FIFA race not for me this time, says Mayne-Nicholls
SANTIAGO: Harold Mayne-Nicholls, who led FIFA’s inspection of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids, has decided against running for FIFA president writes KEIR RADNEDGE.
Mayne-Nicholls, former president of Chilean federation, was thought to have had problems obtaining unanimous support from the South American confederation.
In a formal statement confirming a decision which he reached after discussions with football officials in Asia, Europe and Latin America he thanked his supporters and reiterated the steps which he thought essential for a healthier FIFA.
Mayne-Nicholls said: ” I created a working programme whose main ideas are as follows:
1, The president of FIFA can only be re-elected once.
2, Larger number of roles for women.
3, Publish pay, salaries, allowances and any type of bonuses for anybody involved in FIFA. This also includes companies and services.
4, Try to attain maximum fair play on the pitch. Continue with research relating to the use of technology; measure the abilities of referees by their performances and not by their age and a blue card to calm impulsive and heated behaviour.
5, Analyse the possibility of having a World Cup with 36 teams.
6, Keep fighting against discrimination and highlight the elimination of violence from stadiums.
7, Improve the relationship between FIFA and the Confederations. Both should work together for the good of football.
8, Involve sponsors in countries that have not managed to qualify for an international tournament in the last 10 years.
9, Closer links between the FIFA authorities and the fans and wider public in general.
10, Transparency + dialogue + participation + democracy = 21st Century Football
11, Finally, as a mission statement: recover the credibility of fans in FIFA.”
Mayne-Nicholls spoke up in support of both candidates Prince Ali bin Hussein of Jordan and Holland’s Michael Van Praag.
He said: “In light of the emergence of these candidates, I remembered a phrase by Luis Alamos: ‘In our country we are accustomed to subtract and divide; I want to add and multiply.’
“Consequently, I have shared my ideas with them and offered them all of my collaboration should they require it.
“I believe that I have made an important effort to contribute to the debate. I have put tasks on the table and have witnessed how others have assumed responsibility for these tasks.
“I think I have made a real contribution towards making FIFA more democratic, as is required by the world we now live in.”
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