Lent.az
Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter has stated that he supports fans boycotting the FIFA World Cup games to be held in the USA this year.
Lent.az reports with reference to "The Guardian" that Sepp Blatter supported the views of Swiss lawyer Mark Pieth, who worked with the organization on possible reforms and fought against corruption during Blatter's time as FIFA president. Mark Pieth stated that fans should stay away from the USA during the tournament.
"I think Mark Pieth is right to question the hosting of this World Cup," Blatter said on social media.
Mark Pieth cited the killing of 37-year-old Rene Good by a US immigration agent during a protest in Minneapolis earlier this month as one of the reasons why fans might not want to travel to the USA. Blatter supported Pieth's views after the killing of a second US citizen, Alex Pretti, by federal agents last weekend.
"The processes we are observing within the country: the marginalization of political opponents, abuses by immigration services, etc. do not encourage fans to go there. I only want to give fans one piece of advice: Stay away from the United States! You will see it better on TV anyway. Once they arrive, fans should know that if they do not behave properly with the authorities, they will be sent back immediately. If they are lucky…," Pieth said in an interview last week.
Sepp Blatter resigned as FIFA president in 2015 amid several scandals and was replaced by Gianni Infantino, who has forged close ties with Donald Trump.
The FIFA World Cup will be held in the USA, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
