Blatter rejects call to publish World Cup corruption report

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has rejected calls to publish a secret report into alleged World Cup bidding corruption.

The report into the bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups was compiled by Fifa’s independent investigator Michael Garcia but Blatter says any decision on publishing the report is out of their hands and would threaten the confidentiality guaranteed to the 75 witnesses.

Garcia himself called for the report to be published. Russia won the bid for the 2018 World Cup while Qatar stages the 2022 event.

Any decision to publish rests with German judge, Hans-Joachim Eckert, who is consider the report and announce his findings in November. Blatter said from Zurich: “We are bound by the regulations.”

Blatter has refused to clarify whether he returned a £16,400 watch – one of 65 handed out by the Brazil FA in June – following an order by Fifa’s ethics committee. Blatter will stand for a fifth terms as Fifa president in May.