Sepp Blatter stormed off stage after British comedian Lee Nelson showered him in fake dollar bills during a press conference.
Nelson entered the FIFA headquarters in Zurich illegally before announcing himself as a North Korean World Cup delegate and throwing the fake money at Blatter, according to The Guardian. FIFA president Blatter was infuriated by the stunt.
Sepp Blatter – Comedian makes illegal appearance at FIFA headquarters
Lee Nelson is the stage name of Simon Brodkin, a well-known UK prankster whose previous victims include Kanye West and the England soccer team. Blatter was addressing the FIFA executive committee meeting, confirming that the extraordinary elective congress will take place on 26 February 2016, when Nelson struck once again.
“This is nothing to do with football … we need to clean here first,” Blatter said. He then walked off stage as the money was cleared up and Nelson escorted from the building by security.
The sight of the heavily criticized Blatter looking visibly distressed as fake dollar bills rain down around him has caused an Internet sensation. Sepp Blatter is currently being investigated due to what the United States Justice Department calls “rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted” corruption at soccer’s world governing body.
Sepp Blatter – Latest in a series of highly-publicized pranks
Before turning his attention to FIFA, Nelson tried to join the England soccer team on their plane to Brazil for World Cup 2014. He spent several minutes mingling with the players before his cover was blown and he was taken away by security.
More recently, Nelson made it on stage as Kanye West performed his headline show at Glastonbury Festival. The comedian later claimed he was avenging Taylor Swift, who was infamously interrupted by Kanye at the VMAs ceremony in 2009.
Blatter is facing increasing opposition from the world soccer establishment as an ongoing investigation throws new light onto widespread corruption at the organization. FIFA sponsors are growing increasingly restless as the reputation of the organization continues to be soiled.
FIFA President Blatter was reelected for a fifth term in May, but later announced that he would resign from his post.
“I am still alive, the waves of the tsunami have not taken me away,” Blatter said as he returned to the stage today. It looks as though the tide will keep on rising.
