By Andrew Warshaw
March 3 – Dutch FA chief Michael van Praag has become the latest FIFA presidential candidate to unveil his manifesto, parts of it perceptibly similar to that of the other European candidate vying for Sepp Blatter’s crown, Luis Figo.
Just like Figo, van Praag says he wants to increase the number of World Cup finalists. Just like Figo he also wants to give more money to member federations – pledging an annual handout of $1 million, four times the current $250,000 – and make football’s world governing body more transparent and accountable.
Van Praag disclosed his plans at a brief news conference in his home country on Monday before travelling to Paraguay to lobby for support at the Conmebol Congress where it is expected Figo and Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, the other two contenders endeavouring to unseat Blatter, will be doing likewise.
He says he would ensure full disclosure of Michael Garcia’s report into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, rather than a redacted version, if he manages to beat Blatter in May though quite how is open to question given the fact that scores of witnesses will expect confidentiality to be respected.
Van Praag says he would publish Garcia’s report “as soon as possible” even though that can only be done after the current ethics investigation against individuals for alleged wrongdoing are concluded. “When you act normally, you have nothing to hide,” he said.
More innovative, perhaps, is van Praag’s plan to open between six and eight regional FIFA “embassies” to assist with grassroots development while the 67-year-old reiterated his previous promise that he would only serve four years if elected.
Van Praag, whose campaign is being funded by the Dutch FA, spelled out exactly how the World Cup will be increased to 40 teams from the current 32. It will include an extra team from every confederation, a tactical manoeuvre he will hope gains backing from across the globe including regions like Africa where Blatter has a bedrock of support.
Van Praag also wants a return to the old system whereby the winners automatically qualify for the subsequent finals. A place will also be given to a second joint host if there is one. Otherwise the last available slot will be decided via a playoff.
“The development of football throughout the world would be better served by a larger World Cup competition, with proportionally more countries from outside Europe (and South America),” says his manifesto. “When FIFA was founded in 1904, it was precisely for that reason – to boost the popularity and speed up the development of the game. So this step is just as logical as it is necessary.”
With the Dutch playing a leading role in the development of technology, Van Praag said he wants to give referees more help where possible. When controversial incidents happen on the pitch, “we cannot expect our referees to be the only people in the stadium who can’t replay that moment,” he said.
FIFA has endured non-stop criticism in recent years and governance features strongly in van Praag’s manifesto. “As president, I will set up a so-called ‘presidents’ board’, with the presidents of all the confederations. This board will help take decisions on important matters and in doing so, give FIFA and its structure its credibility back,” he said.
“Under my leadership, the ExCo will publish and explain decisions after every meeting.”
Van Praag also intends to limit the scope of agents and put a stop to signing players at too young an age. “I will do all I can to limit this practice of dragging children away from their homes.”
But his main goal is to leave football in a better state for the next generation.
“We see that the stream of negative reports about our FIFA continues. We see reports that are quashed. We see films by and about FIFA which cost €20 million to produce. And we see continuing stories around the allocation of World Cup. That’s not my world football body, that’s not the way the sport to which I owe so much, should be portrayed. Normalisation, that’s the key word. The organisation must go back to being plain normal.”
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