Daily Times

MOSCOW: Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Wednesday evening while in Russia to attend the World Cup, Blatter said on Thursday. The Kremlin confirmed the meeting, but said it was a private matter and declined to provide details. FIFA’s Ethics Committee banned Blatter, who led FIFA for 17 years, from “all football activities” in 2015 after finding him guilty of unethical conduct related to a global corruption scandal which rocked the organisation. His appearance at the World Cup in Russia is therefore potentially embarrassing for FIFA and its new head, Gianni Infantino, who has promised to draw a line under FIFA’s corruption problems and clean up the organisation. Blatter, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, said on Thursday he had been invited to the World Cup by Russia, which he said had organised his trip and provided him with tickets and a fan ID. “I met President Putin yesterday evening. He invited me to his apartment in the Kremlin. It’s not the first time I’m there,” the 82-year-old said. Blatter, who was speaking at a hotel in central Moscow, said he and Putin, who have known each other for a long time, had chatted about the World Cup and that Putin had spoken of the pleasure he took in hosting the tournament. Blatter, who is Swiss, said he hoped that the FIFA ban on him taking part in footballing activities would be lifted by the end of this year.

Published in Daily Times, June 22^nd 2018.