Figo retira sua candidatura à presidência da FIFA na tentativa de deixar a corrida para dois cavalos, somente / Figo withdraws FIFA presidency bid to leave two-horse race

O ex-jogador de futebol Portugal Luis Figo tornou-se o mais recente candidato à presidência da Fifa para puxar fora da corrida antes das eleições da próxima semana.

Figo (foto) confirmou sua retirada ontem à noite, poucas horas após a Associação Holandesa de Futebol (KNVB) presidente Michael van Praag puxado para fora, a fim de apoiar o príncipe Ali Bin Al-Hussein da Jordânia em sua tentativa de se tornar o novo chefe do órgão máximo do futebol mundial. Não houve declaração de apoio de Figo para o príncipe Ali, que é o único remanescente challenger para incumbente Sepp Blatter na eleição 29 de maio.

Ao anunciar sua decisão, Figo disse à agência de notícias Associated Press: "Eu viajei e conheci pessoas extraordinárias que, embora eles tenham reconhecido o valor de muito do que tinha sido feito, também concordaram com a necessidade de mudança, para tentar limpar a reputação da FIFA, como um organização obscura, e que é tão frequentemente visto como um lugar de corrupção. Mas ao longo dos últimos meses eu tenho não só testemunhado que o desejo (de mudança), tem causado incidentes consecutivos, em todo o mundo, e que é uma vergonha para qualquer pessoa que deseja o futebol livre, transparente, limpa e democrática ".

Ele acrescentou: "Eu vi com meus próprios olhos presidentes de federação que, depois de um dia comparando os líderes da FIFA com o diabo, em seguida, entrar no palco e comparar essas mesmas pessoas com Jesus Cristo. Ninguém me falou sobre isso. Eu vi com meus próprios olhos. Os candidatos foram impedidos de abordar federações em congressos,e os candidatos só fizeram discursos sobre o seu próprio interesse a candidatura a partir da tribuna. Não houve um único debate público sobre propostas de cada candidato.

Figo continuou: "Será que alguém acha que é normal que uma eleição para uma das organizações mais relevantes sobre o planeta pode ir em frente sem um debate público? Alguém acha que é normal que um dos candidatos nem sequer se preocupou em apresentar um manifesto eleitoral que pode ser votado em 29 de maio? Não deveria ser obrigatória a apresentação de um tal manifesto para que os presidentes de federação saberem no que estão votando? Isso seria normal, mas este processo eleitoral é nada, mas apenas uma eleição com cartas marcadas. Este processo (eleição) é um plebiscito para a entrega do poder absoluto a um homem - algo que se recusa a ir junto com ".

Numa conferência de imprensa conjunta ontem à tarde, Van Praag e o outro concorrente  Ali pronunciaram contra a liderança de Blatter. "É impossível que a FIFA se mova com a sua atual presidência", disse Van Praag. e o Príncipe Ali acrescentou: "Se a família do futebol segue os seus desejos, e se as coisas são feitas de forma correta, sem interferência, nós teríamos uma grande chance de fazer essa mudança."

Infelizmente está acontecendo isso, mas, já entendíamos que isso iria fatalmente acontecer, nenhum desses candidatos teria chance (está formalizado em outros posts, nossa opinião, aqui mesmo), vemos que as cartas estão marcadas, e não é somente na FIFA, é na UEFA, CBF e demais Federações, tudo corre de acordo com o valor das propinas e das chantagens. Enfim este é o futebol, uma máquina que move bilhões de fãs, e bilhões de "money", e que são manipulados como gado em curral.

Tradução e Comentário: Roberto Quairoz de Andrade.

Former Portugal footballer Luis Figo has become the latest candidate for the Fifa presidency to pull out of the race ahead of next week’s election.

Figo (pictured) confirmed his withdrawal yesterday evening just hours after Dutch Football Association (KNVB) president Michael van Praag pulled out in order to support Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan in his bid to become the new chief of football’s global governing body. There has been no such declaration of support from Figo for Prince Ali, who is the only remaining challenger to incumbent Sepp Blatter at the May 29 election.

In announcing his decision, Figo told the Associated Press news agency: “I travelled and met extraordinary people who, though they recognised the value of much that had been done, also concurred with the need for change, one that cleans up Fifa's reputation as an obscure organisation that is so often viewed as a place of corruption. But over the past few months I have not only witnessed that desire (for change), I have witnessed consecutive incidents, all over the world, that should shame anyone who desires soccer to be free, clean and democratic.”

He added: “I have seen with my own eyes federation presidents who, after one day comparing Fifa leaders to the devil, then go on stage and compare those same people with Jesus Christ. Nobody told me about this. I saw it with my own eyes. The candidates were prevented from addressing federations at congresses while one of the candidates always gave speeches on his own from the rostrum. There has not been a single public debate about each candidate's proposals.

