FIFA presidential candidate Michael van Praag has visited South Korea’s football leaders seeking support for his challenge to Sepp Blatter.
With the election taking place on May 29 in Zurich, van Praag is stepping up his campaign and, in an interview with The Korea Times newspaper, was critical of the way the sport’s international governing body was being run.
“I’m very annoyed about the way that FIFA is operating,” Van Praag was quoted as saying. “In my part of the world, and also many other parts of the world, people started to dislike FIFA … That is what we need to change. And if Mr. Blatter stays for another four years, we will continue the exactly the same way.”
Van Praag, who promised immediate transparency if he is elected president, also questioned the decision to spend $27 million on a movie about FIFA, starring Hollywood star Tim Roth as Blatter.
“That is the money that belongs to the Korean, Chinese and Dutch football federation and everybody in the world,” he said. “I’m talking about if you divide $27 million by 209 member countries, that means every country contributes $129,000. That is the money that can be used for football development.”
Van Praag’s visit to Seoul comes days after tension was exposed at Asian Football Confederation meetings in Bahrain between the continental leadership, which supports Blatter, and Korea FA president Chung Mong-gyu, who was not allowed to address the congress before a vote to change election statutes.
