notice."
Blatter would not say whether FIFA would organize a re-vote of the 2022 World Cup bid if the allegations were proven.
"This is an idea circulating already around the world which is alarming. Don't ask me yes or no, let us go step by step."
"There are a well-reported range of issues both recent and current which, in the view of the FA board, make it difficult to support either candidate," FA chairman David Bernstein said in a statement Thursday.
FIFA has been hit by allegations of corruption surrounding the votes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Meanwhile FIFA president Joseph Blatter, who is seeking a fourth term of office at the FIFA Congress vote in Zurich on June 1, said football's world governing body is to hear evidence from the person who has alleged bribery in the World Cup bidding process.
Blatter is being challenged for the presidency by Qatari Mohamed Bin Hammam, the president of the Asian Football Confederation.
"The FA values its relationships with its international football partners extremely highly. We are determined to play an active and influential role through our representation within both UEFA and FIFA," Bernstein said.
"We will continue to work hard to bring about any changes we think would benefit all of international football."
England failed in its bid to host the 2018 World Cup, which went to Russia. The English bid received just two votes and went out in the first round.
Qatar was chosen to host the 2022 World Cup.
However the lead up to the vote on December 2 was overshadowed by allegations of bribery involving FIFA officials.
Two FIFA executive committee members were suspended two weeks before the ballot following allegations they had offered to sell their votes.
Last week, former English FA chairman Lord Triesman, giving evidence to a House of Commons inquiry, accused four FIFA members of seeking bribes in return for their backing of England's failed 2018 bid.
British member of parliament Damian Collins also told parliament that it had received evidence from the Sunday Times that two other members of the executive received 1.5 million dollars to vote for Qatar as the 2022 hosts. The claims have been denied.
In Zurich, Blatter said the person who had worked for the Qatar 2022 bid organization had agreed to come to FIFA to give evidence.
"We are anxiously awaiting for these evidences or non-evidences in order that we can take the adequate steps," Blatter said.
"The newspaper has agreed that we will bring this whistleblower here to Zurich and then we will have an investigation of this."
The interview will be conducted by FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke and legal director Marco Villiger.
Blatter said he was also keen for the independent investigation commissioned by the FA into claims made by Lord Triesman to provide their findings as soon as possible.
With FIFA's Congress opening in 11 days, Blatter said: "We have to see evidence and then we will intervene. We have received the declarations made in the House of Commons but we have not received any evidence.
"The whole procedure cannot be done in 11 days but before 11 days we must know whether the allegations are true or not true - or unproven. If they are not true this case is over.
"The ethics committee is already alerted and alarmed - they are not just lying on the beach - and the members will come for the Congress and can convene at very short notice."
Blatter would not say whether FIFA would organize a re-vote of the 2022 World Cup bid if the allegations were proven.
"This is an idea circulating already around the world which is alarming. Don't ask me yes or no, let us go step by step."
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