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By Andrew Warshaw
February 23 – Grant Wahl (pictured), an American journalist, is planning to stand as “the people’s candidate” against Fifa president Sepp Blatter in FIFA’s Presidential election later this year.
In a bizarre election pledge, 37-year-old Wahl insists that he is serious about running world football’s governing body, even if he gets humiliated at the Presidential ballot this summer.
Under FIFA rules, anyone can stand for President provided that he or she can secure a single nomination from any of FIFA’s 208 member federations.
Asian Football Confederation President Mohammed Bin Hammam is the only powerbroker being tipped to take on Blatter who, at 74, is gunning for a fourth term in office at the FIFA Congress in Paris on June 1.
Bin Hammam has until April 1 to show his hand but Wahl, who works for Sports Illustrated and has written a best-seller in the US about David Beckham’s LA Galaxy career, says he is already actively canvassing FIFA members in the light of recent corruption allegations.
“Wherever I go, I encounter lots of dissatisfaction with FIFA,” said Wahl.
“People are not happy with the way it has been run but up until now there has been no way for anyone to register their feelings.”
His manifesto includes introducing goal-line technology, scrapping yellow cards for players removing their shirts during goal celebrations, having a woman as FIFA’s number two and opening up the organisation’s past history.
“FIFA needs a Wikileaks type clean out of documents to show what has gone on,” said Wahl, who covered the 2018 and 2022 World Cup votes, and insists his candidacy is no joke.
“If people can take some humour from it then I am happy, but I am totally serious in hoping that this can lead to something that might bring about some real change.”
“I know I am a long shot. I do not have the money to fly around the continents to garner support like Blatter, but I think there has to be a federation willing to support a candidate wanting to shake-up the system.”
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