The exec committee of the Confederation of African Football "is to meet in Cairo on Thursday to discuss a move to scupper the campaign" of UEFA President Michel Platini, the frontrunner in the race to take over from Sepp Blatter as president of FIFA, according to Mihir Bose of the SUNDAY TIMES. The Frenchman "has been gearing up to take over world football’s top job for the last two weeks." At the same time, African football officials "have been holding secret meetings to hone a strategy to prevent Platini, three-times European footballer of the year," from moving into Blatter’s palatial office in FIFA House in the hills above Zurich. A source at the center of these discussions said, “We have a high-profile African who is connected with football but is far removed from any links with Blatter, whose name is so toxic. We are confident he can be persuaded to stand and we believe Platini can be beaten." The CAF’s strategy "will be to claim that Platini, having been a member of Blatter’s executive since 2002, can hardly claim to be a breath of fresh air." Also, if he is elected it will mean that UEFA, the most powerful regional football federation with the best leagues in the world, will steer FIFA more toward club football and away from national football, "widening the already considerable gap between rich Europe and the poor footballing nations of Africa and Asia." At first sight "the Africans’ optimism seems misplaced." Platini’s camp claims that "he only decided to run after receiving the backing of four of the six major football confederations: Europe, Asia, South America and Concacaf (representing north and central America and the Caribbean)." Between them these confederations cast 144 votes -- "enough to secure the required two-thirds majority of 140 votes, handing Platini victory." However, Platini’s African opponents claim that "the Frenchman’s support is flaky and he will not get the full backing even of Europe." Their confidence "has increased after seeing the less than enthusiastic reaction of some Europeans to news" that Platini’s successor as UEFA president will be Germany’s Wolfgang Niersbach, arousing fears that "it will further cement that nation’s domination of European football both on and off the field" (SUNDAY TIMES, 8/2). REUTERS' Simon Evans wrote South African businessman and former political prisoner Tokyo Sexwale "is considering running" for FIFA president. Peter-Paul Ngwenya of the South African's Global Watch foundation said, "Mr. Sexwale has been approached to put his name forward as a candidate for the FIFA presidency by several highly placed personalities within the football fraternity including people from the private sector. He is in the process of consulting following which he will then make up his mind" (REUTERS, 8/1).
BURZACO PLEADS NOT GUILTY: In N.Y., Rebecca R. Ruiz wrote turning over his two passports to federal agents, Alejandro Burzaco, one of 14 top football officials and businessmen indicted in May and a citizen of Argentina and Italy, "pleaded not guilty Friday" at an arraignment in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn to charges that he paid millions in bribes to world football officials to secure lucrative media and marketing contracts. Burzaco was the second defendant to be extradited to the U.S. "and the third to appear in federal court in connection with the case." Burzaco indicated that he "would not yet cooperate with the American authorities in their prosecution" of world football officials and his fellow marketing execs, with whom he is accused of colluding to pay $110M in bribes to win rights to the 2015, 2019 and 2023 Copa América tournaments, as well as a special centennial edition of that South American tournament, set to be hosted in the U.S. next year (N.Y. TIMES, 7/31). REUTERS' Raymond & Rosenberg wrote U.S. Magistrate Judge Vera Scanlon set Burzaco's bond at $20M and "authorized his release subject to travel restrictions and electronic monitoring." A private security service approved by U.S. authorities "is to provide additional around-the-clock monitoring" (REUTERS, 7/31).
GETTING SUPPORT: The AFP reported the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) "is backing" former national football player Zico's bid to replace Blatter as FIFA president. The endorsement "was a big boost for Zico, 62, who has previously conceded lacking support from Brazil's footballing top brass." However, to establish himself as a formal candidate he "would still have to get backing from four other countries" (AFP, 8/2). DEMANJO reported Paraguay "offered to be one of the official backers" of Platini's bid (DEMANJO, 8/2). The EFE reported Platini "received backing from the presidents of the federations of Chile, Uruguay and Mexico, as well as the vice-president of Caribbean football, as he tries to take the FIFA presidency" (EFE, 8/1).
