Despite calls for him to step down immediately, FIFA president Sepp Blatter announced on Monday that he is to continue in his position for another seven months, after football’s world body agreed on a February 25 election to replace him.
But a prankster who managed to get past FIFA security at the organisation’s Zurich headquarters overshadowed Blatter’s press conference by showering the embattled governing body’s chief with fake money.
The man, later identified by British media as British comedian Lee Nelson, was draped in a North Korean flag and shouted: “This is for North Korea 2026,” in a reference to the next available World Cup hosting opportunity, before hurling the paper bills at Blatter.
“Cheers, Sepp, it’s all there,” he said.
Nelson, whose real name is Simon Brodkin, was led away by Swiss police.
The image of Blatter cowering under a spray of money was powerful amid ongoing American and Swiss federal investigations into FIFA corruption, yet after leaving the room for 10 minutes while the bills were cleaned up, he regained his poise.
“I just called my late mother,” he quipped on returning to the room, “and she said, ‘Don’t worry, it’s just a lack of education’.”
Credit: fifa tv
