Ramon Vega chases nominations to challenge Infantino for FIFA presidency
ZURICH: Swiss businessman Ramon Vega, former Switzerland and Tottenham defender, is working to find enough supporters to support a run at the presidency of world football federation FIFA writes KEIR RADNEDGE.
Vega, 47, must five five nominations by next Tuesday which is the deadline for anyone who wants to challenge Gianni Infantino for the leadership of the world game.
His ambition was confirmed by Ralf Köttker, the media director of the German DFB, who told local media: “Ramon Vega has informed the DFB about his intention to run for the office of FIFA president.”
Infantino confirmed his desire to claim a four-term for himself at FIFA Congress in Moscow in June on the eve of a successful World Cup whose positive results – on the pitch and in the bank statements – placed in a virtually unassailable position.
The 48-year-old was elected in the spring of 2016 to complete the four-year term secured originally by Sepp Blatter the previous year’; Blatter, another Swiss administrator, had stepped down in the wake of the corruption scandal which threatened FIFA’s very existence.
Vega has said: “Because of the great response and the positive reactions that I have from many sides I take this task seriously and see if there is any need in the football world to bring about the election of the next FIFA president in June by means of a democratic election campaign.”
Infantino, formerly general secretary of European governing body UEFA, upset his old power base last year after engaging in secret talks with a mystery business consortium to sell off almost all FIFA’s broadcast and technological rights.
The issue will be raised in March at the next meeting of FIFA’s council which risks provoking a major schism in the game’s governing bodies.
However the financial lures aroused by Infantino have gone down well in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania.
Vega, who grew up on FIFA’s doorstep in Zurich, played for Grashopper, Italy’s Cagliari before moving to Tottenham Hotspur, Celtic, Watford and French minnows Creteil before entering asset management in the City of London
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