The FIFA presidency will soon be vacated, as many who follow sports scores count the days. After Platini revealed his desire to lead international football’s governing body, he is considered as the favorite to win the next election, gambling news report. Platini is 1.53 (8/15) top dog at Bet365, while his major challenger, Prince Ali Al-Hussein’s victory is priced at 4.00 (3/1).

Some of his opponents consider Platini as the protégé of Sepp Blatter. They argue that Platini’s presidency won’t bring any major changes into the corrupt world of FIFA. Others think that his strong criticism of Blatter was inappropriate and this might hurt his chances in Africa. However, all this might not be enough to confirm his supporters to vote against him.

UEFA.com: Michel Platini FIFA president?

 
UEFA President Michel Platini has confirmed that he will run for the FIFA presidency in the organization’s next election. He considers this decision as a major point in his life, and launching the Platini FIFA president run might affect the future of international football indeed, according to several gambling blogs.

Yes, you! Vote for me, and we turn things around! (Photo: AP)

Platini wrote a letter to all the 209 FIFA members’ representatives. He said, “There are times in life when you have to take your destiny into your own hands. I am at one of those decisive moments, at a juncture in my life and in events that are shaping the future of FIFA.”

He went on, “During this last half-century or so, FIFA has only had two presidents. This extreme stability is something of a paradox in a world that has experienced radical upheavals and in a sport that has undergone considerable economic change. However, recent events force the supreme governing body of world football to turn over a new leaf and rethink its governance.”

Platini also added that he wants to transform FIFA to an organization where everyone respects the diversity of the game around the world. He also emphasized that he cannot succeed alone. The election will be held at FIFA’s extraordinary congress in Zurich, February 2016.

Timeslive.co.za: Africa won’t have Michel Platini FIFA President

 
France might have strong connections with Africa. These relations might be even stronger regarding football than other aspects of life. However the continent’s football representatives are yet to become enthusiast about the Michel Platini FIFA president run. Leader of the Liberian Football Association, Musa Bility went as far as to say Platini’s presidency would be unacceptable.

The Liberian FA president, one of Blatter’s cronies is confident he will defeat Platini (BBC)

He said, “Platini would not represent change, he has been a FIFA vice-president for eight years. He should not replace Sepp Blatter, it would be unacceptable.” Bility revealed that he will also stand for the presidency. However, according to experts of gambling facts, it might be hard for him to be nominated by the minimum of five associations before next year’s election.

Even Platini’s friend, Jacques Anouma, the former president of the Ivory Coast football association, expressed that he won’t support Platini by default. He said, “I do not deny the excellent relationship I have with Michel Platini as I have with many other leaders of world football. However I would like to advise that I will side with the decision of CAF to safeguard the interest of African football.”

By criticizing Sepp Blatter, Platini might worsen his situation in Africa, where the Swiss sports leader remains extremely popular. Abedi Pele, former vice president of the Ghana federation and three-time African world player of the year said, “His harsh words against Blatter were not right. He could have disagreed in another way.”

The FIFA presidency will soon be vacated, as many who follow sports scores count the days. After Platini revealed his desire to lead international football’s governing body, he is considered as the favorite to win the next election, gambling news report. Platini is 1.53 (8/15) top dog at Bet365, while his major challenger, Prince Ali Al-Hussein’s victory is priced at 4.00 (3/1).

Some of his opponents consider Platini as the protégé of Sepp Blatter. They argue that Platini’s presidency won’t bring any major changes into the corrupt world of FIFA. Others think that his strong criticism of Blatter was inappropriate and this might hurt his chances in Africa. However, all this might not be enough to confirm his supporters to vote against him.

UEFA.com: Michel Platini FIFA president?

 
UEFA President Michel Platini has confirmed that he will run for the FIFA presidency in the organization’s next election. He considers this decision as a major point in his life, and launching the Platini FIFA president run might affect the future of international football indeed, according to several gambling blogs.

Yes, you! Vote for me, and we turn things around! (Photo: AP)

Platini wrote a letter to all the 209 FIFA members’ representatives. He said, “There are times in life when you have to take your destiny into your own hands. I am at one of those decisive moments, at a juncture in my life and in events that are shaping the future of FIFA.”

He went on, “During this last half-century or so, FIFA has only had two presidents. This extreme stability is something of a paradox in a world that has experienced radical upheavals and in a sport that has undergone considerable economic change. However, recent events force the supreme governing body of world football to turn over a new leaf and rethink its governance.”

