Platini, Prince Ali, Figo among contenders for FIFA presidency

After UEFA president Michel Platini ended weeks of uncertainty on Wednesday, announcing that he would stand for the presidency of FIFA in place of outgoing Sepp Blatter, bookmakers have slashed the odds on the Frenchman becoming the next president.

The former French international, who has been UEFA president since 2007 and a FIFA executive committee member since 2002, said he wanted “to give FIFA back the dignity and the position it deserves.”

Platini, who played in three World Cups for France and led it to the European championship title in 1984, said he had written to the 209 member associations of FIFA, which each hold one vote in the presidential election, to inform them of his decision.

The UEFA president is now the even-odds favorite with leading British bookmakers SkyBet.

The Dutch soccer federation, whose president Michael van Praag withdrew from the May presidential race one week before the election, said Platini was a “serious candidate” to replace the Swiss. Van Praag is himself priced at 20/1, reflecting that he is unlikely to stand again after a lack of support last time out.

Blatter was re-elected for a fifth term as president on May 29, but four days later said he would lay down his mandate amid the worst crisis in FIFA’s history. Blatter will remain as president until the election on February 26.

The man Blatter beat in the election, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, is seen as the only candidate likely to challenge Platini, and is priced as the second favorite at 2/1.

Prince Ali, who is yet to announce whether he intends to run again, said he would be consulting individual federations in the coming week “about what is in the best interests of soccer.

The Jordanian withdrew from the previous election on May 29 after receiving 73 votes to Blatter’s 133 in the first round of voting.

On Wednesday, Prince Ali described Platini’s decision to stand for the post in February’s election as “not good for FIFA.”

“Football’s fans and players deserve better. FIFA is engulfed in scandal. We must stop doing business as usual. The practice of back-room, underthe-table deals must end,” he added.

South Korea’s Chung Mong-joon, a former FIFA vice president, is seen as another potential candidate at 12/1, alongside for Portugal, Barcelona and Real Madrid winger Luis Figo.

Chung was last week he was still weighing a bid for the presidency and that he was thinking about making an official announcement in mid-August.

Chung, who is one of the most influential figures in Asian soccer and the billionaire scion of the Hyundai conglomerate, met potential rival Platini in the United States on Sunday and called for a “fair competition” should he enter the race.

He has long been a strong critic of Blatter and was instrumental in bringing the World Cup to South Korea in 2002, when it co-hosted the event with Japan.

Figo, who ran for president last time out, before pulling out in protest at the voting process, has the playing career to rival Platini, but has a lack of experience in soccer politics.

Figo, who has worked as an ambassador for Inter Milan, hasn’t announced whether he would stand again. His manifesto ahead of the previous election declared that “I see the reputation of FIFA right now and I don’t like it. Football deserves better.”

Another former soccer superstar, Brazilian legend Zico, has thrown his hat in for the FIFA presidency, announcing his candidacy in Rio de Janeiro in June.

However, Zico said at the time of his announcement that he doesn’t have the backing of five soccer federations, needed for any presidential candidate to stand, and appears unlikely to gain significant support. His odds of 16/1 reflect that.

Former Manchester United chief executive David Gill is another, priced at 20/1, who is seen as an outside bet this time round, although he could be one to watch out for in the future.

Gill, whose partnership with Sir Alex Ferguson led to the most successful period in United’s history, is the vice chairman of the English Football Association. He was a strong critic of Blatter ahead of the last election, and resigned from the FIFA executive committee in protest at the Swiss’ re-election.

Blatter himself is priced at 20/1, although it would take a U-turn of epic proportions for Blatter to stand for re-election again. Earlier in July, Blatter reiterated that he would not be standing in February’s election.

Cameroon’s Issa Hayatou, the president of the Confederation of African Football, was seen as an ally of Blatter during his reign. He also presented the Women’s World Cup trophy to the USA in Canada in the absence of Blatter.

However, Hayatou’s price of 25/1 reflects that he wouldn’t be seen as a clear break from the Blatter-era and so is unlikely to gain enough support outside of his native Africa.