After declaring his intention to run for the FIFA presidential post earlier in the month, Trinidadian David Nakhid said here yesterday he is confident he can become the Head of FIFA when the entity stages its election in February of 2016.
The world governing body was thrown into chaos when several top officials were indicted by the Swiss Police on US corruption charges.
Individuals indicted were CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb, Eduardo Li, Julio Rocha, Jose Maria Marin, Rafael Esquivel, Eugenio Figueredo and Costas Takkas. Former CONCACAF President Jack Warner was also indicted and faces possible extradition to the United States of America from his homeland of Trinidad and Tobago.
According to reports, the seven alongside five sports and media executives are being charged with corruption involving over US$150 million dollars in bribes during a period of 24 years. Due to the controversy, FIFA Boss Sepp Blatter said he will step down so that elections can be held in February.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Marriott Hotel yesterday following his arrival on local shores, the former Trinidad and Tobago international declared “I am extremely confident. I have lived in the Middle East for close to 20 years and I have a very good support base there and I have played in Europe”.
He stated that while he has held discussions with individuals in Europe, from a strategic standpoint the best choice was to enter the race from his own confederation.
According to Nakhid, once it was acknowledged that he was entering the race from his confederation, support can now be gathered from other parts of the world. “I think once that is done, I think the Caribbean people will get a better sense of our message when it is placed on that global forum and the rest of the world”, he added.
Capped 35 times at the international senior level, Nakhid further posited that the Caribbean region needs to be positioned in a place that it has never been, declaring that the region has had an illusion of leadership at the FIFA level and that has to be changed.
“We need to place ourselves in a position where we understand our true value politically, but also in terms of the development that is needed in the wider world of football”, he noted.
Nakhid further said “It is clear if we don’t have someone representing our interests”, then the issues currently plaguing and engulfing the region will not be addressed.
Asked if he can overcome the recent controversy involving several high profile CONCACAF past and present officials inclusive of Webb and Warner to claim the top spot, he said that the region has to rise above that and not be defined by what has occurred in the past.
The former Trinidad and Tobago international further declared that what is required is a change of direction and to be recognized as a voice in the world of the sport and not a reference point for corruption.
He further said that what has happened in the past is not new to the confederation but happens everywhere, declaring that the region needs to be more politically assertive in the modern world of the sport.
We understand what we bring to this process, and it is not a reference for a vote as it has been in the past. We then become a reference for true consultation. People then come down to Guyana and really ask you ‘well what do you need’ in tangible terms, not in promises.”
The FIFA Presidential elections will be held in February 26th , 2016 after long serving President Blatter vowed to step down following the controversy.
UEFA President Frenchmen Michel Platini is seen as the favourite to replace Blatter while football legends, Argentine Diego Maradona and Brazilian Zico as well as Liberian Football Association President Musa Bility have signalled their intentions to contest the post. The deadline for nominations is October 26th.
