AMSTERDAM: Dutch football boss Michael van Praag stepped up his campaign for FIFA's presidency on Wednesday, saying he would modernise the world governing body "which has lost all credibility".
Speaking at a press conference in Amsterdam, Van Praag said under current president Sepp Blatter's watch, FIFA had become ridden with suspicion, conflicts of interest and allegations of nepotism and corruption.
"FIFA has lost all credibility. FIFA has its back turned on the future," said Van Praag, who sent his candidacy letter to FIFA headquarters in Zurich on Tuesday.
His letter was accompanied by backing letters from the five national football associations of Belgium, Sweden, Scotland, Romania, the Faroe Islands -- and the Netherlands.
"I believe the time has come to follow the strength of my convictions, to take responsibility. For this reason, I have put myself forward as a candidate," said the erudite Van Praag, who also announced he planned to stand for one four-year term only.
Van Praag said he informed Blatter three weeks ago that he planned to stand for football's top job.
"I told Sepp Blatter, I said, 'Sepp I want to modernise FIFA. The world wants FIFA to modernise and I want to lead this modernisation'," said Van Praag, 67, a former Ajax chairman.
But Dutch experts say Van Praag, like many other candidates, faces an uphill battle against Blatter, who has wide support in Asia, Africa and Oceania.
Asked about his chances, Van Praag said: "It's like football. Sometimes a small club plays against a big club.
"The big club doesn't always win and every now and then there's a surprise."
Should his bid be successful, Van Praag said he would keep Blatter on as an advisor.
"I am not against Sepp Blatter. I believe it is important to involve him in my plans."
Blatter however declined the offer, said Van Praag, who again called on the current president to step down.
"Someone who has led an organisation for so many years and who has become the personification of its poor image, can no longer be the face...of a new FIFA."
Van Praag said he will next month give detailed plans for the coming years, which included plans to broaden the World Cup competition to include proportionally more countries outside Europe.
He also promised tough measures to combat match-fixing and make FIFA itself a more transparent organisation and publish its expenses.
Shortly before Van Praag's Amsterdam press conference, former Portugal and Real Madrid winger Luis Figo announced his own challenge to Blatter.
Figo joins Van Praag, Asian Football Confederation vice-president Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, ex-FIFA executive Jerome Champagne and former France winger David Ginola in the running to unseat Blatter, who will bid for a fifth term in office in the May 29 election.
The 78-year-old Swiss however has been tarnished by accusations of corruption stemming from the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, which were awarded to Russia and Qatar respectively.
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