The "dwindling prospect" of UEFA President Michel Platini succeeding Sepp Blatter as FIFA president "became ever more remote" on Tuesday after FIFA agreed to hold the election on Feb. 26 as planned, according to Teddy Cutler of the LONDON TIMES. Platini, the embattled UEFA president, has been banned along with Blatter for 90 days amid an investigation into a £1.35M payment to the former European footballer of the year, but Platini still harbors hopes of "replacing the Swiss and has submitted his bid for election." There had been speculation that FIFA's exec committee "would delay the election next year," with Platini's suspension due to expire in early January, but it has decided against that. In an effort to make the organization "more transparent and accountable" following a summer of "unremitting scandal," the committee has agreed to bring in 12-year maximum presidential terms and an age limit of 74. Blatter has been president since '98 and is into his fifth term, at the age of 79. FIFA also confirmed that it will "not allow Platini to stand as a candidate as long as his suspension stands." He is awaiting the verdict of the FIFA appeals committee regarding the suspension and "denies any wrongdoing over the payment" (LONDON TIMES, 10/20). REUTERS' Brian Homewood reported "whoever next takes the helm at FIFA" will face a "huge challenge" to restore the reputation of FIFA. Platini's appeal will first have to go to the FIFA Appeal Committee and, if unsuccessful, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, a process which UEFA said last week "should be competed by mid-November." The only other candidates to register so far are Jordanian Prince Ali bin al-Hussein and former Trinidad and Tobago midfielder David Nakhid, who have both submitted the required five nominations from national associations (REUTERS, 10/20).
VEGA CONSIDERS BID: In London, Owen Gibson reported former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega, who is considering standing for the FIFA presidency, has called on Platini to step aside and "stop blocking debate about the reform of the embattled governing body." Vega, the multilingual former Switzerland int'l who "successfully entered the world of finance after retiring from football," said that the "scandal swirling around Platini was preventing a proper debate about a European candidate." Dutch FA (KNVB) President Michael van Praag and German FA (DFB) President Wolfgang Niersbach, "himself now battling allegations" about the 2006 World Cup bid, are "also considering whether to stand or hold on to see if a vacancy arises" at UEFA. Vega, who also played for Celtic and Watford, said that he had "been approached by senior figures in European football and asked to consider standing." Vega said, "The block that has been happening through the Platini scenario has not allowed a debate to develop. He needs to stand back, put his hands up and concentrate on retaining the UEFA job. At the moment the governing body of UEFA has the potential to put forward a good candidate and it is being blocked through loyalty to Platini. There is nothing wrong with loyalty, but it has to go hand in hand with common sense" (GUARDIAN, 10/19).
