PtG Article 19.05.2006

FIFA withdraws request to stop distribution of Jennings book

FIFA no longer wants to stop the sale of investigative reporter Andrew Jennings’ book ”Foul” in Switzerland. Until recently the book was subject to a temporary injunction issued by the cantonal high court in Zurich on FIFA’s behalf but the football organisation has now withdrawn its request to uphold the injunction.

The book contains allegations of corruption and vote-rigging against high ranking FIFA officials, and FIFA has been trying to stop the publication of the books since September 2005. On 26 April, the court granted FIFA’s request for a temporary injunction even though the book had not yet been published.

FIFA has now had a chance to read the book and explains in a press statement that “although the book does contain various defamatory passages and many inaccurate statements and aspersions, this toned-down version of the book makes it unnecessary for FIFA to continue pursuing legal action.”