The allegations appear to be true that some FIFA delegates were prepared to take money in exchange for their votes. Rather than being cross with the corrupt officials it seems FIFA are cross with England for daring to expose the truth. Would it have been better if the press had carried on pretending FIFA weren't appallingly corrupt and that the bidding process was riddled with bribery? Apparently so.

England's 2018 World Cup bid has been "significantly harmed" by a newspaper investigation into the bidding process, says a key member of the campaign team.

A member of the Fifa executive committee previously claimed there would be no backlash against England.

But it now seems the Sunday Times probe into two members of the committee has left England with a mountain to climb ahead of the vote on 2 December.

"It has significantly harmed England's bid," a senior member told BBC Sport.

With four weeks to go to the decision, England's bid team has not given up all hope of turning the situation around.

But senior sources say that the prospect of any future media investigations into the conduct of Fifa officials - including a potential Panorama programme on the BBC - could be fatal for their chances.

One member of the bid team told the BBC: "The question is: can we recover from this? Fifa members feel they are being persecuted by the British media.