Blatter Apologises For Valcke Comments

FIFA president Sepp Blatter was forced to issue an apology for the comments of Jerome Valcke last night after the governing body’s secretary general said of Brazil’s preparation for the 2014 World Cup that not a lot is moving and that organisers needed a kick up the backside.

Brazil’s government stated at the weekend that it will cut its ties with Valcke over the comments. 

Valcke is set to visit Brazil later this month and issued the warning to World Cup organisers on Friday, however the comments were not well received by Brazil’s Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo and Blatter has now sought to ease the tension, after Valcke issued his own apology.

In a letter to Rebelo, Blatter said: ‘I am gravely concerned about the deterioration in the relationship between FIFA and the Brazilian government, a relationship that has always been characterised by mutual respect.’ 

‘In the meantime, you have also received a letter from the FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke and I have no further comment on this matter other than to say that both as FIFA president and personally, I would like to apologise to all those – above all the Brazilian government and President Dilma Rousseff – who feel that their honour and pride has been injured.’

Blatter’s letter was published hours before it emerged that the contentious 2014 World Cup law regarding the regulation of commercial rights, alcohol sales and advertising rules for the tournament passed the first stage of government approval. 

The law has suffered repeated delays, but was partially approved by the Brazilian congressional commission last week.