I wrote to the BBC complaining about how the programme Panorama 'Fifa’s Dirty Secrets' played a part in messing up England's bid for the 2018 world cup to be held here, and this is how they replied.
We appreciate some viewers felt this programme had a negative impact on England’s chances of securing the vote to host the 2018 World Cup.
We feel the programme was in the public interest and showed that some Fifa executives involved in making decisions about the 2018 bid have a history of taking bribes. Delaying until after the bid was not an option once it became clear that the winning nations might have been chosen by officials with a proven track record of corruption.
We believe that any journalist has the right to ask questions of public figures in the run-up to and aftermath of major public events and stand by our decision to broadcast the programme.
The Editor for ‘Panorama’ Tom Giles has written a blog on this matter which can be seen at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2010/11/fifa_football_panorama.html
