Sepp Blatter says he has not resigned as Fifa president. The 79-year-old Swiss was thought to have ended his 17-year reign on 2 June amid claims of corruption in world football's governing body. But, according to Swiss newspaper Blick, Blatter told a party at a Fifa museum: "I did not resign. I put myself and my office in the hands of the Fifa congress." Blatter is thought to be considering standing for re-election as president. http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/33284185 This is unbelievable with all the criminal investigations going on.
If this debacle was a fictional film it would be dismissed as too far fetched!! I'm sure there are lots of juicy revelations to come.
Given the amount of coverage it had at the time, I wonder why it has taken him 3 weeks to say anything. Once again the talk is about him when there is a World Cup and 2 confederation international competitions taking place.
I'm no fan but some of the vitriol (everywhere - not just here) is interesting. He's the President of a sports body - he's being put on a par with Pol Pot. Some perspective wouldn't go amiss.
Hang on he said he mite stand for re-election for a post that he has not resigned for ,Is that after a prison sentence. and were will he get the money to pay people to vote for him if he cant not get FIFA to pay his bills ?
https://theconversation.com/the-cle...litics of Sepp Blatters resignation from FIFA Hope this posts okay, it was originally posted by Boltons Boots on the Are Watford all that's wrong with football thread.
You really have to admire the guy and wonder about the ineptitude of his opponents. He is running rings around everybody. He just waited for a few weeks so that the past became fish and chip paper and his opponents will now find it difficult to regain their momentum.
I bet neither he nor his right hand man travel to do their duties at either the Copa or the Womens world cup for fear of arrest. FIFA = Organised money laundering (aledgedly)
BBC Today: Sepp Blatter to stay as Fifa president despite investigation Sepp Blatter has said he will not stand down as Fifa president despite criminal proceedings being opened against him by Swiss investigators. The Swiss, 79, is suspected of signing a contract that was "unfavourable to Fifa" and making a "disloyal payment" to Uefa president Michel Platini. Blatter, who will stand down as Fifa president in February, said he "had done nothing illegal or improper". Platini, 60, has written a letter to Uefa members denying any wrongdoing. In a statement released through his lawyers, Blatter said a £1.5m payment made to Platini, the head of European football's governing body, in 2011 was "valid compensation and nothing more". Both men are also facing investigation by Fifa's independent ethics committee over the payment, which Platini said was for work as Blatter's technical advisor between 1999 and 2002. Platini, who was interviewed by officers from the attorney general's office, stressed that the payment had been "fully declared" to the authorities. The Frenchman said he was "aware that these events may harm my image and reputation" and released a statement for "reasons of transparency". World governing body Fifa, which has been hit by a string of corruption allegations in recent years, has said it is co-operating with the investigation .....and so it goes on...... The guy really should go..... sell by date long past.... perishable product now smells....
I can only think he got fed up on the Politics thread, it had got a bit heated earlier in the summer. I was planning on meeting him for a beer when I was in Scotland in July, but he went offline and never got back to me.
I've spoken to him on twitter and he confirmed that he got upset at all the anti-Scotland jibes during the referendum. He said he may consider coming back at some point but that he wasn't missing the forum too much!
Very sad to hear that Dave. Whilst we can expect heated debate on political threads and need to keep a thick skin at times, the debate on Scotland went over the top a little and anyone voicing pro Scottish feelings was in danger of being drowned in a wave of xenophobia from the other side - and I cannot describe the reaction of many English people in any other way here. It was as if the Scots did not have a perfectly democratic right to a referendum on their future. Hope that BB comes back soon.
