United States bid leaders reacted with fury after Luis Figo's arrival interrupted their video presentation of the their campaign for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
The arrival of Figo, bid ambassador for the rival Spain/Portugal bid, led to a rush of reporters and photographers leaving the USA's video right in the middle of the presentation.
"It was totally ruined," Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber said. "I think there's an element of fair-play in our sport. That was bad form."
The Spain/Portugal bid later apologised with a spokesman saying: "We are very sorry - this was not intended."
England 2018 said they had made sure the arrival of their ambassadors, David Beckham and Fabio Capello, was carefully-timed to avoid any such embarrassment.
England 2018's chief operating officer Simon Johnson said: "We timed the arrival of our two ambassadors so they arrived after the completion of all the videos - we think that is only courteous."
"It was totally ruined," Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber said. "I think there's an element of fair-play in our sport. That was bad form."
The Spain/Portugal bid later apologised with a spokesman saying: "We are very sorry - this was not intended."
England 2018 said they had made sure the arrival of their ambassadors, David Beckham and Fabio Capello, was carefully-timed to avoid any such embarrassment.
England 2018's chief operating officer Simon Johnson said: "We timed the arrival of our two ambassadors so they arrived after the completion of all the videos - we think that is only courteous."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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