September 23 – Nigerian businessman Orji Uzor Kalu has become the latest prospective contender, little known outside his own Continent, to bid for the presidency of FIFA.
Kalu says he is “carefully deliberating upon the decision” to stand as a successor to Sepp Blatter, his Washington-based spokesman said in a statement.
Kalu, like many who are appearing from nowhere, is unlikely to gain the requisite backing but at least he has stopped short of throwing the usual rhetoric at FIFA’s lack of proper governance.
On the contrary, his statement took a distinctly pro-Blatter stance, presumably with Africa’s long-time support for the outgoing Swiss in mind.
The statement said Blatter “has crafted an unparalleled legacy in establishing football’s presence in the international emerging marketplace.”
“He understood and expanded upon the belief of many theologians in that sport is a bastion of opportunity, a levelling barometer and a source of patriotism for all walks of life.”
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