Fearless Brits check in

WITH FIFA in fear of more police activity ahead of Friday’s election, any football figure who has been involved in any form of wrongdoing must have a death wish if they have reserved rooms at the Baur au Lac, scene of two raids by the Swiss authorities.

However, those with nothing to worry about who have booked in to Zurich’s plushest hotel include FIFA executive member David Gill and former Premier League chief executive Rick Parry, who will be part of Prince Ali’s overseeing advisory group if he is elected.

Meanwhile, disgraced outgoing president Sepp Blatter is bringing out a picture-led book about his life at FIFA called Sepp Blatter: Mission Football to be published soon by Werd & Weber in Switzerland costing £28. The words accompanying the pictures have been written by arch Blatter loyalist Thomas Renggli and will not in any way be critical of the old rogue.

l RFU chairman Bill Beaumont, who was easily outmanoeuvred by France’s Bernard Lapasset in his bid for the presidency of the International Rugby Board in 2011, is being more proactive ahead of the next election in May. Beaumont is understood to have engaged Jon Tibbs Associates as his advisors. However, Lapasset will be a strong favourite to retain the post if he decides to stand, which will depend on his commitments leading Paris’s campaign to host the 2024 Olympics.