England 2018 World Cup quest in chaos as bid chief quits over controversy

Lord Triesman has also resigned from his high-profile post as chairman of the Football Association (FA) following allegations that he made comments about Spain and Russia planning to bribe referees.

England's 2018 bid team has faxed apology letters to the Russian and Spanish FAs as it tries to rescue the World Cup bid following newspaper revelations.

In a statement released through the FA, the peer announced his resignation yesterday evening and said he had been a victim of entrapment.

He said: "A private conversation with someone whom I thought to be a friend was taped without my knowledge and passed to a national newspaper. That same friend has also chosen to greatly exaggerate the extent of our friendship."

The former government minister's departure comes less than a month before England's players fly out to South Africa.

Lord Triesman, 66, appears to suggest in the transcripts that Spain may withdraw its bid to stage the 2018 finals if Russia, which also wants to host the event, helps it to bribe referees in next month's tournament.

He made the corruption claims to Melissa Jacobs, a civil servant he employed as a private secretary when he was a minister at the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. The comments were made in a private conversation taped without his knowledge.

Lord Triesman's statement released last night added: "In that conversation I commentated on speculation circulating about conspiracies around the world. Those comments were never intended to be taken seriously as indeed is the case with many private conversations.

"The views expressed were not the views of the 2018 bid board or the FA. Nobody should be under any misapprehension that the FA or 2018 bid board are disrespectful of other nations or Fifa and I regret any such inference that may have been drawn from what has been reported.

"Entrapment especially by a friend is an unpleasant experience both for my family and me but it leaves me with no alternative but to resign.

"I have immediately informed the FA board of my decision.

"I have enjoyed hugely my time at the FA and the bid and feel I accomplished a great deal in areas I love.

"The 2018 Fifa World Cup bid has made enormous progress both around the world and in the technical bid in England.

"I wish everyone associated with the FA all the very best for what is a very exciting future for the game we all love."

Vice-chairman Barry Bright, who will take on the role of acting chairman of the FA council and will chair this week's AGM, expressed "considerable regret at the circumstances of his departure".

Sports Minister Hugh Robertson this morning welcomed reports that Lord Triesman was to stand down.

"It's entirely right that he should stand down and that the action should have been taken as quickly as is the case," he said in a television interview.

The chief of Russia's bid, Aleksey Sorokin, called for football's governing body to "take appropriate measures".

Former FA chairman Geoff Thompson was last night named as the new chairman of England's 2018 Fifa World Cup Bid.

WHAT HE SAID

"There's some evidence that the Spanish authorities are trying to identify the referees… and pay them.

"If Spain drop out (of hosting the World Cup] – because Spain are looking for help from the Russians to help bribe the referees in the World Cup, their votes may then switch to Russia.

"I think Russia will cut deals. (Russia] have absolutely nothing to lose."