THE war of words between England and Russia’s 2018 World Cup bids has intensified, with England being called ‘‘absolutely primitive’’ by the honorary president of the Russian Football Union for their decision to make a formal complaint to FIFA about their bid rivals.

Viacheslav Koloskov, a former member of FIFA and UEFA’s executive committees, said England ‘‘were afraid of how badly their bid is going’’.

England complained to FIFA that Alexei Sorokin, chief executive of Russia 2018, had highlighted London’s ‘‘high crime rate’’ and youth alcohol problems in an interview that appeared to contravene FIFA’s rules about talking about rival bidders.

Koloskov’s comments were made to a Russian sports website.

Koloskov said: ‘‘It’s a comical situation. The English are afraid of how badly their bid is going. Their journalists are provoking members of the comittee, and they now say one of the members of our bidding team has spoken out against England in an improper manner.

‘‘I think it’s a raising of tensions, and also an attempt to in some way influence the work of our bidding team.

‘‘These acts have little chance of success. Russia should not be afraid of sanctions.

There won’t even be an investigation.

‘‘The behaviour of the English is absolutely primitive.

Instead of talking about their own excellence and merits, they try to put off their opponents.’’ FIFA yesterday confirmed they had received a complaint and said: ‘‘We have been in contact with the England and Russia bids in relation to this matter, which is currently pending.’’