Football ‘stolen’ by FIFA and UEFA, says Richards

Richards, now Premier League chairman, had claimed that FIFA and UEFA had “stolen” football from England – comments which the Premier League moved quickly to distance themselves from.

He then told the International Sport Security Conference that Qatar must make the sale of beer freely available at the 2022 World Cup or face a boycott by fans.

A bad day for the Yorkshireman got worse when he later fell face first into a fountain pool at a hotel in Doha after tripping on a low ledge while on the way to dinner.

Richards had earlier raised eyebrows when he told the conference that England had given the world the game of football only to have it “stolen” from them.

He said: “For 50 years, we owned the game, we were the governance of the game. We wrote the rules and designed the pitches.

“Then, 50 years later, some guy came along and said you’re liars and they actually stole it. It was called FIFA. Fifty years later, another gang came along called UEFA and stole a bit more.”

The Premier League issued a statement saying: “Sir Dave is attending the conference in a private and personal capacity and his comments in no way reflect the views of the Premier League.”

Richards later apologised for any offence by the remarks he had intended to be “lighthearted” and said he would be writing to UEFA and FIFA to make that clear.

Richards hurt his leg in his fall and had it checked out in a Doha hospital before being released.

An FA statement last night read: “Sir Dave Richards is not representing the FA at this conference and his personal views are in no way shared or endorsed by the FA.

“The FA greatly values its relationships with FIFA and UEFA, which it is working hard to strengthen.”