Sepp Blatter (b. 1936)

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Biography

Joseph Sepp Blatter is a Swiss former football administrator who served as the eighth president of FIFA from 1998 to 2015. He has been suspended from participating in FIFA activities since 2015 as a result of the FIFA corruption case made public that year, which remains in place until 2027.

Timeline

The story of Sepp Blatter, told in moments.

1936 Birth

Born Josef Blatter in Visp, a small town in the Swiss canton of Valais. Grew up in the Alps, far from the world of international football politics he eventually dominated.

Did growing up in the Swiss Alps feel far from the world stage? When did football become your obsession? Was Visp too small for your ambitions?

1981 Life

Became general secretary of FIFA after a career in public relations and sports administration. Spent 17 years building alliances and learning the organization from the inside.

What did 17 years as general secretary teach you about FIFA's inner workings? Was building alliances a talent or a strategy? Did you always intend to become president?

1998 Event

Elected eighth president of FIFA, succeeding Joao Havelange. Won by expanding the tournament to include more African and Asian nations, a strategy that built a loyal voting bloc.

Was expanding the tournament to include more nations about fairness or votes? How did you build a loyal voting bloc? Did you see yourself as democratizing football or consolidating power?

2015 Event

Announced his resignation six days after U.S. authorities indicted multiple FIFA officials for bribery and money laundering. Swiss prosecutors opened their own criminal investigation against him.

Were you surprised when the indictments came? Was resignation an admission of guilt? How much corruption did you know about?

2015 Event

Banned from all FIFA activities by the organization's independent Ethics Committee. The ban, later extended to 2027, ended a 17-year presidency that oversaw both massive revenue growth and endemic corruption.

Does a ban until 2027 feel like justice? Was the 17-year presidency worth the ending? How do you want FIFA to remember you?

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