Figo continued: “Does anyone think it's normal that an election for one of the most relevant organizations on the planet can go ahead without a public debate? Does anyone think it's normal that one of the candidates doesn't even bother to present an election manifesto that can be voted on May 29? Shouldn't it be mandatory to present such a manifesto so that federation presidents know what they're voting for? That would be normal, but this electoral process is anything but an election. This (election) process is a plebiscite for the delivery of absolute power to one man - something I refuse to go along with.”

At a joint press conference yesterday afternoon, Van Praag and Price Ali spoke out against Blatter’s leadership. “It is impossible that FIFA moves on with its current presidency,” Van Praag said. Prince Ali added: “If the football family follows their desires, and if things are done in a correct way with no interference, we have a great chance of making that change.”

Unfortunately this is happening, but already understood that this would inevitably happen, none of these candidates have a chance (I have are formalized in other posts, before right here), we see that the cards are marked, and not only in FIFA, is in UEFA, CBF and other federations around the World, everything goes according to the amount of the fees and blackmail. Anyway, this is football, a machine that moves billions of fans, billions of money, which are handled as cattle in a corral.

Comment: Roberto Queiroz de Andrade.

Site: SportsBusiness International. 

Angry Champagne Quits FIFA Presidential Race

Jerome Champagne's FIFA fizz has evaporated. The Frenchman has quit the presidency trail, accusing federations and officials of running scared, after failing to secure the necessary support to enter the formal race.

The withdrawal of the former FIFA deputy general secretary has left three challengers to Sepp Blatter's ambition for a fifth term in office: FIFA's Asian vice-president Prince Ali of Jordan, Dutch federation chairman Michael Van Praag and Portugal's former world player of the year Luis Figo.

New rules stipulate that a candidate needs written nominations from at least five of the world federation's 209 member associations.

Champagne said that, despite a year-long campaign, he had attracted only three.

Clearly he blamed European federation UEFA's 'multiball' strategy of backing the other three candidates for eating away at his potential support.

He also regretted a fear factor among federations eager to remain in the good books with FIFA and their own regions.

Potential supporters turned away because:

"they feared reprisals from their confederations having issued 'recommendations';

"their federations were candidates to host continental competitions;

"they relied too heavily on the financial support;

"they were committed to defend a united continental front; and

"some of the presidents were themselves engaged in an election or simply preferred another candidate."

Pointing a finger directly at UEFA, without naming it or its Qatar-supporting president Michel Platini (pictured right), Champagne added: "The latest events orchestrated in secret with barely veiled intentions by one of [the confederations], distributing letters of support between candidates, made me lose sponsorships especially in Europe."

Champagne said he did not "feel any bitterness" but that was hardly borne out by the derision he poured on "proxy candidates waging the battles that others did not have the courage to fight."

Intriguingly, the one figure at whom he did not aim his rhetoric was his old boss for 11 years, Blatter.

Instead UEFA and its puppeteers were repeatedly painted as the villain of the piece.

Champagne raged on: "So-called programmes will appear with a list of high-sounding slogans and little precise substance.

"Proposals will be touted, smelling of demagoguery and politicking, such as increasing the number of teams in the finals of the World Cup - and certainly some 'copy and paste' sections directly from my programme.

"The hidden agenda - or not so hidden after all - is clear: under the guise of reforming FIFA lies the objective of further weakening it in favour of continental structures.

"This at a time when a strong governance of football, with regulatory and redistributive powers, is needed more than ever. It constitutes the perennial vision of UEFA since 1998.

"It is also to pave the road for the wealthy actors of the West European football to get their hands on the last thing they do not control yet: FIFA and the world government of football.

Blatter remains overwhelming favourite to hold off what Champagne regards as Europe's 'evil empire.'

Whether this will result in the reward of a return to FIFA for the Frenchman with an anti-European common interest will remain an open question until after FIFA Congress in Zurich on May 29.

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E agora José? O que irá acontecer?

Van Praag enters race for FIFA presidency

Michael van Praag, the president of the KNVB, football’s administrative body in the Netherlands, has confirmed he will challenge incumbent Sepp Blatter for the presidency of FIFA, the sport’s global governing body.....

RICARDO TEIXEIRA DEVE DEIXAR A PRESIDÊNCIA DA CBF NESTA QUINTA-FEIRA / RICARDO TEIXEIRA SHOULD LEAVE THE CBF PRESIDENCY ON THURSDAY.

