Following Sepp Blatter’s refusal to take part in a live televised debate amongst the candidates for the FIFA Presidency, The18 - for a split second - wondered why in high heaven such an honest, learned and down-to-earth chap as Sepp would turn down the opportunity to school his less experienced opponents in front of a live television audience?
Then, we remembered all the dumb, high-handed and wholly inappropriate comments Blatter has made over his all-too-long stint as FIFA’s head honcho. For your reading pleasure, here’s a light dusting of some of his most inane, innuendo-laden musings from the last decade or so.
1. Sepp on… Female Equality Within FIFA
"We now have three ladies on the board. Say something, ladies. You are always speaking at home, say something now."
2. Sepp on... Cheating And Infidelity
"Listen, this is a special approach in the Anglo-Saxon countries," he said of John Terry being stripped of the England captaincy, having been caught in flagrante with his teammate's wife. "If this had happened in let's say Latin countries then I think he would have been applauded."
3. Sepp on… The Fairer Sex
“Let the women play in more feminine clothes like they do in volleyball. They could, for example, have tighter shorts. Female players are pretty, if you excuse me for saying so.”
4. Sepp on… Player Transfers (specifically Cristiano Ronaldo)
"I think in football there's too much modern slavery in transferring players or buying players here and there, and putting them somewhere."
5. Sepp on… Actual Slavery in Qatar
"My grandmother always said a clock rings ding and dong, not ding-ding-ding. You have to listen to ding and to dong, and for now I only hear ding. I will go there [Qatar], and listen to the dong."
6. Sepp on… Qatar’s Anti-Gay Laws
"I'd say they [gay fans] should refrain from any sexual activities."
7. Sepp on… Sovereignty and Religion
“We reach 1.6 billion people. FIFA is more influential than any country in the world or any religion through the positive emotions football triggers.”
8. Sepp on… Match Fixing in Serie A
"I could understand it if it had happened in Africa, but not in Italy.”
