Football’s controversial head honcho Sepp Blatter will be making an appearance at September’s Soccerex convention in Manchester.
The Swiss 78-year-old has been in charge of Fifa, football’s world governing body, since 1998 and his presidency has been dogged by allegations of corruption and marred by contentious decision such as the choice of Qatar as hosts for the 2022 World Cup.
The four-term president has made numerous poorly judged statements in the past including appearing to suggest that racism could be solved by a handshake as well as being accused of financial mismanagement.
Blatter is due to step down from his role in 2015 and Uefa president, Frenchman Michel Platini, is among the favourites to replace him.
“Michel Platini is ready. If he wishes. He says ‘I do not know’… but deep down, he wants it,” Blatter told France Football in 2012.
“He will be a good president of course. He will not be the same president as me, because everyone is different, but he will be good president.”
Other notable names attending the four day event include Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton, BOA chairman and Olympic gold medallist Lord Sebastian Coe and Fifa vice-president Jim Boyce.
Main image courtesy of Al Jazeera English via YouTube, with thanks.
