Cooper shocked by FIFA sacking

13 April 2012

Keith Cooper was still reeling today after being sacked by FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

Cooper, the organisations widely respected communications director, said: "It is a huge shock and a bit difficult to understand, coming two weeks after the World Cup, the most successful media operation of any sports event in history.

"It was really quite brutal. I have done the job since January 1995 and it's the only job in the world I wanted to do. I asked the reason and was told there wasn't one. Apparently, under Swiss law, you do not have to give a reason.

"I had tried to keep out of all the political infighting, and I thought I had been successful in that, but apparently other people do not share that view." Cooper, originally from Liverpool, is the second victim of Blatter's campaign to rid the sport's world governing body of any influential figures who are not wholehearted supporters of his, following the departure of general secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen.

Cooper had tried to remain above the political infighting which has engulfed FIFA over the past year, but his independence appears to have cost him his job. He will not receive a pay-off other than for the remainder of his contract, which was due for renewal at the end of the year.

Cooper is the first high-profile exit from FIFA after Zen-Ruffinen's departure, which came following his public criticism of Blatter's management and revelations about the organisation's financial position.

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