FIFA’s top spokesman leaves job, Blatter urged to do same

FILE - In this May 27, 2015 file photo Walter De Gregorio, FIFA Director of Communications and Public Affairs, addresses the media during a press conference at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich. Soccer governing body FIFA said Thursday, June 11, 2015 that its director of public affairs Walter De Gregorio is leaving with immediate effect. (Ennio Leanza/Keystone via AP, file) FILE - In this May 27, 2015 file photo Walter De Gregorio, FIFA Director of Communications and Public Affairs, addresses the media during a press conference at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich. Soccer governing body FIFA said Thursday, June 11, 2015 that its director of public affairs Walter De Gregorio is leaving with immediate effect. (Ennio Leanza/Keystone via AP, file)

By Associated Press June 11, 2015 2 min read

GENEVA (AP) – FIFA’s top spokesman left his job Thursday, hours after Sepp Blatter was urged to do the same by the European Parliament.

FIFA communications director Walter De Gregorio, closely tied to the embattled FIFA president since 2011, left his job three days after telling a joke about soccer’s governing body on a TV talk show.

On Monday, De Gregorio was a guest of host Roger Schawinski on German-language station SRF. Schawinski closed the show by asking De Gregorio to tell his favorite joke about FIFA.

De Gregorio set up the punchline by saying the FIFA president, himself and secretary general Jerome Valcke were in a car, so who was driving?

After a pause for the host to comment, De Gregorio gave the answer: “The police.”