7 in running for FIFA presidency, Nakhid out
Print Edition
Seven candidates are now lined up to take over at FIFA from Sepp Blatter, whose 18 years as president are ending with world soccer鈥檚 governing body entangled in a corruption scandal.
FIFA confirmed seven candidates had registered by Monday鈥檚 deadline, with candidates from Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
One potential candidate, David Nakhid, was forced out yesterday when his registration was ruled invalid.
Among the seven registered candidates, Michel Platini鈥檚 is in doubt. The head of European soccer鈥檚 governing body, UEFA, he is also currently suspended for 90 days, along with Blatter.
Those remaining are: Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein of Jordan and Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa of Bahrein; Frenchmen Platini and Jerome Champagne; and the Swiss Gianni Infantino, Liberian Musa Bility and South Africa鈥檚 Tokyo Sexwale.
One of them will become the head of an organization facing its worst scandal ever. The United States Department of Justice has indicted 14 soccer officials and sports marketing executives on a series of corruption charges, and Swiss authorities are investigating the decision to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments to Russia and Qatar, respectively.
Since 2010, FIFA鈥檚 own Ethics Committee has banned more than a dozen current and former members of the executive committee, either while in office or after they had left.
The exclusion of Nakhid was a surprise, though. A former Trinidad and Tobago international, he took part on Monday in a sports conference in Denmark, along with Champagne.
But FIFA鈥檚 electoral rules state that candidates must present letters of support from five football associations, and that each cannot back more than one candidate. One association had signed letters of support for both Nakhid and a rival.
鈥淥ne of the five declarations of support for Mr Nakhid was declared invalid as the same member association had issued a declaration of support for another candidate,鈥 FIFA said.
Nakhid鈥檚 spokesperson said they were 鈥渟hocked鈥 and would appeal.
The seven other candidates must now face integrity checks under FIFA鈥檚 code of ethics. FIFA said that Platini鈥檚 bid would not be processed while he is banned, but he could still stand if he wins an appeal.
鈥淪hould such a ban be lifted or expire before the FIFA presidential election, the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee would decide, depending on the respective exact point in time, on how to proceed with the candidature concerned,鈥 it said.
As an alternative European candidate, UEFA鈥檚 general secretary Infantino announced he would stand on Monday.
Champagne is a former French diplomat who held various posts at FIFA between 1999 and 2010 but is a critic of UEFA.
Sexwale is a South African businessman and former apartheid-era political prisoner and Bility is head of the Liberian Football Association. Prince Ali is a former FIFA executive committee member and Sheikh Salman is head of the Asian Football Confederation.
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