Protester showers FIFA’s Blatter with fake money

During a conference at Fifa’s Zurich headquarters, Nelson (real name Simon Brodkin) managed to infiltrate proceedings and crash the announcement for supposed reforms.

As he sat behind the desk, Blatter was approached by United Kingdom comedian Simon Brodkin – a performer known for his character Lee Nelson and his fondness for stage invasions.

Just last month, Nelson appeared on stage with a mic in hand during Kanye West’s set at the Glastonbury Festival of Music and Performing Arts on Worthy Farm near the village of Pilton in Somerset.

The comedian’s stunt postponed Blatter’s speech for several minutes.

On the reform programme promised by Blatter, Gill said: “There are a lot of good ideas and many of them of echo what the FA has been proposing for some time”.

Seven of them -including the then-FIFA vice-president Jeffrey Webb- were arrested in Zurich on the same day as Swiss police launched a separate criminal investigation into the award of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments. He walked up to the podium and after a short statement (“This is for North Korea 2026”), made it rain on Blatter with fake cash just before security led him away.

Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, who lost to Blatter in May, had told The Associated Press earlier Monday: “President Blatter’s resignation cannot be dragged out any longer”. There, a new president will be elected – naturally I’m keen to know who it will be, but I have also to say that today that we have done something else.

FIFA’s has been engulfed by a series of corruption scandals and 14 soccer officials and sports marketing executives were indicted by the USA Department of Justice on various charges including fraud and money laundering.

“Platini knows that the decision must be taken quickly to close the door against any other challenger”, the source said on Monday.

“On the 26th of February Federation Internationale de Football Association will have a new president”, Blatter said.

“We have to clean here first, otherwise I will not be able to speak to you, ladies and gentlemen, about football”, said Blatter, whose replacement will be elected on February 26.