It’s my World Cup Sepp Blatter
Banned former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been spotted attending the World Cup despite currently waiting out a 6 year ban from all FIFA World Cup activities. FIFA has said that Blatter isn’t in direct contravention of any of the provisions of the ban, because mere attendance of a match in a private capacity doesn’t qualify as being an offence. He can also, if he desires place wagers at a sports betting NZ site if he wanted to, as he has no jurisdiction over the tournament whatsoever.
On his part, Blatter has responded by questions posed to FIFA about his attendance, as well as FIFA’s subsequent reply, by saying that FIFA would do well to show a little bit of respect, as he (Blatter) was attending the World Cup after having received an official invite from Putin. Blatter and Putin have enjoyed a close relationship for many years, and Blatter would supposedly also hold a private conference with Putin during his time in Moscow.
Blatter’s presence at the World Cup is most probably a source of embarrassment to FIFA and especially to its new head, Gianni Infantino, who has made known his resolve to clean up FIFA’s act, so to speak, and to eradicate all forms of corruption from the organisation.
The Kremlin has yet to confirm whether any meetings have in fact been scheduled between the disgraced former president of football and the Russian leader.
Blatter led FIFA for 17 years and was suspended for suspected unethical conduct after FIFA was involved in a global corruption scandal during 2015.
We Are Here Because Of Me
No official charges have been brought against Blatter as of yet, but the Swiss attorney general has begun investigations and criminal proceedings against him after it became apparent that he was heavily involved in many counts of misconduct and mismanagement.
Blatter, for the most part, and specifically referring to his presence at this year’s World Cup, has said that it was his World Cup and that he (Blatter) had been the one who had been rallying for Russia to be awarded the opportunity to present the World Cup. He struck up a grossly defiant tone and aimed it directly at those conducting the criminal proceedings, saying that the criminal investigation was a direct attack on FIFA and that in actual fact, it held no substance.
Blatter also emphasised the fact that he was still the president of FIFA, albeit a suspended president.
No Place For Politics In Football
Quite ironically, especially given his apparently close relationship with Putin, when asked by the media how the 82 year old had been biding his time since the suspension, Blatter responded by saying that he had been grappling with the issue of political interventions in football. He concluded by saying that football should in fact be part of the solution as far as political problems were concerned, but should remain unaffected by politics
