FIFA confirmed on Tuesday that five candidates will officially enter the race to replace Sepp Blatter as president of world football’s scandal-hit
ADVERTISEMENTFIFA confirmed on Tuesday that five candidates will officially enter the race to replace Sepp Blatter as president of world football’s scandal-hit governing body.
The fearless five are: Gianni Infantino, a 45-year old general secretary of Uefa. The Swiss Italian joined Uefa in 2000 as a lawyer and is considered to be one of the front runners.
Prince Ali bin al-Hussein is the President of the Jordan Football Association and founder and president of the West Asian Football Federation.
The 40-year-old Jordanian royal and former FIFA vice president lost the 2015 FIFA Presidency election to Sepp Blatter. He stepped aside before the second round voting took place. He’s now back in the ring for another round.
Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa is the Asian Football Confederation president and Fifa vice-president.
He is 50 years old, the Former head of Bahrain FA and along with Infantino a favourite to win the election thanks in part due to his links to the game in Asia.
What list would be the same without a former French diplomat – Jerome Champagne worked for Fifa for 11 years as an executive and an advisor to president Sepp Blatter, before leaving in 2010.
Now a consultant in international football, Champagne is an outsider. so the corks might not be popping for him on this occasion.
Completing the fearless five is Tokyo Sexwale, an apartheid-era political prisoner turned multimillionaire mining tycoon.
The 62-year old South African who spent time imprisoned on Robben Island with Nelson Mandela, is also a former government minister and is currently a member of Fifa’s anti-discrimination task force.
Only 1 of 5 #FIFA presidency candidates in tomorrow's 'debate' as two pull out last minute https://t.co/HeTedGd1Ewpic.twitter.com/Os52yzwE6Q
— POLITICO Europe (@POLITICOEurope) January 26, 2016
All five will be hoping to replace Blatter when the FIFA Congress gathers in Zurich for the elections on February 26.
Blatter has been in charge since 1998 but his reign came to an end with a very loud and public crash, bang, wallop.
The 79-year-old Swiss and his once likely successor UEFA chief Michel Platini were both banned from all football related activities for eight years last month for ethics violations.
Both men are appealing the suspensions.