Formula One boss defends Federation Internationale de Football Association president among controversy

Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says Sepp Blatter should remain in charge of Federation Internationale de Football Association despite facing corruption charges.

But he has also helped F1 reach new venues like Sochi and Russian Federation, where in the last weekend he witnessed the Grand Prix with President Vladimir Putin by his side.

The US Grand Prix returned to the calendar in 2012 and the fourth race at the Circuit of the Americas outside Austin is set to take place next weekend.

Blatter has been suspended by the world’s football governing body’s Ethics Committee by 90 days over alleged corruption, having announced he will stand down from his position early next year.

Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone claims Blatter, who is under criminal investigation over corruption allegations, never should’ve been challenged. “If people allegedly have been corrupted to make things happen in their country, it’s good”, Ecclestone was quoted as saying by BBC on Friday. It’s a tax that football has had to pay.

Ecclestone said: “I don’t think he should have ever stepped down”.

Ecclestone faced bribery allegations of his own in a German court a year ago, eventually paying a $100 million settlement to avoid a lengthy trial and preserve his innocence.

“I don’t think Russian Federation is concerned about the West”, he said.

Ecclestone said that he’s far from being satisfied with the current situation in his sport to the point where he wants to “tear up the rule book” of Formula 1.

Ecclestone, who has become notorious for controversial comments in the past, said he thought Putin was “super”, adding: “I’m his best supporter”. I’m not very enthusiastic about America. Believe. Not in reality but in belief.

Ecclestone did save praise for Vladimir Putin, describing himself as Putin’s “biggest supporter”, and later drew parallels between himself and the Russian president when asked whom he believes most closely emulates his leadership style.

“And it’s hard, because, they are a big island so they are a bit isolated. They’re slowly starting to learn about what other people in the world do”.