Disgraced former FIFA president Sepp Blatter will attend next year’s World Cup after being invited by Russian president Vladimir Putin. This comes despite being banned for six years from all football-related activities after being found guilty of corruption during his 17-year spell in charge of Fifa. A Kremlin spokesman confirmed that Blatter, alongside ex-Uefa head Michel Platini, will be welcomed at next summer’s World Cup.
“I will go to the World Cup in Russia. I received an invitation from President Putin,” Blatter told the AFP news agency. “I don’t know how long I will go for, whether I will be there for the opening match or the final. “Because I can’t work in football and I don’t have an assignment to do, maybe I will only make a short visit.” Blatter was found guilty in 2015 of accepting an improper payment of 2m Swiss francs (£1.6m) from Platini, who was banned for four years. The 81-year-old remains the subject of a Swiss investigation over allegations of criminal mismanagement at FIFA.
The 2018 World Cup is similarly being targeted by Swiss prosecutors over possible bribery and corruption charges. However, Blatter is confident that the tournament will be a success. “I’m sure that the World Cup 2018 will be a great World Cup. Russia has to show that it can welcome the whole world. It’s a big challenge,” he said.
Source: The Independent
