Former FIFA Vice President Chung Mong-joon plans to officially announce his candidacy for president of football’s world governing body during a visit to Europe next month.
FIFA has settled on February 26 as the date for an election to replace long-serving president Sepp Blatter. In an earlier interview, Chung said that a non-European leader would help breathe “new wind” into FIFA.
Chung told reporters before flying out of Seoul on Thursday that he believes FIFA became more corrupt after he lost his job as vice president in 2011.
“It won’t be easy, but I think it would be worth it, and there could be good results if I try hard enough,” Chung said about his potential candidacy.
“I plan to officially announce my candidacy in mid-August, and if possible, in Europe, the center of world football.”
FIFA is reeling from the indictment of 14 people — including two now-ousted vice presidents who were arrested in Zurich - in a US investigation into alleged racketeering, bribery and money laundering.
Chung, who was a key figure in helping South Korea land the right to co-host the 2002 World Cup, was a FIFA vice president for 17 years and was once considered a candidate to succeed Blatter before losing his seat in 2011. The billionaire scion of the Hyundai business group has also been a South Korean lawmaker and presidential candidate.
UEFA President Michel Platini, Brazil great Zico and liberia federation president Musa Bility are among the other likely contenders to run for the FIFA presidency.
US seeks extradition of Paraguayan official
Asuncion (Paraguay): US prosecutors in New York have asked Paraguay to extradite Nicolas leoz, the former president of South America’s football confederation and one of those charged in a corruption scandal being investigated.
leoz, 86, is being held under house arrest in the Paraguayan capital, Asuncion.
His lawyer, Ricardo Preda, said on Thursday that leoz was informed that Paraguay’s “foreign ministry has received the request from the US Embassy and has sent it to the Supreme Court.” Preda said there is no deadline for authorities to decide on the extradition request, which “is not for immediate execution.”
leoz has said he is innocent and plans to fight extradition to the US.