FIFA has "fired the starting gun" on the race to succeed Sepp Blatter as president of the scandal-hit organization, setting the election for Feb. 26, according to Owen Gibson of the London GUARDIAN. The announcement came "as it emerged that it was increasingly likely" that UEFA President Michel Platini would stand for the role. Following the first exec committee meeting since Blatter "promised to lay down his mandate," FIFA announced the new election would take place next year. That means "it will be almost nine months between Blatter's promise to step down and the election to decide on his successor." Platini "is understood to be still weighing up whether to stand and will take further soundings" at the World Cup draw in St. Petersburg this weekend. Other potential candidates include longstanding Confederation of African Football President Issa Hayatou, former Brazilian footballer Zico and South African former anti-apartheid activist Tokyo Sexwale (GUARDIAN, 7/20). In London, Glenn Ebrey reported when asked about suggestions "he could stand again for the position" he apparently "resigned" from on June 2, four days after being elected for a fifth term,
Blatter replied that he "categorically" will not seek re-election. Blatter: "I will not be a candidate for the election in 2016... there will be an
election for a new president. I cannot be a new president because I am an
old president." He suggested, however, "that he had not resigned and was committed to staying in the post until the election." This means he will have "clung to power for nine months, by the time he is eventually deposed." In a "bizarre, increasingly eccentric performance" -- the first time Blatter has faced the media since he stood down -- "he went on to reveal more about his career aspirations" after FIFA. Blatter: "On the 26th of February, FIFA will have a new president and I think I will come back to my work, it was a little bit my hobby, as a journalist. But this time I will go to radio because radio is the most popular item [sic] of information... It is easier to speak than write" (LONDON TIMES, 7/20).
FIFA PROPOSES REFORMS: In London, Ralph Atkins reported FIFA announced that candidates to succeed Blatter will have to declare before Oct. 26. FIFA said in a statement that the proposed reforms -- which would be submitted for decision at the Feb. 26 congress in Zurich -- included "enhanced centralised integrity checks" for exec committee members, who would "also face limits on the number of terms they serve." The lack of such limits has been blamed by FIFA insiders for "encouraging a culture which overlooks abuses." The statement also said that the reform proposals would require "higher standards of governance at all levels of football structures, including confederations and member associations" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 7/20). The AP's Dunbar & Harris reported Prince Ali bin al-Hussein on Monday joined FIFA sponsor Coca-Cola and former FIFA advisers Transparency Int'l "in calling for Blatter to be excluded from the process of shaping the organization's future." Ali, who lost the presidential election to Blatter in May, said that Blatter "cannot be permitted to plan his succession and manage this election process" (AP, 7/20).
CAMPAIGNERS CALL FOR ANNAN: REUTERS' Simon Evans reported a group campaigning for reform of FIFA has called for former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan "to be put in charge of an independent reform commission." New FIFA Now co-Founder Jaimie Fuller said, "We are calling for Kofi Annan to come into this mess and take control of the reform process." A spokesperson for Kofi, however, "suggested it was unlikely the Nobel Peace Prize winner would take on the task" (REUTERS, 7/20).
COMEDIAN INTERRUPTS PRESSER: The GUARDIAN reported Blatter walked out of a press conference "after being showered with fake dollar bills by the British comedian Lee Nelson." Nelson, whose real name is Simon Brodkin, "illegally gained entry" to the FIFA HQ in Zurich and poured "dozens of fake banknotes over the stage around where Blatter was seated after announcing himself as a North Korean World Cup delegate." Blatter: "This is nothing to do with football ... we need to clean here first" (GUARDIAN, 7/20).
SUPPORT FOR PLATINI: REUTERS' Brian Homewood reported a source close to UEFA said on Monday that four out of six continental football confederations would back Platini to lead FIFA "should he stand." However, Platini, who was re-elected for a third term as UEFA president in March, "has not yet decided whether to run." The source said that Platini was "repeatedly promised support at meetings with confederation representatives held into Sunday night at a hotel in Zurich." UEFA Head of Communications Pedro Pinto said, "The UEFA president is very happy with his current role as leader of European soccer's governing body." The confederations "were not available to comment on whether they would be able to persuade their members" to vote for Platini, however (REUTERS, 7/20). The PA reported Platini held talks in Zurich on Sunday night with Asian Football Confederation President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, and "as significantly" with Kuwait's FIFA exec member Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah. Both men "are key" to Platini's chances of success -- Al-Sabah is viewed as "the most important broker" in the IOC and together with Salman "should be able to swing 46 countries behind him, enough to secure a majority" (PA, 7/20). REUTERS' Steve Tongue reported Platini has become the favorite for the first time, with British bookmakers William Hill to "become the next permanent FIFA president." Following Monday's reports of backing for him among the FIFA confederations, Platini is quoted at 5-4 on, ahead of Prince Ali at 7-4 (REUTERS, 7/20).
FORCING CHANGE: In London, U.K. Conservative MPs Damian Collins & Jesse Norman wrote in the TELEGRAPH we can announce that in September the House of Commons Culture, Media & Sport select committee "will open an investigation" into the issue of FIFA reform, in the light of the latest revelations. We will be inviting the FA, the Serious Fraud Office and some of FIFA's leading global commercial sponsors to explain their actions -- or inaction -- to date, "and to press for urgent reform to the governance of world football." The whole FIFA entourage "needs examining." For example, FIFA's main sponsors, which include Coca-Cola, Visa and McDonald's, are "understandably the subject of growing public anger." The question has been raised as to "why these corporations have not distanced themselves" from FIFA in the face of the charges (TELEGRAPH, 7/20).
