By Andrew Warshaw
June 19 – No date has yet been fixed for elections to replace Sepp Blatter but already a second candidate has expressed interest in taking over as FIFA president. After former Brazil superstar Zico, Musa Bility (pictured), president of the Liberian Football Association, has said he is keen to be a contender.
Bility would be the first from his continent since CAF president Issa Hayatou took on and was soundly beaten Blatter in 2002.
Speaking to the BBC, Bility said Africa simply had to have a challenger: “If Africa does not put up a candidate, it says a lot about us,” he said.
“It shows a sense of mediocrity and that our only relevance is to vote and make leaders. I think that is not right.
“Africa is the largest voting bloc in FIFA and we must take the lead to bring football together.”
FIFA’s executive committee meets on July 20 to agree on a date for an extraordinary congress. Bility has led the Liberian FA since 2010 but is unlikely to emerge as a genuinely seriously contender given his relatively unknown status outside Africa.
But he is not afraid to stick his neck out and is no stranger to controversy having said he would have voted for Mohamed bin Hammam against Blatter in 2011, defying the party line, had the Qatari not been forced to step aside.
“People know me to be bold, upright, outspoken and highly opinionated,” said Bility who believes he can acquire the five necessary nominations. “I say it like it is. When it’s not right, I don’t back down and I think that has gained me some respect.
“I have spoken to about half a dozen of the presidents of African football and I have their support – you can see the excitement,” he said.
Maybe, but Bility is not even a member of CAF’s executive committee and was banned in 2013 for six months from all football activities for using confidential CAF documents without permission.
Meanwhile, FIFA ethics prosecutor Cornel Borbely says he is prepared to open more cases against officials as part of the investigations into the bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Borbely says ”should new evidence come to light” his team ”will widen the group of suspects.” He says his department ”has taken the necessary preparatory measures for this and is prepared to increase its staff numbers at any time if needed.”
Borbely’s comments follow those of Swiss attorney general Michael Lauber who has detailed evidence from banks in Switzerland of possible money laundering during the bidding contests. Lauber said that the ”huge and complex” case could take years rather than months to investigate.
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