12 Dec 2013

FIFA dismisses World Cup draw speculation

5:58 am on 12 December 2013

FIFA has dismissed conspiracy surrounding the 2014 World Cup draw, insisting there was no manipulation at last week's event in Brazil.

There was speculation after the draw that Argentina was not placed by chance in group F, along with Iran, Nigeria and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Argentine reports suggest journalists were told ahead of the draw in which group Lionel Messi's team would be, and the team's World Cup base camp was set up before the draw in Belo Horizonte, where they will play against Iran.

Twitter posts allegedly accurately predicting the composition of group F added to conspiracy theories.

But FIFA says all the preparations for the draw were monitored and validated by three Ernst and Young representatives, and seven cameras were constantly focused on FIFA's general-secretary Jerome Valcke as he announced the draw.