ZURICH: David Nakhid, former Trinidad & Tobago international, has become the first faller, only two days into the FIFA presidential race writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Nakhid is understood to have presented a nomination from the United States Virgin Islands which had already endorsed another candidate. National football associations are permitted, under the regulations, to support only one contender.

Hence Nakhid has been ruled out though he has announced an intention to appeal.

His disappearance from the campaign became clear from a statement from the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee confirming the remaining seven as follows:

Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, Musa Hassan Bility, Jérôme Champagne, Gianni Infantino, Michel Platini, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and Tokyo Sexwale.

Platini, of course, is currently under a provisional suspension imposed by the ethics committee two weeks ago over allegations concerning his acceptance of a ‘disloyal payment’ from FIFA authorised by (suspended) president Sepp Blatter.

His candidature will not be examined while the ban remains in force. If it is lifted or expires before the FIFA presidential election, then the Electoral Committee will have to decide how to proceed.

Candidature dossiers have been sent to the investigatory chamber of the ethics committee for integrity checks.

It will then be up to the electoral committee to decide on the validity of contenders.

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