Eight men will stand for election to become FIFA’s new president, "after three new candidates entered the race on the final day before nominations closed," according to Tom Peck of the London INDEPENDENT. The "unprecedentedly crowded" field includes "serious and credible candidates" from Africa, Europe and Asia, which will "test the strength" of FIFA’s "traditional continental voting blocs and the alliances within it, perhaps to beyond their limits." UEFA Secretary General Gianni Infantino made a "very last-minute entry into the running," after UEFA’s Exec Committee met over video link to "discuss whether to endorse him." Its "preferred option," President Michel Platini, remains a candidate, but is "currently provisionally suspended from all football activity," and his fate come the Feb. 26 election "is uncertain." Asian Football Confederation President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa of Bahrain formally announced his candidature and claimed to have backing from throughout the "vast Asian football world." Liberian FA President Musa Bility also announced his nomination, "despite previously having said the African Football Confederation would not back him." Each candidate "requires five nominations" from FIFA member countries. South African businessman and former Robben Island inmate Tokyo Sexwale "declared his candidacy over the weekend." Jordanian Prince Ali bin al-Hussein "has been in the race for some time." Former French diplomat and Sepp Blatter adviser Jérôme Champagne "also declared at the weekend." Former Trinidad and Tobago footballer David Nakhid "also entered the running last week." The contest could "hardly be more of a mess." IOC President Thomas Bach had called on FIFA to "change its statutes to allow a credible candidate from outside the world of football" to lead reform of the organization (INDEPENDENT, 10/27).
'NASTY LIES': The BBC reported Sheikh Salman has called allegations he was complicit in the torture of footballers "nasty lies." Sheikh Salman has been accused by Bahraini human rights groups of "helping to identify players and other athletes involved in 2011 democracy protests." He was Bahrain FA president and a member of the ruling royal family when security forces "put down mass Shia-led protests calling for political reforms." Several "people died, while others were arrested, detained and tortured." He said, "I cannot deny something that I haven't done. It's not just damaging me, it's damaging the people and the country. These are false, nasty lies that have been repeated again and again in the past and the present." In an interview Salman said that,
- He "will not take a salary if he is elected" president of FIFA.
- He "backs the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to go ahead in Russia and Qatar respectively."
- Accusations of human rights abuses are false and "damage Bahrain."
- He supports limiting the FIFA presidency "to three terms and 12 years" (BBC, 10/27).
REST OF THE FIELD: REUTERS reported Sexwale, "who was a close friend of Nelson Mandela," said on Tuesday that he wanted to repair the "severely undermined" FIFA brand as he confirmed he was standing for the presidency. Sexwale, who spent 13 years with the late president at the Robben Island prison, "was a member of the ruling African National Congress party and a post-apartheid government minister before moving into business." He has been a member of FIFA’s "anti-discrimination task force, has conducted talks between the Palestinian and Israeli federations, and was a member of the bid team and the organising committee for the 2010 World Cup, the first held in Africa." Sexwale: "Having spent time inside FIFA, I am more than ready to take on the world. I think it was a vote of confidence by people who I can only say understand who I am and what I will be able to bring to football. FIFA, the organization of the beautiful game, is damaged. The brand is severely undermined" (
REUTERS, 10/27). REUTERS' Brian Homewood wrote Champagne and Nakhid declined on Monday to say which FAs had backed them, "saying the FAs themselves feared reprisals if they were named." Both men said that they had obtained the written backing of five FAs, "the number required for candidates to enter the race under FIFA electoral rules." But they said that FAs "were wary of lending their support and being identified." Champagne said, "A lot of FAs said they wanted to support me but were afraid to express their own free will." Nakhid said, "The FAs have asked me not to reveal their names because they fear there will be reprisals and that bothers me. We are talking about grown men in a sport that is supposed to be a great sport, and they are afraid to say they have backed a candidate." He "also feared that the election could be decided on horse-trading rather than real issues" (
REUTERS, 10/26). REUTERS' Mark Gleeson reported Bility said that he "presents the only credible option for the leadership of world football's governing body." Bility also said that he had received the requisite five nominations, "which had come from outside the west African region." CAF has "declined to endorse Bility's bid to stand for the election." Bility: "I don't see any real challengers because all the others who are running have played some part (in FIFA affairs) and if we have to reform football, none of them should be given the right to run the organization. They themselves have caused the problems we have today. So they cannot be a solution." Bility said that "he could step aside if Africa endorsed Sexwale." He added, "I previously said that if we have more than one African in the race and if then CAF have a meeting with me and say they want to support the other person, I will also do so" (
REUTERS, 10/27). REUTERS' Dmitriy Rogovitskiy wrote Russian Football Union and Sports Ministry President Vitaly Mutko said that Russia will support Infantino's bid to become FIFA president if Platini "is unable to take part." Mutko: "Russia will support the UEFA General Secretary, Infantino, in the FIFA presidential elections, if the head of UEFA, Platini, is unable to take part. We are full of determination to support Michel Platini, this is a legendary footballer, who is in his third term as UEFA president, and a person who could do everything to run world football. If Platini is unable to prove his innocence and is unable to return, then we will back Gianni Infantino as the European candidate. If Michel returns to the race, then Infantino will drop out" (
REUTERS, 10/27).
