Russia are pushing ahead with preparations to host the 2018 World Cup as the FIFA scandal rumbles on with the nation's press unhappy with Sepp Blatter's downfall.
The Kremlin said it was surprised by Blatter's decision on Tuesday night to stand down as the FIFA president, but signalled it was business as usual between Moscow and football's world governing body.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "We have no information on what the reason was for this resignation. Cooperation with FIFA is going on and, most importantly, Russia continues preparations for the 2018 World Cup."
Blatter announced he was quitting four days after he was re-elected FIFA president despite a criminal investigation being launched last week into FIFA votes to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively.
After Blatter's re-election, English FA chairman Greg Dyke said his organisation would support any boycott led by UEFA, but Alexander Zhukov, head of Russia's Olympic Committee, said: "I think there will be no kind of boycotts.
"We have heard statements, including from politicians, but I think the sporting community will never do it and won't allow the world of sport to be split."
The Russian press were astonished at Blatter's announcement and hinted at a conspiracy behind his intended exit.
The front headline of newspaper Argumenty I Fakty read: 'They hit FIFA but aimed at Russia.'
It quoted Russia's lower house of parliament's deputy speaker Igor Lebedev as saying: "It's obvious that the campaign against FIFA, which has been initiated by the United States and Britain, is 99% based on politics and only 1% on the criminal case, which has been suggested as its main reason.
"The worsening of the relations between Russia and the West has been the true reason for it. They currently use every single opportunity to hurt our country, to damage it as much as possible."
'Rossiiskaya Gazeta' daily also blamed the US for Blatter's resignation and said: "Americans have never abandoned their attempts to overthrow the persons they dislike.
"And they didn't give up this time as well. Even though Blatter's advantage looked overwhelming. It seems that nobody will even know what was Blatter's weak point. But it's obvious that it was a hit below the belt."
Sovietsky Sport daily also expressed concern about the future of the 2018 world's football extravaganza in Russia on its front page with its headline reading: 'Sepp is gone. Does the World Cup stay?'.
Sovietsky Sport also published an interview with Russia's Football Union (RFU) former chief and current honorary president Vyacheslav Koloskov, who expressed perplexity about Blatter's decision but remained confident on the country hosting the 2018 World Cup.
Koloskov, who has been one of the driving forces behind Russia's bid to host the 2018 event, said: "We've promoted our bid to host the World Cup in full compliance with FIFA requirements.
"We have had just three people in charge: (Russian sports minister Vitaly) Mutko, (the local organising committee chairman Andrei) Sorokin and me. And I can assure you 1000% that FIFA's ethical code has never been violated.
"There's no grounds to accuse us of any kind of wrongdoing."
