Fifa Final Nomination Day

Expectedly today latest 5:00pm, FIFA’s presidential hopefuls should have been nominated by five out of the 54 members to confirm their candidacies for approval by Fifa’s election committee.

The uncompromising deadline for nominations and the February 26’s election date, were reconfirmed by FIFA’s executive committee, despite uncertainty surrounded Michel Platini’s candidacy.

The UEFA president has already submitted his candidacy but his face is being kept out over a 2011 payment of 2 million Swiss francs (about $2 million) he received for work carried out at least nine years earlier.

The reconfirmation of the FIFA electoral process was chaired in Blatter’s absence by FIFA’s senior vice president Issa Hayatou, the longtime African soccer leader who is now interim president.

Aside from Platini, former FIFA vice president Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan and former Trinidad and Tobago player David Nakhid have said they submitted their five required federation nominations.

Up to yesterday, there has been no news on Liberian President Musa Bility as to whether he has been nominated by the required five members.

It may be recalled that Bility boasted that 13 countries have assured him of his nomination to replace Sepp Blatter.

He said instead of the traditional five recommendations from member countries, he has received a surprise support of 13 countries and claimed that he is a potential candidate.

Though, he failed to reveal the nations that pledged support to his nomination, as part of his pioneering strategy, he said they are from Europe and the Caribbean.

Howbeit, as of today’s deadline, Domenico Scala, in his capacity as chairman of the FIFA Ad-hoc Electoral Committee, is expected provide information on the nominated short listed candidates in the FIFA election.

Furthermore, after the nomination, Scala’s Committee would also do a mandatory integrity check before the final disclosure of the candidates.