A former FIFA vice-president and powerbroker of Asian football, Chung described himself as a candidate untainted by scandal and with a global, non-Eurocentric vision to take football’s governing body into a new era.
The billionaire scion of Korea’s Hyundai group confirmed he would formally announce his candidacy to replace Blatter next week and also pledged that, if elected, he would only serve a single, four-year term.
“During those four years I hope I can fulfill my agenda, making FIFA a true, sporting NGO — open, transparent, moral, ethical and truly global,” Chung told AFP during an interview in Seoul. “I don’t want to be a FIFA president who just enjoys the luxury of the presidential office.”
The 63-year-old is among a shortlist of declared and likely candidates that includes the likes of UEFA president Platini and Prince Ali bin al Hussein of Jordan who ousted Chung from the FIFA executive board in 2011.
Platini, who confirmed his candidacy on Wednesday, is currently seen as the front-runner and is believed to have the backing of four of FIFA’s six regional confederations.
Blatter decided to stand down shortly after being reelected as president in June with scandal-hit FIFA’s reputation in tatters. He announced last week that the election of his successor would be held on February 26, 2016.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 31st, 2015.
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