Billionaire soccer chief Frank Lowy has taken his luxury yacht to the Bahamas to lobby for support from FIFA’s executive for Australia’s bid to stage the 2018 or 2022 World Cups, reports said yesterday.
The Football Federation Australia (FFA) chair, listed as the country’s second-richest man, has reportedly dug into his own pockets to boost the nation’s chances.
Lowy is targeting decision-makers from FIFA and along with FFA chief executive Ben Buckley has held a series of one-on-one meetings in the lead-up to the FIFA Congress in Nassau.
“Not for Australia’s bid team the awkward formality of hotel meeting rooms,” Melbourne’s Age newspaper said. “Lowy has brought along his alternative — the 74-meter luxury yacht Ilona and worth a reported A$110 million (US$85 million). It is a trip funded out of his own deep pockets and not from the A$47 million allocated by the Australian government to fund the bid.”
The 24 members of the FIFA executive will vote in December to award the hosting rights for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
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