Blatter deserves a Nobel prize - Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin and FIFA President Sepp Blatter. Photo / AP

He might president of a world body being investigated for bribery and corruption but Russian president Vladimir Putin believes Sepp Blatter deserves a Nobel prize for his stewardship of Fifa.

Putin's comments came on the back of a meeting in St Petersburg in the weekend when Blatter said Fifa passed a resolution offering full support for holding the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

"We all know the situation developing around Mr Blatter right now. I don't want to go into details but I don't believe a word about him being involved in corruption personally," Putin said in an interview aired by Swiss broadcaster RTS.

"I think people like Mr Blatter or the heads of big international sporting federations, or the Olympic Games, deserve special recognition. If there is anyone who deserves the Nobel prize, it's those people."

Blatter announced in June that he will step down as Fifa president following the corruption scandal which has hit the organisation and seen a number of officials indicted after a US-led investigation.

Putin, who criticised the timing of the initial arrests, has now suggested the continued investigation is intended by some nations as a last-ditched attempt to secure the rights to host the World Cup.

"The way there is this fight against corruption makes me wonder if it isn't a continuation of the bids for 2018 and 2022," he added.