By Andrew Warshaw
June 25 – Sepp Blatter’s brief World Cup sojourn may be over but that didn’t stop the former FIFA president leaving his mark on the tournament in a series of interviews that showed that he has lost none of his appetite for arguing his case and defending his legacy.
Blatter reportedly watched two World Cup games as a guest of Russian president Vladimir Putin, thus not breaking his FIFA ban over that infamous CHF 2 million “disloyal payment.”
But it was clear, in a series of cherry-picked question and answer sessions, that while he has slowed down, the wily old campaigner still knows how to court the media.
One of Blatter’s lengthiest interviews came with Britain’s Channel 4 television station when he addressed the considerable interest shown in his visit to Russia by the world’s print and broadcast media.
“I got the impression that it was my World Cup,” said Blatter, now 82. “It isn’t of course but I have the impression that time has not stopped since I went to the last one in 2014.”
Blatter’s successor Gianni Infantino, wisely, has kept his distance from the whole controversy but Blatter said his appearance in Russia should not be interpreted as an embarrassment to FIFA. Rather that FIFA “should have a little bit of respect” for the fact he had been personally invited.
Blatter remains convinced that a Swiss criminal investigation into alleged mismanagement will produce no incriminating evidence and refutes claims that, when FIFA president, he was guilty of corruption given that so many senior officials under his watch have themselves found to be corrupt.
“You cannot say that,” he retorted. “It’s like saying that if there is corruption at the United Nations, the United Nations is corrupt. Let’s play football now and let my critics say something when everything is solved later this year. And it will be.”
In a final dig at the media, Blatter said it was time to move on. “Journalists should not always come back with the same old questions. Let the (Swiss) investigation finish. Then we will see.”
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