Platini also added that he wants to transform FIFA to an organization where everyone respects the diversity of the game around the world. He also emphasized that he cannot succeed alone. The election will be held at FIFA’s extraordinary congress in Zurich, February 2016.

Timeslive.co.za: Africa won’t have Michel Platini FIFA President

 
France might have strong connections with Africa. These relations might be even stronger regarding football than other aspects of life. However the continent’s football representatives are yet to become enthusiast about the Michel Platini FIFA president run. Leader of the Liberian Football Association, Musa Bility went as far as to say Platini’s presidency would be unacceptable.

The Liberian FA president, one of Blatter’s cronies is confident he will defeat Platini (BBC)

He said, “Platini would not represent change, he has been a FIFA vice-president for eight years. He should not replace Sepp Blatter, it would be unacceptable.” Bility revealed that he will also stand for the presidency. However, according to experts of gambling facts, it might be hard for him to be nominated by the minimum of five associations before next year’s election.

Even Platini’s friend, Jacques Anouma, the former president of the Ivory Coast football association, expressed that he won’t support Platini by default. He said, “I do not deny the excellent relationship I have with Michel Platini as I have with many other leaders of world football. However I would like to advise that I will side with the decision of CAF to safeguard the interest of African football.”

By criticizing Sepp Blatter, Platini might worsen his situation in Africa, where the Swiss sports leader remains extremely popular. Abedi Pele, former vice president of the Ghana federation and three-time African world player of the year said, “His harsh words against Blatter were not right. He could have disagreed in another way.”

The bitter fruit of soccer governing body UEFA’s labor is blooming in a Europe-wide probe across 12 countries to determine to what extent matches are being fixed for gambling purposes. It appears impossible to say whether UEFA’s efforts will or even can succeed before the 2010 World Cup kicks off in South Africa on June 11.

Sydney Morning Herald: Nine Swiss footballers suspended

Switzerland’s national soccer association has suspended nine players, including five for an indefinite period, for match-fixing as part of the Europe-wide UEFA probe.

The national league board said in a statement that “The Swiss Football Association is, according to current information, the first and only federation which has treated in the consequent manner the suspects of match-fixing made public in autumn 2009.”

None of the nine players suspended were in the top division of Switzerland football. The four players given sentences were banned from Swiss soccer for between 12 and 36 months.

The suspensions were the result of 50 raids in November in Austria, Britain, Germany and Switzerland in the probe’s first big move. In these 50 actions, over €1 million was seized. UEFA official stated that “Without doubt this is the biggest scam there has ever been in European football.”

Sports Illustrated: UEFA quizzes players at Hungarian champion Debrecen over suspected match-fixing

UEFA officials recently questioned eight players of Hungarian league champion Debrecen, which lost all six of its Champions League matches to Fiorentina, Liverpool and Lyon in the 2009-10 season, for which the club earned €9.2 million.

Though UEFA offered no comment as to the extent or subject matter of the discussion, Debrecen official Csaba Bartha did not make much of it, writing on the official club website that “the degree of seriousness of the matter is reflected by the fact that they didn’t even [transcribe] the statements.”

Debrecen is the second Hungarian club to come into question in this particular investigation, after UEFA looked into a suspicious Honvéd loss in November. More than 200 games are being considered for the possibility of match fixing in the UEFA investigation.

USA Today: World Cup arrives amid global match-fixing probes

Referees in Bosnia and Ukraine have been banned for life as part of a UEFA probe in a season when fixing matches has “spread more widely through football than ever.” UEFA President Michel Platini described the situation as seriously enough to put the sport itself in “mortal danger.”

Another threat to the integrity of soccer has arisen aside from the existing match-fixing problems has appeared as well. English Football Association chairman David Triesman stated that Russian criminal elements would be attempting to bribe referees to favor Spain in exchange for Spain’s support of the Russian bid to host the 2018 World Cup.

To prevent scandal from tainting the 2010 World Cup, FIFA officials created the company Early Warning, which would monitor any suspicious activity online concerning match outcomes. The World Cup is expected to generate about $3.4 billion for FIFA.

China is also taking on corruption in soccer at home, arresting among others Chinese Football Federation head Nan York and former World Cup referee Lu Jun.

The UEFA probe first began last year, when a “nest of corruption” was revealed to have involved matches in four World Cup nations (Germany, Greece, Slovenia, Switzerland) and six others (Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Croatia, Hungary and Turkey).