Ribery Fails in Book Ban Bid

French international footballer Franck Ribery on Friday failed in his bid to ban a non-authorized biography "The Hidden Face of Franck Ribery".

"The judge said there was no precedent, in other words he rejected our demand," the Bayern Munich star's lawyer Carlo-Alberto Brusa told AFP.

Ribery's legal team wanted the book banned and argued that it infringed the player's image rights as it carried a photograph of him, to which he has the rights, on the front cover.

"We have won, the book is not banned," said a spokesman for publishing company Editions.

The 28-year-old Ribery, who was also ordered to pay 3,000 euros in costs to the publishers, was placed under investigation in 2010 for his involvement in an alleged under-age call-girl scandal.

His lawyers said they will appeal Friday's decision.