Sepp Blatter was handed a lengthy ban by FIFA on Monday, and he is blaming the United States for his current predicament.
“If we had awarded the World Cup in 2022 to the USA, we would not be here,” Blatter said during a press conference Monday, via USA TODAY Sports.
That won’t do Blatter much good now after FIFA’s ethics committee banned him from soccer for eight years, along with Michel Platini, who is the head of the Union of European Football Associations and a FIFA vice president.
The penalty stems from a $2 million payment to Platini, which is being investigated in Switzerland, too. Both men were provisionally banned, but this ruling now makes it official.
This also comes after multiple FIFA officials were indicted on bribery and corruption charges back in May and again earlier this month.
Platini was considered a potential candidate to replace Blatter, who announced he is stepping down amid this latest controversy. FIFA is scheduled to elect a new leader on Feb. 26, 2016.
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@BBCBreaking
