KNVB leader Michael van praag running for FIFA president against Sepp Blatter
Netherlands football federation
president Michael van Praag says he will run against Sepp Blatter in the
upcoming FIFA presidential election. In a statement, the Dutch federation (KNVB) said Van Praag
already has the support of five national federations, a requirement for
pursuing FIFA's top position. Continue..
"I'm very worried about the deteriorating
situation at FIFA. The public opinion, the trustworthiness, is very bad, and
with me a lot of people in the world believe so," Van Praag said.At the World Cup last June, Van Praag said
Blatter was "ultimately responsible" for FIFA's global image.
"I was hoping a credible new fresh face
would stand up to do it, but unfortunately that is not the case, so that is why
I decided to take my own responsibility, especially after what I said in Sao
Paulo, and therefore I'll go for it," Van Praag said on Monday.
Van Praag is the former president of Ajax and
has been a member of UEFA's executive committee since 2009, a CV he says makes
him ideally suited to lead FIFA.
"The FIFA has to be normalised and the
FIFA has to be modernised," he said. "And in my business life, but
also in Ajax and also in my [Dutch] association I went through this exercise
many, many times, so I have a lot of experience in that aspect. So I believe I
am the right person to do it."
The announcement of Van Praag's candidacy came
just hours after Blatter accused European nations of not having the
"courage'' to provide a challenge to his leadership, and called on UEFA to
be "respectful'' of his wish to continue in the role.
Speaking in an interview with CNN World Sport, the 78-year-old Blatter responded to recent
criticism from European federations, saying: "All those who want to get
rid of me should come. All this opposition is coming now, it's unfortunate to
say, but it's true, it's coming from Nyon, from UEFA. They don't have the
courage to come in. So let me go [on] -- be respectful."
Van Praag joins former FIFA executive Jerome Champagne, Prince Ali Bin Hussein of Jordan and former Tottenham
winger David Ginola as candidates who have declared their
intention to stand against Blatter, who is seeking a fifth
term in office.
KNVB secretary general Bert van Oostveen
added: "It is clear that something has to change in FIFA to restore
credibility. Michael is the right man for this. The KNVB will fully support him
in his campaign."
Van Praag will formally announce his candidacy
at a news conference in Amsterdam on Wednesday.
UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino said
the European governing body would not be formally backing either Van Praag or
Prince Ali.
He told a news conference: "We have heard
about Prince Ali and we have heard about Michael van Praag and it is good there
is a proper discussion. We are an open democracy, we have different views and
the important thing is everyone can express his views."
Van Praag said he had obtained the minimum
five nominations from national associations, while David Ginola is expected to
be forced to withdraw as a FIFA candidate on Thursday after failing to gain the
required nominations.
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