Topic: Sepp Blatter

Joseph S. Blatter (born 10 March 1936) is the 8th and current President of FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association). He was elected on 8 June 1998, succeeding João Havelange.

Blatter was born in Visp, Canton Valais, Switzerland. He studied in Sion, Switzerland before he received a degree in business and economics from the University of Lausanne in 1959.

Blatter has a long and varied history including posts such as Head of Public Relations of the Valaisan Tourist Board in his native Switzerland, as well as General Secretary of the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation. He was Director of Sports Timing and Relations of Longines S.A. and was involved in the organization of the 1972 and 1976 Olympic Games. In the early 1970s, Blatter was elected president of the World Society of Friends of Suspenders, an organisation which tried to stop women replacing suspender belts with pantyhose. Blatter first entered the world of Football in 1973 as president of The Zurich Brown Shirts, though ultimately failed to obtain the required funding and gain enough attention through various large rallies in order to turn the 'club' fully professional.