By Andrew Warshaw
September 23 – Prospective FIFA presidential candidate Zico may already be a rank outsider in the race to succeed Sepp Blatter but the Brazilian legend is talking as good a game as he showed on the field in a bid to upset the odds on February 26.
Zico believes the current rules, which insist on active involvement in the game for at least two of the previous five years before any election plus the requirement of being nominated by at least five federations, are outdated.
He has issued an open letter to Blatter with whom he met on Tuesday to ask for changes in eligibility. He believes, like many neutral observers, that the current system prejudices candidates such as himself known mainly for their glorious playing days and with little or no administrative background, and that individual federations are pressured by their confederations and can’t therefore make their own choices.
So far, Zico, who played for Brazil at the 1978, 1982 and 1986 World Cups, has the support from his own country if he finds other four federations to back him by October 26 in order to officially enter the race. Reports suggest he has had a sympathetic response from both Turkey and Japan but that both federations will ultimately tow their respective confederation’s party line.
He doesn’t understand either why CONMEBOL, his own region, is apparently backing UEFA president Michel Platini.
Zico says the election in February would “lack legitimacy” unless the current system is amended. He is hoping his idea might be discussed at the FIFA executive committee meeting on Thursday and Friday when the election is on the agenda.
“For someone like me, even though I have devoted 45 years to football, this rule creates a real obstacle. I want to see this condition ended,” Zico said.
“There is no independence in this vote and that needs to change. This system opens the possibility for corruption.”
Writing of the need for “a fresh, independent candidate not involved with or compromised by the current and previous governance structures,” Zico, who has issued a 10-point blueprint for change, took the make-up of FIFA’s Reform Committee, approved by Blatter, to task.
“Is it reasonable to expect real change from a Reform Committee made of people that have been part of the current establishment for all these years?” he asked.
But he also reserves criticism for election favourite Platini whom he describes, as others have, as too associated with FIFA’s old-school regime and who, he fears, would be too pro-Europe if he takes over from Blatter.
“He is a pillar of the FIFA structure as a long-serving member of the executive committee. I do not think that his election would bring reform. It would bring only a “greater concentration of football power in Europe. The rest of the world is being abandoned.”
Later Platini, asked about Zico’s comments, was quoted as saying: “He doesn’t have five nominations? I’m sorry but those are the rules.”
Despite Zico’s open letter to Blatter, the outgoing veteran Swiss can’t actually do much on his own since any changes would have to be approved by the exco – and even then probably only on the say-so of FIFA’s three-man electoral body. Zico said he would meeting with US federation president Sunil Gulati whist in Zurich to try and win US support though that is likely to go, like last time, to Prince Ali bin al-Hussein.
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