FIFA has been forced to reassure fans that Friday’s World Cup draw will not be rigged with hot and cold balls following claims by Sepp Blatter he had witnessed their use.
Fifa President, Gianni InfantinoFootball’s world governing body on Wednesday organised a behind-the-scenes tour of the auditorium that will stage the finals draw, featuring an explanation of how the event will unfold, including the use of red balls to denote seeded teams.
Two balls were drawn as an example, that of hosts Russia and another which turned out to contain Peru – arguably the least difficult opponent in their pot.
Fifa’s director of competitions, Chris Unger, was then asked about rumours of heated balls at previous draws, a conspiracy theory fuelled by Blatter last year when he said some at European level at been rigged in that way.
“There’s no truth to that,” Unger replied. “They’re all the same; they don’t feel any different, they don’t look any different, with the exception of the red balls, which are there for a purpose.
FIFA insists World Cup Draw will not be rigged with hot, cold balls
