FIFA Presidential Hopefuls Face Integrity Checks

(ATR) The eight contenders vying for the FIFA presidency must pass a series of integrity checks before they are declared as eligible candidates.

Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, who lost to Sepp Blatter in the May election, is running again. Liberia FA president Musa Bility and former FIFA deputy general Jerome Champagne are also in the race along with UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino, former Trinidad & Tobago player David Nakhid, suspended UEFA president Michel Platini, Asian football chief Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, former South Afrian politician Tokyo Sexwale.

FIFA chose not to issue any statement on Tuesday to confirm the list of candidates who have five national federations supporting them. But all eight claim to have the necessary backing to qualify for the next phase – the integrity checks.

Around the Ringsis told that FIFA is processing the candidates, withDomenico Scala, chair of the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee, likely to confirm the list on Wednesday. The proposed candidatures will then be forwarded to the investigatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee to carry out the integrity checks within the 10-day deadline specified in electoral regulations.

"The investigatory chamber will collect all relevant facts about the candidate, but it will not decide on the question of whether or not a candidate is eligible," FIFA’s rules say.

"Upon receipt of the integrity check, the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee will reconvene in order to review all of the submissions made and to take a decision on the admission and declaration of the proposed candidates."

At this stage, the field of candidates could be reduced. ATR is told that Scala’s committee will carefully examine each candidate, with the announcement on who will proceed to the Feb. 26 election expected within two weeks – by Nov. 10.

Criteria for Integrity Checks Unclear

With human rights groups calling for Sheikh Salman’s candidacy to be rejected over his role in the anti-democracy crackdown in Bahrain in 2011, there are growing calls for FIFA to be transparent about the criteria and process for the integrity checks.

Candidates are asked to complete a seven-part declaration of integrity, which FIFA says in its regulations "serves as the basis of the integrity check". But it is unclear beyond a few questions how the ethics panel will judge the candidates.

FIFA contenders are requested to confirm that they "have not previously been convicted by a fi nal decision of any intentional indictable offence or of any offence corresponding to a violation of the rules of conduct set out in part II section 5 of the FIFA Code of Ethics".

They are asked to confirm that "No sports governing body has ever imposed any disciplinary or similar sanction or measure on me in the past for actions which amount to violations of the rules of conduct set out in part II section 5 of the FIFA Code of Ethics".

Candidates have to sign off saying they comply with the provisions of the FIFA Code of Ethics and the governing body’s statutes and other regulations that address integrity issues .

FIFA demands that they highlight "the following facts and circumstances may give rise to potential conflicts of interest".

If they are judged to be ineligible, presidential hopefuls have the right of appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Restrictions on what the candidates can do during campaigning, FIFA stresses that they are "bound bound by the FIFA Code of Ethics and may be subject to investigations in cases of irregularities".

FIFA’s electoral rules say that candidates must avoid conflicts of interest, "in particular in the context of campaign funding. Furthermore, campaign activities by candidates holding official positions must not be mixed with activities carried out under the current office of the candidates concerned".

On Feb. 26 at the election in Zurich, the candidates still in the running – horsetrading is likely to characterize the closing stages leading to several withdrawals – will get the opportunity to address the FIFA Congress before the vote.

A two-thirds majority is needed for a first round win in the secret ballot, with a simple majority needed in subsequent rounds.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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