Former FIFA VP Chung Mong-joon on Thursday confirmed he would "formally announce his candidacy to replace" Sepp Blatter as President of the organization next week "with a swipe" at his opposition, UEFA President Michel Platini, according to Ben Rumsby of the London TELEGRAPH. Chung: "Platini is good for football, but whether he can be a good FIFA president? I don't think so. He is a product of the current FIFA system" (TELEGRAPH.co.uk, 7/30). In London, Mark Cue reported Chung, "who has been a fierce critic of the Blatter regime," suggested that the Platini was "tainted by his past associations with Blatter" (THETIMES.co.uk, 7/30). REUTERS' Peter Rutherford wrote Chung, a "towering figure in Asian football and smooth operator in diplomatic circles," will need to "sharpen his political elbows if he is to survive the vicious twists and turns of the upcoming FIFA presidential race." He faces a "huge task" to beat Platini, but he has the "deep pockets and international diplomatic skills" (REUTERS, 7/30). REUTERS' Mark Gleeson reported Platini's bid for the FIFA presidency "has garnered no immediate enthusiasm from Africa despite France's strong footballing ties with the continent" (REUTERS, 7/30).
