I was asked to run for FIFA presidency - CONCACAF chief

Caymanian Jeffrey Webb has long been tipped for a tilt at world soccer's top job but said in September he would not run in a race expanded to three this week when Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan joined Jerome Champagne in standing against incumbent Sepp Blatter.

I was asked to run for FIFA presidency - CONCACAF chief

(Reuters)





"I have been asked, but as I said my immediate focus is with CONCACAF and my work continues there," he was quoted as saying by the Jamaican Observer on Friday.

"Who knows what lies in the future, but right now my focus and firm commitment is with being the president of CONCACAF.

"We have accomplished a lot and we have so much more to accomplish.

"FIFA, I believe, is at a crossroads and whatever happens in these elections, everyone at every level of the game must never forget that football is bigger than any of us."

Webb, 50, a FIFA vice president and head of its anti-racism and discrimination task force, was elected CONCACAF president in 2012 following Jack Warner's questionable 21-year running of the confederation.

Former FIFA vice president Warner from Trinidad & Tobago and his general secretary Chuck Blazer of the United States left in disgrace after widespread corruption allegations.

Webb has been at the heart of the clean up process and the banker wants to complete it before any FIFA presidency challenge.

"Firstly, we started a transformation process, we also started a reform process... the governance of CONCACAF is at an all-time high, we have actively 21 committees that make decisions and recommendations to the executive body," he said.

"We have invested heavily in a process that embraces all aspects of CONCACAF. We are also in the process of instilling a new culture within CONCACAF in the way we conduct business. We have worked hard in restoring credibility and trust, which we value so much.

"I am very much satisfied as I believe we have seen a real transformation in CONCACAF -- internally and externally.

"I believe that we have done and accomplished so much along this journey, yet there is so much more to be done and that's where my immediate focus is."





(Writing by Patrick Johnston in Singapore; Editing by John O'Brien)


Share

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: Reuters



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world