Sepp Blatter is not going down without a fight.
It looks like it’s all over for the Fifa president after the Swiss was hit with an eight-year football ban from all football activities along with Michel Platini.
Earlier today, both men were given the lengthy bans by Fifa’s ethics committee, with immediate effect.
The bans are the result of an investigation into a payment of two million Swiss francs (€1.8million) to the Frenchman in 2011.
Blatter, 79, was due to stand down from the presidency in February at a special Fifa congress, but 60-year-old Platini’s hopes of replacing the Swiss bureaucrat are now in ruins.
He spoke at a press conference this morning and his opening line was a classic…
His first comment was a zinger
Blatter on 8-year ban: "To say it's good day for me or for FIFA… would be totally wrong"
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) December 21, 2015
Then he managed to chat about Nelson Mandela
Blatter highlights how he's sitting in room where Mandela where when won 2010 World Cup bid (which has payment subject to allegations)
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) December 21, 2015
Which did not go down well
https://twitter.com/tomsteinfort/status/678879786987573248
https://twitter.com/MisterJRussell/status/678882932350689280
He then did various acts of contrition
Blatter: "I'm really sorry. I am sorry that I am still somewhere a punching ball and in sorry for football. I'm sorry for FIFA"
— Dan Roan (@danroan) December 21, 2015
Blatter: "I'm sorry for me for, how I'm tainted in this world of humanitarian qualities." pic.twitter.com/tvhGqtGOq6
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) December 21, 2015
Nobody really bought his apology though
https://twitter.com/eaamalyon/status/678880183928152064
Blatter's gone full Richard Keys in the non-apology & hard-done-by stakes here, sensational stuff
— David Hartrick (@DavidHartrick) December 21, 2015
When you don't really understand the concept of an apology!! #blatter #sorry pic.twitter.com/LoOrQlRk42
— WayneDavid (@WayneDavid81) December 21, 2015
Blatter also addressed the issue over Michel Platini and the money he allegedly received
Blatter: "What astonishes me … they deny the existence of such an agreement and this agreement was in directly confirmed by 2 meetings"
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) December 21, 2015
Blatter said Platini told him in 1998: 'I'm a very expensive man.' – How right he proved to be.
— tariq panja (@tariqpanja) December 21, 2015
"He's a liar, I'm a liar," Blatter says about how he and Platini are viewed
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) December 21, 2015
And the non-apology apology ended on a defiant note
Blatter: "I will fight for me and I will fight for Fifa. I am suspended for eight years. For what?"
— Oliver Kay (@OliverKay) December 21, 2015
And confirmation that Blatter will appeal his eight year ban
#Blatter: ‘We go immediately to the FIFA appeal committee, we go to CAS, we go to Swiss court' pic.twitter.com/5V0ay7Xbqa
— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 21, 2015
But most people were just confused about the whole plaster/Nelly thing going on
https://twitter.com/AndyRobertson93/status/678883983518793728
https://twitter.com/therunandg0/status/678884646814380036
"If you wanna go and take a bribe wit me…" #Nelly #Blatter #FIFA pic.twitter.com/Whfnwe9w6f
— Chris Warr (@ChrisWarr) December 21, 2015
Chris de Burgh was mentioned, kind of.
Blatter's spokesman calls for "Lady in Red please" not a Chris De Burgh reference
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) December 21, 2015
Chris de Burgh reference. Wow.
— Alex Stone (@AlexStone7) December 21, 2015
But for us, this clip just sums the whole day up perfectly
