What is michel zen-ruffinen?

Michel Zen-Ruffinen is a former Swiss football player and football administrator. He was born on September 12, 1961, in Valais, Switzerland. Zen-Ruffinen began his football career as a defender at FC Sion in 1979 before moving to Neuchatel Xamax in 1986.

During his playing career, Zen-Ruffinen won four Swiss Super League titles, three with FC Sion and one with Neuchatel Xamax. He also played in the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Champions League.

After retiring as a player in 1997, Zen-Ruffinen turned to football administration. He was appointed as the General Secretary of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) in 1998 and served in that position until 2002. In this position, Zen-Ruffinen played a key role in the organization of the 2002 FIFA World Cup held in South Korea and Japan.

However, Zen-Ruffinen's tenure at FIFA was not without controversy. In 2002, he released a report alleging corruption and financial mismanagement within FIFA, including accusations against FIFA President Sepp Blatter. This report led to a contentious period within FIFA and ultimately resulted in Zen-Ruffinen resigning from his position.

Following his departure from FIFA, Michel Zen-Ruffinen returned to Switzerland where he continued to work in football administration. He served as the President of the Swiss Football League from 2003 to 2007 and has also worked as a consultant for UEFA.