De acordo com as informações, o site da entidade máxima do futebol nacional publicará apenas uma nota curta comunicando que Teixeira se desliga da CBF depois de 23 anos no poder.

O fim da era Ricardo Teixeira na Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF) está próximo. O colunista do jornal 'O Globo' Anselmo Gois garante que a saída do dirigente do comando acontecerá nesta quinta-feira.

"Amanhã, Ricardo Teixeira deve deixar a CBF", diz a nota publicada na edição de hoje de 'O Globo'. No começo da semana, Ricardo Perrone, do UOL, e Juca Kfouri, também do UOL e dos canais ESPN, já haviam publicado que era forte o boato sobre a saída do dirigente da CBF.

De acordo com as informações, o site da entidade máxima do futebol nacional publicará apenas uma nota curta comunicando que Teixeira se desliga da CBF depois de 23 anos no poder.

A possível divulgação dos documentos sobre a problemática parceria Fifa-ISL, que o incriminaria, além de uma piora em sua saúde estariam apressando a decisão de Ricardo Teixeira.

O substituto na presidência da CBF já estaria até definido: José Maria Marin, vice da região Sudeste.

Sinceramente acho tudo isto uma tremenda armação, porque se acontece como está escrito nesta reportagem, vamos apenas ver trocados, seis por meia dúzia. Este senhor que irá substituir “El Presidente”, tem inúmeros casos e problemas e pertence ao grupo.

Eu faria muito diferente, primeiro uma auditoria independente para ver os desmandos e tomar ciência de tudo o que aconteceu e acontece depois um plebiscito, envolvendo os clubes, os jornalistas, os homens do futebol, como Pelé, Carlos Alberto Torres, Zico, Falcão, Junior, enfim, todos os envolvidos diretamente e indiretamente no futebol brasileiro, para saber quem pode ser o novo presidente da CBF e com um novo estatuto determinando o tempo para cada mandado, que seria de no máximo 4 anos e somente uma vez, como o da FIFA e tem mais, sem reeleições, para afastar de vez as falcatruas e arrumações.

Cabe a presidente do Brasil, autorizar isto, e tenho certeza de que cabe esta atitude, neste País, que é democrático e tem consciência de seus deveres como fiscalizador, principalmente de quem vem sonegando divisas e desviando recursos a tanto tempo.

Indicaria de pronto e sem medo se ser feliz, Zico para arrumar e alinhar o nosso futebol.

Por ESPN.com.br, espn.com.br. foto: Divulgação.

Comentário: Roberto Queiroz. Tradução: Roberto Queiroz e Roberto Queiroz Junior.

According to the information, the site of the national football governing body shall publish only a short note stating that Teixeira is off the CBF after 23 years in power.

The end of Ricardo Teixeira was in the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) is near. The columnist for the newspaper 'O Globo', Anselmo Gois ensures that the output of the leader of the command will happen on Thursday.

"Tomorrow, Ricardo Teixeira should leave the CBF," reads the note published in today's edition of 'The Globo'. Earlier this week, Ricardo Perrone, UOL site, and Juca Kfouri, also on YouTube and ESPN, had already published the rumor that he was strong on the outgoing head of the CBF.

According to the information, the site of the national football governing body shall publish only a short note stating that Teixeira is off the CBF after 23 years in power.

The possible release of the documents on the issue ISL-FIFA partnership, the incrimination, and deterioration in his health would be rushing the decision of Ricardo Teixeira.

The deputy president of the CBF would already be set up: Jose Maria Marin, vice in the Southeast.

Frankly I find this a tremendous frame, because it happens as it is written in this report, we'll just see changed, six per half dozen. This man, who will replace "El Presidente", has many cases and problems and belongs to the group.

I would do differently, first run one independent audit to see the excesses and become aware of everything that happened and happens after that start a plebiscite, involving clubs, players and directors also journalists,, means, men’s of football in our country, like Pele, Carlos Alberto Torres, Zico, Falcao, Junior, all those involved directly and indirectly in Brazilian football, for who may be the new president of the CBF and a new statute determining the time for each mandate, to warrant the substitution, which would be a maximum of four years and only once, like as the FIFA and has no more re-election, to turn away from the frauds and cupboards.

If I was the president of Brazil, authorize it, and I'm sure that it is the right attitude to be taking in this country that is democratic and is aware of his duties as a watchdog, especially those peoples who are coming from foreign withholding and diverting resources for so long.

And also I can indicate right now and be happy and unafraid, Zico because I know that Pelé don’t want be. To arrange and align our football a sap.

For ESPN.com.br, espn.com.br. Photo: Disclosure.
Comment: Roberto Queiroz. Translation: Roberto Queiroz and Roberto Queiroz Junior.