David Nakhid: dropped out of FIFA race

Former Trinidadian footballer, David Nakhid is out of the FIFA presidential race.

Although he was among the eight candidates who met the Monday deadline for the submission of nomination forms, FIFA announced today that only seven candidates are in the race, with an asterisk raised over the candidacy of Michele Platini.

In a statement on FIFA website today, FIFA said its member associations have proposed, in due time and form, seven candidates for the presidential election to take place at the Extraordinary FIFA Congress in Zurich on 26 February 2016.

The candidates proposed apart from Platini are HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, Mr Musa Hassan Bility, Mr Jérôme Champagne, Mr Gianni Infantino, H.E. Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and Mr Tokyo Sexwale. 

FIFA said ”Given that Michel Platini is currently provisionally banned from taking part in any football-related activity, his candidature will not be processed by the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee as long as such ban is valid and in force. Should such a ban be lifted or expire before the FIFA presidential election, the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee would decide, depending on the respective exact point in time, on how to proceed with the candidature concerned.” 

According to the world football governing body, the other proposed candidates will now be assessed by the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee in line with the Electoral Regulations for the FIFA Presidency. 

”In accordance with article 8 par. 1(e) of the Electoral Regulations, the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee has passed the candidature dossiers to the investigatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee to carry out integrity checks, as stipulated in the regulations. The investigatory chamber will – as a result of this integrity check – deliver comprehensive documentation on each candidate, but it will not give any recommendation as to whether or not a candidate may run for the FIFA presidency. 

”Upon receipt of the results of the integrity checks, the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee will reconvene in order to review the submissions and validate their compliance with the applicable FIFA regulatory provisions. Following this process, the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee will formally admit and declare the candidates who are eligible to stand for the office of FIFA President.” 

Nakhid, the 51 year old former midfielder for his country of Trinidad and Tobago, played professional football in Europe and at present he runs the David Nakhid International Football School.

Last weekend, he announced that he had the five nominations from football associations to become a FIFA President candidate.