Duo set for FIFA presedential battle
Reuters - Friday 01 April 2011, 22:00
ZURICH - Nominations for the FIFA
presidency closed on Friday with incumbent Sepp
Blatter and challenger Mohamed Bin Hammam set to be the only two
candidates at the June 1 election.
World football's ruling body said in a statement it would
announce the official candidates on Monday "following a thorough
verification process".
A spokeswoman would not comment on the number of candidates
FIFA had by Friday, but U.S. journalist Grant Wahl told Reuters
in an email he had not received a nomination after searching for
one national association to back him.
The Sports Illustrated (SI) writer was attempting to launch
his campaign in protest at FIFA's inner workings after recent
corruption scandals.
"If FIFA were truly a representative democracy I'm convinced
that not only would I have been nominated but I also would have
beaten Blatter and Bin Hammam in a landslide on election day,"
he said in his latest SI article.
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) chief Bin Hammam, 61, has
stated it is time for change and has announced a manifesto
centred on transparency.
The Qatari, sworn in unopposed for a third and final term as
AFC president in January, is seeking to unseat 75-year-old Swiss
Blatter after 13 years in charge and thereby become the ninth
president of FIFA.
The June 1 vote will be held in Zurich as part of the 61st
FIFA Congress.