Beckenbauer backs Sexwale for top Fifa job

FRANZ Beckenbauer has backed Tokyo Sexwale as a possible candidate for the Fifa presidency to succeed Sepp Blatter and says that the South African can expect support from the German Football Association.

The association knew “about the quality of the South Africans and the quality of Sexwale”, Beckenbauer said at the annual Camp Beckenbauer sports conference in Kitzbühel, Austria.

“I certainly believe that the German Football Association would support his candidacy,” said Beckenbauer, a former Fifa executive committee member.

The 62-year-old Sexwale has yet to announce whether he will oppose Blatter, 79, at next February’s re-election for the Fifa presidency and has until October 26 to decide. The former antiapartheid activist is a guest at the Camp Beckenbauer event and is considering opposing Blatter.

“We are all affected by what happens at Fifa,” said Sexwale, who is working as an adviser to Fifa.

Beckenbauer, 70, worked with Sexwale at the 2006 World Cup in Germany and the 2010 event in SA. Michel Platini, president of European football’s governing body Uefa, had been considered the favourite to replace Blatter, but his integrity has been questioned over a $2m payment made to him by Fifa in 2011 for consulting work.

Beckenbauer said Sexwale would be a good option because of his background in politics and said it was time for change at Fifa. “What is to blame? Is it the people? Of course. Or the system? That’s also possible,” said the German.

“At some point, there will be the opportunity to appoint a president from an external source — someone from economics, someone from politics.

“That is why I refer to Tokyo because he is someone different, who has a political past, but he also knows his way around sport.

“He has the smell of neutrality and that’s why I think he would be a good solution.”