FIFA presidential candidate Zico has "invited his potential rivals to take part in an early debate" about football's "troubled governing body," according to Brian Homewood of REUTERS. The former Brazil int'l has sent an email to Michel Platini, Musa Bility, David Nakhid and Chung Mong-joon, who have also declared their intention to run, saying that "FIFA deserves a debate at this preliminary stage." Zico said in the email, "We all agree that FIFA needs to evolve into a much better organization, particularly in matters of democracy and transparency. Change, however, is not an event. It is a process and we must start by making sure this election is fair, transparent and democratic." Zico has admitted that he faces a "tough battle to get the written backing" of five FAs by Oct. 26, as required by the FIFA electoral rules. Bility, president of the Liberian FA, is "also struggling after failing to get the support of the Confederation of African Football" (REUTERS, 9/1).
ODEGBAMI DECLARES: NIGERIAN REVIEWS reported former Nigeria int'l Segun Odegbami has confirmed his interest to enter for the FIFA presidency race. Odegbami, with his declaration, becomes the second Nigerian after ex-Governor Orji Uzor Kalu to declare his intention to succeed Sepp Blatter (NIGERIAN REVIEWS, 9/2).
'SERIOUS INFECTION': The PA reported FIFA Exec Committee member Michel D'Hooghe, the "longest-serving executive committee member," has warned that FIFA's reform commission must remove the "infection" of corruption in the scandal-hit organization rather than "just tinker with the current setup." D'Hooghe has sat on the exec body since '88, and said that the corruption allegations have "tainted everyone involved" with the organization and that it will be "a good thing" if the crisis leads to a major clean-up. D'Hooghe: "I have learned in medicine that if there is a serious infection there is no small medication -- you have to cut it out." D'Hooghe, however, insisted that the world "should not lose sight of the some of the good that FIFA has done for football." He added, "I am responsible for the medical field and I'm proud of what has been achieved in that field" (PA, 9/2).
