FIFA Boots Derrick From CONCACAF Presidential Race

(ATR) Antigua and Barbuda FA leader Gordon Derrick is out of the CONCACAF presidential race after he failed FIFA integrity checks.

The general secretary of the federation, who is also president of the Caribbean Football Union, is now banned from running for CONCACAF’s top job.

Canadian Soccer Association president Victor Montagliani and Bermuda Football Association president Larry Mussenden are the eligible candidates for the CONCACAF presidential election on May 13.

In a FIFA statement, Domenico Scala, chairman of FIFA's audit and compliance committee, said his panel had conducted eligibility checks for the candidates vying for the CONCACAF presidency and the FIFA vice-president slot. The new president will also be part of the FIFA Council, the new name for the federation’s ruling body which will take shape at the FIFA Congress in Mexico City in May.

"The Audit and Compliance Committee has concluded that one candidate, Mr Gordon Derrick from Antigua & Barbuda, could not be admitted as a candidate for the office of CONCACAF President nor FIFA vice-president nor the FIFA Council," Scala said.

"For privacy reasons we are not in a position to go into further details with regard to this decision. The person concerned has been informed."

Derrick’s disqualification is likely related to a sanction handed out by FIFA’s ethics committee in November 2011.

He was reprimanded and fined him 300 Swiss francs for ''apparent violations'' of FIFA’s ethics code during the now infamous Caribbean Football Union meeting in May 2011 when football officials were offered or received $40,000 cash payments from FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam.

The Canadian federation chief Montagliani is considered the frontrunner to become the next president of CONCACAF.

Interim CONCACAF president Alfredo Hawit, who replaced disgraced Jeffrey Webb indicted on U.S. corruption charges last year, on Monday entered a guilty plea to four counts of corruption including racketeering, wire fraud and obstructing justice. He could face a maximum of 20 years in prison on each count of corruption.

Written by Mark Bisson

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