Blatter book on hold for final chapter on FIFA debacle: publisher

[February 24, 2016]  ZURICH (Reuters) - Sepp Blatter has postponed publishing his book on 18 years at the top of scandal-plagued FIFA because he wants to squeeze in the final chapter on his ban from soccer, his publisher said on Thursday.

"Sepp Blatter: Mission Football" was originally scheduled for release this month, promising an account of "one of the most impressive and successful careers in sports policy".

Sports fans had also been hoping for the inside story on the corruption scandal that erupted on Blatter's watch at world soccer's governing body, triggering investigations and indictments in the United States and Switzerland.

But they will now have to wait until April for the German version, after the conclusion of Blatter's appeal against his ban and the election to replace him, Swiss publisher Werd & Weber said.

An English translation will follow in May or June, said Alain Diezig, an editor at the firm.
 

"He wanted to take into account the newest developments in the book," Diezig added.

The publisher has given few details on the book's contents.

A blurb on its website said FIFA's finances improved dramatically during Blatter's time in charge.

"Despite the success Blatter always had to endure harsh criticism and prejudices," it added. "In this richly illustrated book Sepp Blatter tells how he learnt to evade these hostilities."

Blatter was banned in December from all soccer-related activity for eight years by FIFA's ethics committee.

The ban was over a 2 million Swiss franc payment FIFA made to European soccer boss Michel Platini with Blatter's approval in 2011. Blatter, a 79-year-old Swiss, has denied any wrongdoing.

The 300-page book, written by Blatter's adviser Thomas Renggli in cooperation with Blatter, will go on sale for 39 Swiss francs ($39.25), according to the publisher's website.

($1 = 0.9937 Swiss francs)

(Reporting by Joshua Franklin; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

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