Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards is said to be 'unharmed' after falling into a swimming pool in Doha.

The 70-year-old had been speaking to officials at the International Sport Security Conference.

Bolton Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside was believed to have helped Richards from the pool.

Richards had caused controversy earlier in the day when he claimed that England had had football stolen from it after introducing the game to the world.

"For 50 years, we owned the game, we were the governance of the game," he said. "We wrote the rules and designed the pitches.

"Then, 50 years later, some guy came along and said you're liars and they actually stole it. It was called FIFA. Fifty years later, another gang came along called UEFA and stole a bit more."

The Premier League released a statement claiming that Richards was attending the event "in a private and personal capacity; his comments in no way reflect the views of the Premier League".

Richards also suggested that alcohol laws should be relaxed in Qatar in time for the 2022 World Cup.