Was Fifa's director of communications really sacked for making this joke on TV?

Just what is going on this time?

Walter de Gregorio, the man who had to fend off the majority of the media's questions following the arrests at Fifa last month, has left his role as the organisation's director of communications after four years.

What's all this I'm hearing about a joke being involved?

Appearing in an interview on Swiss television on Monday night, De Gregorio produced this zinger when asked "what is your favourite Fifa joke":

The Fifa president Sepp Blatter, the director of communications and the general secretary are all sitting in a car – who is driving...?

The police.

Was he really, really sacked for that?

It's not quite clear the exact reasons for his departure. A Fifa statement on Thursday afternoon appeared to suggest that he had resigned: "Walter de Gregorio has decided to relinquish his office with immediate effect as director of communications and public affairs."

Jerome Valcke, Fifa's general secretary, said in a statement: "Walter has worked incredibly hard for the past four years and we are immensely grateful for all he has done. I am glad we will be able to continue to draw on his expertise until the end of the year.”

The BBC's Richard Conway reported that "De Gregorio's joke didn't help matters but root cause said to stem from criticism of him by a PR guru close to Blatter."

More as we get it

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