Jerome Champagne Steps Up FIFA Presidential Campaign

(ATR) FIFA presidential candidate Jerome Champagne tells Around the Ringsit's a challenge to gain five nominations from FAs to support his campaign but remains "optimistic".

"I am working on that. I have names, I have a lot of contacts and am definitely discussing with much more than five [federations]," he told ATRon Tuesday.

"It’s easier to gain votes in the secrecy of polling booths than having letters of nomination from five FAs which will be made public," Champagne said, pointing to the possible repercussions for federation’s seen to go against Blatter’s FIFA who they depend on for financial assistance and to be awarded FIFA competitions.

Two weeks out from the Jan. 29 deadline for candidacies for the FIFA presidency, he added, "I am an optimistic. The action, the campaign makes you optimistic."

Last week, Jordan’s FIFA vice president Prince Ali bin Al Hussein announced his intention to challenge the incumbent Sepp Blatter. But Asian sport’s most influential official, Kuwait’s Sheikh Ahmad, who heads up the Olympic Council of Asia, and AFC president Sheikh Salman were quick to restate the continent's backing for the 78-year-old Swiss who is seeking a fifth term at the helm of world football. FIFA’s former World Cup bidding inspector, Chilean Harold Mayne-Nicholls, is also considering standing against Blatter.

Champagne dismisses the suggestion that Prince Ali’s campaign has changed the dynamics of the FIFA presidential race against his cause.

"For me, it doesn’t change anything," he said, adding that he welcomed other candidates to help stir up debate about the future of FIFA and football governance.

"I am focused on what I have to do, convincing FAs and so far I am the only one to place on the table a detailed program with concrete measures… realistic and implementable," added Champagne, who spent more than a decade working for FIFA alongside Blatter.

Admitting that Blatter was "clear favorite" to be re-elected, Champagne believes he and the other Blatter rivals can pick up votes in confederations who have previously thrown their full backing behind the Swiss.

"A lot of federations friendly to Mr. Blatter are friendly to me as well. Things are not clear-cut. Some people tend to believe it is so black and white ... It is not like that. It is much more complex," he said.

"I do believe we have 50 shades of gray among the 209 FAs," he added, noting the wide range of views and opinions that could yet help his quest.

The World Cup bidding scandal and fall-out from the botched Michael Garcia investigation have also left Blatter’s image in tatters, making a landslide victory less likely.

Champagne does not want to "repeat the same mistakes as in the past", which have, for instance, divided UEFA and FIFA. He is calling for reconciliation and unity and is keen to address the inequalities in global football and revamp its governance.

Champagne, who launched his campaign one year ago this month in London, is calling for Blatter to respond to his request for a TV debate between the FIFA presidential candidates ahead of the May election.

"I think it’s important the football lovers around the world will know what will be the platform for the leadership in the future. It’s a matter of rebuilding the image, a structure which is democratic, a structure which is open and can be criticized… a leadership with consensus and clear vision," he added.

Before that might take place, Champagne notes that he has 16 days to meet criteria for FIFA presidential candidates.

He is stepping up his campaign and plans to call and meet "a lot of people" in that period. Champagne is also attending the Campaign for a New FIFA Summit at the European Parliament in Brussels on Jan. 21. Mayne-Nicholls is also scheduled to attend.

Reported byMark Bisson

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