A Message From Sepp Blatter On International Women's Day

I suppose we should have expected Sepp Blatter to hoist himself onto a soapbox this morning. It is, after all, the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day, which means it's also a perfect opportunity for Blatter to bleat some of the shameless agitprop for which he's beloved:

International Women's Day is celebrating its centenary today – an important milestone in the battle for women's rightful place in society, a struggle that has at times been difficult and called for perseverance.

Women have also had to fight for recognition and equal rights in sport.

Funny the difference a few years and an army of flacks make. Here's Blatter in 2004 on women:

"Let the women play in more feminine clothes like they do in volleyball," said the Fifa chief.

"They could, for example, have tighter shorts."

Blatter added: "Female players are pretty, if you excuse me for saying so, and they already have some different rules to men - such as playing with a lighter ball.

"That decision was taken to create a more female aesthetic, so why not do it in fashion?"

Stay classy, Sepp.