--- title: World Cup Kickbacks Allegedly Include a Picasso Painting description: World Cup officials allegedly accepted valuable works of art from Russia as it was bidding to host the 2018 soccer tournament canonical: https://time.com/3611536/world-cup-picasso-russia-platini/ author: Dan Kedmey article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-12-01T15:46:13.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:05:27.215Z article:section: Sports og:title: World Cup Kickbacks Allegedly Include a Picasso Painting og:description: World Cup officials allegedly accepted valuable works of art from Russia as it was bidding to host the 2018 soccer tournament og:url: https://time.com/3611536/world-cup-picasso-russia-platini/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5050f86be9922b65/69876b97e20a87fd45a83a70/fifa-world-cup-sepp-blatter.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: FIFA president Joseph Blatter graces the ground breaking ceremony of the FIFA Goal Project III og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: World Cup Kickbacks Allegedly Include a Picasso Painting twitter:description: World Cup officials allegedly accepted valuable works of art from Russia as it was bidding to host the 2018 soccer tournament twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5050f86be9922b65/69876b97e20a87fd45a83a70/fifa-world-cup-sepp-blatter.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Report: Russia's World Cup Kickbacks Included Picasso Painting > Sponsored content. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account. ## Video: Watch Every Goal in the World Cup [Watch (HLS stream): Watch Every Goal in the World Cup](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/dKj3ZvR1.m3u8) (1:27)  _Published 2014-07-11. 167 Goals from the group stage to the final_  by [Dan Kedmey](https://time.com/author/dan-kedmey/)  ## Dan Kedmey Dec 1, 2014 3:46 PM UTC  FIFA president Joseph Blatter delivers his speech prior to the Ground Breaking Ceremony of the FIFA Goal Project III for the national teams' training center at the San Lazaro Leisure and Business Park in Cavite province, south of Manila, Philippines, Nov. 30, 2014. FIFA president Joseph Blatter delivers his speech prior to the Ground Breaking Ceremony of the FIFA Goal Project III for the national teams' training center at the San Lazaro Leisure and Business Park in Cavite province, south of Manila, Philippines, Nov. 30, 2014. Dennis M. Sabangan—EPA  by [Dan Kedmey](https://time.com/author/dan-kedmey/)  ## Dan Kedmey Dec 1, 2014 3:46 PM UTC World Cup officials accepted valuable works of art from Russia as it was bidding to host the 2018 soccer tournament, according to a new report published Monday. The [dossier](http://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/15880.pdf) of findings, which was submitted by investigative reporters at a British newspaper to a UK Parliamentary committee, includes allegations that Russia’s successful bid to host the tournament in 2018 was bolstered by a handout of a Picasso painting to FIFA executive member Michel Platini. Belgian executive committee member Michel D’Hooghe also allegedly accepted a valuable painting. Investigative reporters for British newspaper the _Sunday Times_[gathered](http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk%5Fnews/fifa/article1489975.ece) allegations by unnamed whistleblowers, including a British intelligence agent who reportedly spied on rival countries’ bids to host the World Cup tournament. The dossier also alleges that Russia and Qatar traded votes for their successful bids as part of a gas deal. Platini dismissed the allegations as “total fabrications,” CNN [reports](http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/30/sport/football/football-platini-picasso-world-cup/index.html), while D’Hooghe characterized the painting given to him as “absolutely ugly,” and insisted it had no bearing on his vote, which he said did not go in favor of Russia. The House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee accepted the dossier as part of an ongoing investigation into the World Cup bidding process. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3611536/world-cup-picasso-russia-platini/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3611536/world-cup-picasso-russia-platini/"},"headline":"Report: Russia's World Cup Kickbacks Included Picasso Painting","datePublished":"2014-12-01T15:46:13.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T08:05:27.215Z","description":"Insiders allege a system of kickbacks helped countries secure bids to host the game","url":"https://time.com/3611536/world-cup-picasso-russia-platini/","keywords":["World Cup","corruption","Soccer","bribery"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5050f86be9922b65/69876b97e20a87fd45a83a70/fifa-world-cup-sepp-blatter.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Dan Kedmey","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/dan-kedmey/"}],"articleSection":"Sports","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5050f86be9922b65/69876b97e20a87fd45a83a70/fifa-world-cup-sepp-blatter.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"FIFA president Joseph Blatter graces the ground breaking ceremony of the FIFA Goal Project III","caption":"FIFA president Joseph Blatter graces the ground breaking ceremony of the FIFA Goal Project III","creditText":"Dennis M. 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