The man who was once banned from Millwall football club because his reports were too close to the truth, and who when Sun sports editor oversaw Graham Taylor being “Turnip’ed” on the back page of the country’s best-selling daily, has now been hired to work on Sepp Blatter’s campaign for re-election as President of FIFA.
SJA member Brian Alexander left the BBC last month after “tempting offers” to establish his own media consultancy, with City and sports PR firm Square 1 and London Olympic organisers LOCOG among his first clients.
“Completely out of the blue, I was invited to Zurich yesterday and am engaged by Sepp Blatter to run his campaign for re-election on June 1,” Alexander told sportsjournalists.co.uk.
Alexander, 53, is the former Sun, Mail on Sunday, Evening Standard and South London Press sports editor.
Since joining the BBC in 1997, he built up an impressive reputation for his story-breaking, including launching Sportsweek, hosting Late Night Live and Weekend Breakfast, and winning a Sony Radio award.
For the past four years Alexander has been presenting a series of sport specials, including agenda-leading investigations and interviews with some of the biggest names in world sport
Most recently, that saw Alexander interview Blatter, whose profile in Britain reached a nadir last year over England’s failed bid for the 2018 World Cup.
Square 1 has previous connections with World Cup bids, having received a Aus$1 million contract to run the PR campaign for Australia’s unsuccessful bid to host the 2022 tournament.
UPCOMING SJA DATES
Wed Apr 13: SJA 2011 Annual Meeting, at offices of UK Sport, Russell Square. Strictly SJA members only.
Wed Dec 7: SJA 2011 British Sports Awards – note the date in your diary now.
All details subject to alteration. Keep checking sportsjournalists.co.uk for updates
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