JOHANNESBURG SOUTH – Tokyo Sexwale has the blessing of the South African Football Association (Safa) to stand for the International Federation of Association Football (Fifa) presidency which will be elected on February 26 in Zurich, Switzerland.
Sexwale has been part of the Fifa organisation for nine and a half years and a member of Fifa’s anti-discrimination task force. He has conducted talks between the Palestinian and Israeli federations and was a member of the bid team and the organising committee for the 2010 World Cup, the first held in Africa.
“I came back to my homeland in order to get the blessing from Safa before I move into the African region and further my attempt to gain more votes,” said Sexwale. “I have made the nomination count for Fifa president and will now go to Egypt to meet with the Confederation of African Football (CAF).”
“My votes for the nomination process came right from this region. So I will do everything in my power to be selected,” Sexwale said. “It is also time for Africa to have their nominee selected as the president of Fifa.”
At first Sexwale was undecided if he should stand for the Fifa presidency but at the last minute changed his mind.
Fifa is embroiled in the worst scandal of its 111-year history, with the United States having indicted several Fifa officials for bribery, money laundering and wire fraud.
Swiss authorities are also investigating the decision to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively. Both countries deny any wrongdoing.
Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, president of European soccer’s governing body UEFA, who had been the favourite to succeed him, have been suspended for 90 days pending a full investigation by Fifa’s ethics committee.
In the meantime Fifa’s member associations have proposed seven candidates for the presidential election, they are HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, Musa Hassan Bility, Jérôme Champagne, Gianni Infantino, Michel Platini, H.E. Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and Sexwale.
