presidency after he won the support of only two
national federations for his bid.
Former Brazil international star Zico has withdrawn his bid for
the FIFA presidency after he attracted meagre support to stand
for the role.
Zico launched a manifesto last month, casting himself as a
renewal candidate pledging democracy and transparency at the
scandal-ridden organisation, along with a commitment to
advance the increased use of technology to assist match
officials.
But the 62-year-old failed to garner the support of the Brazilian
Football Confederation (CBF), and only won the backing of two
national federations - footballing minnows Angola and Sao
Tome and Principe.
Zico and other prospective candidates required the support of
five national federations ahead of Monday's deadline to enter
the running.
The Brazilian appeared to lay the blame for him falling short of
the threshold at the door of European governing body UEFA,
which made a surprise move on Monday to back its general
secretary Gianni Infantino in the election as the organisation's
president Michel Platini contests the FIFA suspension that
appears certain to scupper his ambitions for world football's top
job.
"We were very excited yesterday with the promise of six letters
of support," Zico said in a post on his campaign's Facebook
page. "But, today, with the movement made by UEFA, with the
exit of Platini, the scenario changed completely."
Outgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter and Platini are currently
provisionally suspended from FIFA for 90 days in relations to an
alleged "disloyal payment", throwing the race to replace the
long-serving Blatter into a state of flux ahead of a proposed
February 26 election next year.
UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino, Liberia FA chief Musa
Bility and Asian Football Confederation president, Sheikh Salman
Bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, formally confirmed their candidacies on
Monday.
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