Diego Maradona set to replace Blatter as next FIFA president

The Argentinian legend – whose notorious handball
‘goal’ knocked England out of the 1986 World Cup –
wants to replace Sepp Blatter as the head of world
football.
Maradona, 54, believes he can help restore the
public’s faith in the corruption-riddled governing
body.
His name will be on the ballot paper when Fifa
members are asked to vote for their new president in
December.
Blatter, 79, announced he is stepping down after 17
years in the wake of a £100m FBI probe into
allegations of racketeering, money laundering and
wire fraud.
Nine Fifa officials and five sports marketing
company executives have so far been charged by
the US Justice Department – though they have
warned more arrests are likely to follow.
The FBI and Swiss investigators are probing
allegations brides were paid to win votes for the
right to stage up to five World Cups.
Swiss law chiefs probing alleged corruption
surrounding the awarding of the 2018 and 2022
tournaments to Russia and Qatar, have not ruled
out questioning Blatter.
Maradona’s presidency bid was announced
yesterday by Uruguayan author Victor Hugo Morales,
who co-hosted a TV programme with the star during
last year’s World Cup finals in Brazil.
“Maradona is considered one of football’s most
controversial figures”
The Argentinian, who scored 34 goals in 91 games
for his country and captained them to World Cup
glory in 1986, is a long-term Fifa critic.
Last month he told a local radio station he was
‘enjoying’ the corruption crisis engulfing the
organisation.
Morales tweeted Maradona ‘told me he was going
to run for president of Fifa and authorised me to
inform’.
”’I am a candidate’, were the words Diego Maradona
used to answer me when I consulted him about the
nomination for the presidency of Fifa,’’ he added.
Maradona is considered one of football’s most
controversial figures.
He was suspended from the game for 15 months in
1991 after failing a drug test for cocaine in Italy and
was sent home from the 1994 World Cup in the US
after ephedrine was found in his system.
Last night bookmakers William Hill made him a 33/1
shot to land the job.
Other possible presidential candidates include ex-
Brazil star Zico, 62, Uefa president Michel Platini, 60,
and Liberian FA boss Musa Bility.