PORT OF SPAIN: David Nakhid has promised to appeal after his bid to run for the FIFA presidency was wrecked by a spoiled vote from US Virgin Islands Football Association president Hillaren Frederick.

Nakhid, a former Trinidad and Tobago national team captain, thought he had secured the minimum five nominations from national associations to become a candidate for the February 26 election to replace Sepp Blatter.

However, it later emerged that Frederick – who had reportedly promised Nakhid his vote – had already supported a rival and Nakhid was disqualified by the FIFA electoral committee which rules on the campaign.

Nakhid, according to Wired868, said:  “FIFA confirmed that the USVI nominated us and somebody else.

“This sycophancy is exactly what we have spoken to throughout this campaign; that someone can rob the Caribbean of a voice in something so important. Our whole region is now not represented as of this point in time. But we will launch an appeal.

“We are hearing now that Frederick said he made a mistake and he didn’t know the electoral rules and nominated someone before. You would imagine that would have come up in the conversations and emails between us.

“I never feel betrayed because I have faced people like Hillaren all my life,” he added. “I faced both attempted character assassination and sporting assassination from (ex-FIFA vice-president) Jack Warner and I came out better for it. Now, I am facing attempted political assassination from another figure who is happy to betray the Caribbean and his own region.”

###########