01:31Russia: Sepp Blatter should be awarded Nobel Peace Prize - Putin
Suspended FIFA boss Joseph 'Sepp' Blatter is an "honourable" man and deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during his annual question-and-answer session in Moscow, stating that Blatter had used football to connect people and nations.
The Russian head of state also stressed that the probe into FIFA's activities has not yet been closed, and that the results will show whether the football association's work exhibits "corrupt elements."
"The only thing we know for sure is that we won the bid to host the World Cup in an honest and competitive contest. It is not our problem that someone in the highest ranks refused to meet the FIFA delegations prior to the vote," Putin stated during the Q&A session on Thursday.
Putin is answering dozens of questions at his annual mass media conference. This year there are a record 1,392 journalists from more than a dozen countries accredited for the event, held at the World Trade Centre on the bank of the Moscow River.
The event has become famous over the years for its duration with the record being set in 2008 when it lasted for four hours and 40 minutes. It has also grown steadily in terms of numbers attending with 500 journalists present at the first one in 2001. In recent years several journalists have used the Q&A to attract attention to themselves or causes by holding up placards or clothing bearing slogans.
01:31Suspended FIFA boss Joseph 'Sepp' Blatter is an "honourable" man and deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during his annual question-and-answer session in Moscow, stating that Blatter had used football to connect people and nations.
The Russian head of state also stressed that the probe into FIFA's activities has not yet been closed, and that the results will show whether the football association's work exhibits "corrupt elements."
"The only thing we know for sure is that we won the bid to host the World Cup in an honest and competitive contest. It is not our problem that someone in the highest ranks refused to meet the FIFA delegations prior to the vote," Putin stated during the Q&A session on Thursday.
Putin is answering dozens of questions at his annual mass media conference. This year there are a record 1,392 journalists from more than a dozen countries accredited for the event, held at the World Trade Centre on the bank of the Moscow River.
The event has become famous over the years for its duration with the record being set in 2008 when it lasted for four hours and 40 minutes. It has also grown steadily in terms of numbers attending with 500 journalists present at the first one in 2001. In recent years several journalists have used the Q&A to attract attention to themselves or causes by holding up placards or clothing bearing slogans.