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International Football

FIFA Presidential Candidate Chung Mong-Joon Facing 15-Year Suspension

South Korea's Chung Mong-joon said he is facing a 15-year suspension by FIFA's Ethics Committee that has "sabotaged" his campaign for the FIFA presidency, but "he denied any wrongdoing and vowed to continue his bid" to lead football's world governing body, according to Jee Heun Kahng of REUTERS. At a news conference in Seoul on Tuesday, Chung read out a nine-page statement, addressing the charges against him, which he dismissed as a ploy "to prevent me from running for the President of FIFA." Chung said, "The fundamental reason why I am being targeted is that I aimed straight at the existing power structure of FIFA." Bound by confidentiality rules, FIFA's Ethics Committee "has not made any statements on Chung's case and there was no immediate response to his comments on Tuesday." The scion of Korea's Hyundai industrial conglomerate, Chung vowed to fight the charges, adding "ultimately, I will prevail and will be vindicated" (REUTERS, 10/6). The PA's Martyn Ziegler wrote the charges against Chung "stem from letters he sent to FIFA members about Korea's plan" to raise $777M to establish a "Global Football Fund" for football development if it was awarded the World Cup. Chung said that "this was no different from other development funds suggested by rival bidders including England's." Chung said, "People say that FIFA's ethics committee is Mr. Blatter's 'hitman.' They never hit him but only those who challenge Mr. Blatter. Yet what are these 'corruption' charges that I face? Unlike Mr. Blatter, Mr. [Jérôme] Valcke and Mr. [Michel] Platini, I am not facing any allegations of bribery, fraud, corruption, or conflict of interest. ... Finally, the fact that I am the target of Mr. Blatter's smear campaign is clearly the most powerful endorsement for my candidacy for the FIFA presidency and the best proof that I am the person to lead FIFA's reforms" (PA, 10/6). The London GUARDIAN reported Chung said at the outset of his campaign that "he feared Blatter would sabotage his bid." Chung: "The true danger is that they are not only sabotaging my candidacy. They are sabotaging FIFA’s election and FIFA itself. As preposterous as it may sound, there are media reports that Mr. Blatter plans to stay on as president once all the presidential candidates are forced out. However, the election is in danger of being turned into a farce" (GUARDIAN, 10/6). The AFP reported Chung said that "he was under scrutiny for letters he sent" in '10 to FIFA exec members about the creation of a Global Football Fund. Chung said, "No money or personal favors were exchanged in relation to GFF," adding FIFA had closed the case in '10 with no charges made against him. That "closed case has now been revived." Such a "retroactive sanction" sought by the committee is based only on testimonies from Blatter and Valcke (AFP, 10/6). YONHAP reported the FIFA Ethics Committee "is investigating Chung’s charity donations to Pakistan and Haiti." It is reportedly "questioning whether Chung’s donations to flood-ravaged Pakistan and quake-stricken Haiti in 2010 were used for their intended purposes, since Chung was pursuing to be re-elected as FIFA’s vice president around the same time" (YONHAP, 10/6).

VOTE-TRADING: The London TELEGRAPH reported Chung "revealed England's 2018 World Cup bid leader Geoff Thompson told ethics investigators he had agreed a vote-trading deal with the Koreans in the presence of Prince William and David Cameron." Chung "issued a 26-page statement defending himself." The statement said, "The Investigatory Chamber (IC) initially thought that they had a strong case against me. One of the questions that the IC sent me on February 13, 2015 was the following: 'Would it surprise you to learn that the Chairman of England 2018, Mr Geoff Thompson has admitted to agreeing to trade your vote for Korea 2022 [England 2018], in exchange for England's vote for Korea 2022?' This allegedly happened when I last met Mr Geoff Thompson when together we paid a courtesy visit on Prince William at the Prince's request in his suite at Baur au Lac Hotel in Zurich on December 1, 2010, one day before the vote. When I went to the Prince's suite, Prime Minister Cameron was also there. ... My question is, 'Is it even conceivable that Mr Thompson and I would be making an illicit 'vote trading' deal in such company?' Is Fifa accusing Prince William and the Prime Minister of Great Britain of being complicit in vote trading the day before the vote? If so, they should be investigating the Prince and PM Cameron as well" (TELEGRAPH, 10/6).

SUPPORT FOR SEXWALE
: SPORT 24 reported Franz Beckenbauer backed Tokyo Sexwale "as a possible candidate for the FIFA presidency" to succeed Blatter and said that "the South African can expect support from the German FA." Speaking at the annual Camp Beckenbauer sports conference in Kitzbuehel, Austria, he said the German FA (DFB) knows "about the quality of the South Africans and the quality of Tokyo Sexwale." Beckenbauer said, "I certainly believe that the German Football Association would support his candidacy." The former anti-apartheid activist, who was an inmate alongside former South African President Nelson Mandela on Robben Island, "is a guest at the Camp Beckenbauer event and is considering opposing Blatter" (SPORT 24, 10/6). INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL's Andrew Warshaw wrote wherever he travels, Sexwale "is asked the same question." Will "he be running" for FIFA president? Sexwale "keeps giving the same diplomatic answer, that he has not yet made up his mind." But "he only has until October 26 to do so." Speaking at Camp Beckenbauer, Sexwale "again gave little away." He said, "A lot of must be done and we must think very carefully and see where we are going. October 26 is the closing date so before that time you shall hear me." Sexwale recognizes " the urgency to clean FIFA up but stopped short of blaming Blatter for the current meltdown." Sexwale: "The brand is seriously and severely damaged. (But) Blatter has been a great leader. When you are in trouble everyone runs away from you and forget your good works" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 10/6).

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