MONROVIA, (Liberia): The Liberian who wants to be FIFA president says he would step aside if longtime African soccer head Issa Hayatou decided to run.
Musa Bility, the Liberia Football Association president, said he has “an indication” Hayatou was supportive of his campaign, but would not go ahead if the FIFA senior vice president and president of the Confederation of African Football announced his own bid to succeed Sepp Blatter.
“If the president (of CAF) puts up his hand to run, I will definitely bow out of the race,” Bility said.
Hayatou has served on FIFA’s executive committee for 25 years, making him senior vice president and Africa’s most obvious candidate for the presidency.
Yet the 68-year-old Cameroonian has not announced if he will stand.
For either to contest the FIFA election, they would need the backing of five national associations, and may also need to pass integrity checks.
Hayatou has been accused of selling his vote to Qatar in the 2022 World Cup hosting contest, an accusation which he denies. In 2011, he was also reprimanded by the International Olympic Committee for personally receiving money in a kickbacks scandal involving FIFA’s former marketing partner ISL. Hayatou denied wrongdoing, claiming he used the money for legitimate football projects.
Blatter said on June 2 — four days after he was re-elected for a fifth term — that he would resign because of the corruption scandal engulfing the world body.
Bility believes he has Hayatou’s backing to run.
“I am aware that he has got the message,” Bility said.
“I have an indication of his reaction. It is not negative.”
However, Bility announced his possible candidacy before informing Hayatou, he said. Although Bility has praised Hayatou in recent interviews, they have clashed before.
Bility’s Liberia association took Hayatou’s CAF to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2012 over rule changes that enabled Hayatou to win re-election as CAF president unopposed, and extend a reign that began in 1988.
Bility was also banned for six months by CAF, which said he broke rules by accessing confidential documents.
The Liberian’s punishment was ended early after he made up with Hayatou.
Bility said he would “reach out” to Hayatou, and “roll out my plan of action to him, which I am very very confident that he will endorse.” -AP