Blatter gives up on FIFA, says fighting for his honour – Bunte

Banned FIFA president Sepp Blatter feels “abandoned” by the global soccer body and will now focus on clearing his name, the 79-year-old Swiss told German magazine Bunte.

FIFA’s watchdog last week banned Blatter and UEFA boss Michel Platini for eight years for ethics violations. Both men immediately denied any wrongdoing and said they would appeal to the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“I now no longer fight for FIFA,” Blatter, who led soccer’s governing body for 17 years, said according to a preview of an interview.

“They abandoned me. I am now only fighting for myself and my honour.”

Blatter had come out swinging against the ban, holding a news conference to tell reporters that he was sorry only that the president of FIFA was being treated as a “punching ball”, adding: “I will fight for me and I will fight for FIFA.”

He told Bunte that he was re-energised by the “false claims” against him.

“After Christmas I will start to fight back,” Blatter said.

The inquiry by FIFA’s ethics committee began after the Swiss attorney general’s office opened criminal proceedings against Blatter over a two million Swiss franc ($2.03 million) payment to Platini in 2011.

Switzerland’s...