Campaigners call for Kofi Annan to take charge of FIFA reform
A group campaigning for reform of world soccer's governing body FIFA have called for former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan to be put in charge of an independent reform commission.
"We are calling for Kofi Annan to come into this mess and take control of the reform process," Jaimie Fuller, a co-founder of ‘New FIFA Now’, told a Zurich news conference.
FIFA's executive committee was meeting on Monday to discuss reform plans and set a date for a vote to replace outgoing president Sepp Blatter, amid charges against FIFA officials of corruption by the US Department of Justice and Swiss authorities.
Blatter was re-elected for a fifth term at the congress but then announced on June 2 that he would lay down his mandate. He has not been accused personally of any wrongdoing.
Tim Noonan, of ITUC, the international trade union body, said his organisation had been in touch with Annan.
"We have spoken to Kofi Annan ... he has indicated that he (would be) open to receiving a proposal, the initial contact has been made,” said Noonan, adding that a formal offer would have to come from the ‘world of football’.
Four of six confederations say would back Platini for FIFA president
Four out of six continental soccer confederations would back UEFA president Michel Platini if he stands for FIFA president, a source close to European soccer's governing body said on Monday.
Frenchman Platini, who was re-elected as UEFA president earlier this year, is likely to decide within the next 10 days or so whether to run, the source added.
Platini, who is still undecided whether to run, held meetings late into Sunday night at a luxury lakeside hotel in Zurich where he was repeatedly promised support, the source said.
