Menu
International Football

South Korea's Chung Mong-Joon Launches Bid, Calls Platini Blatter's Protégé

UEFA President and FIFA presidential candidate Michel Platini "came under attack" from another of his FIFA presidency rivals on Thursday after former FIFA VP Chung Mong-joon branded him a protégé of "cannibal" FIFA President Sepp Blatter, according to Ben Rumsby of the London TELEGRAPH. Chung, a South Korean billionaire, confirmed he would "formally announce his candidacy to replace Blatter next week with a swipe" at Platini, who is the "overwhelming favourite" for the job. Chung: "Platini is good for football, but whether he can be a good FIFA president? I don't think so. He is a product of the current FIFA system. There are several questions we can have whether Platini can symbolize a new era for FIFA or whether he is simply a protégé of Blatter." Chung joins Platini's former ally Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan and Liberia's Musa Bility in "attacking the Frenchman following Wednesday's announcement of his candidacy" (TELEGRAPH, 7/30). In London, Mark Cue reported Chung, "who has been a fierce critic of the Blatter regime," suggested that the Frenchman was "tainted by his past associations with Blatter." Chung: "President Blatter is like a cannibal eating his parents and then crying he's an orphan. He tries to blame everybody except himself." He added, "I want to ask Michel whether he really believes that he can cut off his relationship with Blatter; whether he can reveal all the wrongdoings, corruptions, criminal acts committed by Blatter; whether he can really disclose all those things" (LONDON TIMES, 7/30).

GATHERING SUPPORT: REUTERS' Peter Rutherford reported Chung said that he "did not yet have the required backing of five FIFA federations that would allow him to stand," but he was "confident of getting the support he needed." He said, "I hope to have more than five nominations." While there have been "growing calls for an influx of fresh faces at FIFA, Chung said his departure from the governing body four years ago made him the perfect candidate." Chung: "We need new blood at FIFA, but we also need continuity and change. The fact that I left four years ago was a kind of blessing. I understand FIFA very well, I also have the experience of running a national federation" (REUTERS, 7/30).

'TOWERING FIGURE': Rutherford wrote in a separate piece Chung, a "towering figure in Asian football and smooth operator in diplomatic circles," will need to "sharpen his political elbows if he is to survive the vicious twists and turns of the upcoming FIFA presidential race." He faces a "huge task" to beat Platini, but he has the "deep pockets and international diplomatic skills necessary to sustain the challenge over the next seven months." Chung, who has an estimated net worth of $1.2B according to Forbes, will need to "have his wits about him" to ensure he is not outmaneuvered again by his rivals (REUTERS, 7/30).

BACH WEIGHS IN: The AFP reported IOC President Thomas Bach said that FIFA's problems "will not end with the election of a new president." He did "not comment on the announcement" that Platini was a candidate. But he said that all candidates had to embrace "transparency." Bach: "That applies to each candidate. It applies particularly because FIFA's problems will not be over with the election of a new president." He "pointedly avoided involvement in the looming FIFA election battle," however. Bach said, "I am not going to make a comment on the election of federation president. It is not for me to judge" (AFP, 7/30).

IN AFRICA: REUTERS' Mark Gleeson reported Platini's bid for the FIFA presidency "has garnered no immediate enthusiasm from Africa despite France's strong footballing ties with the continent." Platini has been criticized by one African association and "given a lukewarm endorsement by one of his closest allies." Bility said, "Platini would not represent change, he has been a FIFA vice-president for eight years. He should not replace Sepp Blatter, it would be unacceptable." Platini has "also failed to get an endorsement" from former Ivory Coast Federation President Jacques Anouma, who served with him on the FIFA exec committee. The Confederation of African Football has "not made any comment on the impending election." But Platini's recent criticism of Blatter "has won him few friends in Africa, where the Swiss incumbent remains popular." Former Ghana FA President and three-time African Footballer of the Year Abedi Pele said, "His harsh words against Blatter were not right. He could have disagreed in another way" (REUTERS, 7/30).

CALL FOR UNITY: REUTERS' Nick Mulvenney reported Asian Football Confederation President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa "called for the region to unify behind one candidate." He "stopped short of endorsing" Platini. He said, "We have of course noted Michel Platini's decision to stand, and he is certainly a unique candidate who would bring stability and a smooth transition to normality for FIFA in this difficult situation. Yet we should also remember that the FIFA president is only one part of FIFA, which is why it is so important to get the reforms right as well" (REUTERS, 7/30).

MARADONA READY TO FIGHT: REUTERS' Ampuero & Raszewski reported Diego Maradona said on Wednesday he wants to fight the "mafia" responsible for the corruption scandal that has rocked FIFA, "but he stopped short of saying he wants to be the next president" of FIFA. He said, "I have to fight the mafia that still remains inside FIFA. I have to fight those who have for a long time stolen from inside FIFA." Asked whether he would run for the FIFA presidency, the 54-year old replied, "I really want to be in FIFA" (REUTERS, 7/29).

IN TOO DEEP: In London, Tom Peck opined there "can be no more certain proof" of Platini's "unsuitability for the job" than the fact that he "almost certainly will get it." Platini is "certainly not short of support, with Europe, Asia and North, South and Central America all backing him." In other words, "most of the same bunch" who decided in May that Blatter was the "right man to carry on with the job two days after a load of his top executives had been dragged out their beds and slung in jail." Platini's original entry into the world of football politics, "a world that is and will likely continue to be a magnet for the wrong sort of people, came with noble intentions." He "wanted merely to put on a successful World Cup in his home country." But as Blatter’s friend and protégé for "long years following on from France 1998, there can be little doubt that he has embraced the scheming and chicanery and machinations" that characterize it now (INDEPENDENT, 7/29).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2015/07/31/International-Football/Chung-FIFA.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2015/07/31/International-Football/Chung-FIFA.aspx

CLOSE