Brazilian legend Zico confirms he’ll stand for FIFA president
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AFP) — Former Brazil star Zico Wednesday confirmed he will stand in the election to succeed Sepp Blatter as president of FIFA, although he admitted he may struggle to find enough support.
“I would like to confirm the decision to be a candidate,” the 62-year-old told a news conference.
“I feel I am capable. For sure, certain rules need to change, not least the constant horse-trading necessitated by the need to gather the support of at least five federations.
“That need to have five federations behind you, I think that is where the corruption starts”, as favours are offered, Zico said.
Blatter has already announced he will stand down from the job after the organisation he has headed since 1998 was engulfed in a series of corruption allegations.
Zico, who has experience of the game at managerial level having notably coached Japan, said he believed the game had to undergo wide-ranging reforms.
But he added he believed it was right that Blatter be allowed to stay in place prior to a vote on a successor due to be elected between December and March.
“This will allow him to make an orderly handover,” Zico told reporters in Rio.
Zico, nicknamed the ‘White Pele’ during a playing career which never yielded a World Cup triumph, joked that controversial Argentine legend Diego Maradona might be a potential vice-president.
But he is a football name — and he has every right therefore to “put his name forward” if he wished to do so, Zico said.
He stressed that his own — albeit brief — experience two decades ago of serving as Brazilian minister of sport was an extra string to his bow.
“I bring to the table experience and knowledge,” he insisted.
While underlining his interest in standing for a revamped FIFA, Zico said he would first insist on a simplified voting system which is less open to “horse-trading and exchanging of favours”.
And, he added, he would also call for a system of “one re-election at most”, noting that Blatter and predecessor, Brazilian Joao Havelange, had held the post between them for the past four decades — his own entire career as player and coach.
He also said current UEFA President Michel Platini would make a good leader of the game’s world body.
