By Andrew Warshaw
Two of the contenders bidding for Sepp Blatter’s crown as president of FIFA have come away from the Conmebol congress expressing optimism – yet still seem unlikely to be able to wrest South American support away from the veteran Swiss.
Michael van praag and Luis Figo both went to Paraguay for their first stop on the campaign trail along with the third contender Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan.
All three are reported to have met individually and privately with Juan Angel Napout before the Paraguayan he was re-elected unanimously as Conmebol president.
Figo was quoted as saying he hoped to have done enough to persuade South American members to back his presidential candidacy. “I hope I convinced them to support me,” the former Portuguese icon told local media.
Van Praag expressed pretty much the same sentiments though again without too much conviction. “I had a meeting with the presidents of the (regional) federations and the president of CONMEBOL and I have a good feeling about my meeting yesterday,” he told reporters.
“They didn’t disclose what they are going to do and I can understand that because there are still two months to go so they have time to come together again and make up their minds. They are very much interested in football issues, of course transparency and change. That is the feeling that I got, that they want change.”
Repeating parts of his manifesto outlined last week, van Praag added: “I believe that there is too much power in the hands of one man which is the president of the FIFA. One of the things that I am going to do is to establish a presidents’ board… ask the presidents of every confederation to become a member.”
Asked if he would support changes in the World Cup qualifying process, Van Praag, who is due to speak to reporters on Friday in Amsterdam on his return, added: “If the majority, in a very democratic way, believe we should change the qualifying process, why not? What I want is more input from the presidents of the confederations, because then we know what is going on in CONMEBOL, we know how Asia looks at things, that is important.”
While Blatter could have a fight on his hands in certain regions and has yet to produce his manifesto (though he may choose not to as the present incumbent and odds-on favourite), Conmebol seems certain to support him. On arrival in Asuncion, he was feted in the usual way by his hosts who have 10 voting nations at the election on May 29.
In a speech to delegates, Blatter made a point of focussing on racism which has been a major issue in South American football, re-iterating his call for severe sanctions.
“The biggest problem we’ve had in recent days here in this continent is racism, discrimination. This is unacceptable,” Blatter said. “We must deduct points, relegate a team. The moment we have the courage to do that discrimination will end. We have the regulations but they are not being applied in the whole world by the disciplinary and control bodies.”