Fifa’s Blatter treated for severe stress

ZURICH: Suspended Fifa president Sepp Blatter, his federation mired in a corruption crisis, is being treated by doctors for stress and has been ordered to remain at home, his former public relations officer said last night.

The 79-year-old Swiss, who was last month suspended for 90 days by the ethics committee of soccer’s world governing body, is under “tremendous pressure” and has been ordered to stay at home, Klaus Stoehlker, a close confidant, said.

“He is not in hospital, he was never in hospital, but he is under control of the doctors,” Stoehlker said.

Fifa, which is based in Zurich, has been in turmoil since 14 soccer officials and sports marketing executives including two Fifa vice-presidents were indicted by the US in May.

Since then, Swiss authorities have opened their own investigation into Fifa’s activities and the ethics committee has suspended Blatter and Michel Platini, the president of the European governing body Uefa who had been favourite to replace him, for 90 days.

“He (Blatter) is under medical evaluation, the doctors took him out for a few days, but expect him to be back (in circulation) around Thursday or Friday of next week,” said Stoehlker.

“He is under tremendous pressure from so many sides and perhaps this is a little bit difficult for a man who is not the youngest.

“So they took him out for a few days.

“I saw him this morning and he will recover.”

Blatter, who often impresses observers with his boundless energy, has been Fifa president since 1998. – Reuters