FIFA President Joseph Blatter greets young soccer players during the inauguration of a new football stadium in Managua, Nicaragua, April 14, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

ZURICH - FIFA President Sepp Blatter has hired one of Switzerland's top sports writers for his re-election campaign team.

Walter de Gregorio's Zurich-based communications firm WDG is handling media inquiries for Blatter before the June 1 poll against former ally Mohamed bin Hammam of Qatar.

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A former sports editor of Switzerland's best-selling tabloid Blick, De Gregorio is currently a sports columnist for political weekly Die Weltwoche.

Blatter gave De Gregorio his first official interview after the contentious 2018 and 2022 World Cup votes in December.

In it, Blatter said England behaved like bad losers after being defeated by Russia for the 2018 event.

Blatter has also hired former BBC journalist Brian Alexander to advise him.