Chung Mong-joon joins race to lead Fifa, as tussle with Platini begins
A day after the former French skipper Michel Platini said he wanted to become president of the world game's governing body, former Fifa vice-president Chung Mong-joon declared his interest in heading the organisation.
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Chung pulled few punches on Thursday as he launched his bid to become the next boss.
The South Korean billionaire denounced the outgoing president Sepp Blatter as a corrupt cannibal and he lambasted presidential hopeful Michel Platini as an untrustworthy stooge.
Platini, 60, who is chief of European football's governing body Uefa, announced on Wednesday that he had put his name forward to succeed Blatter in next February's presidential election.
The Frenchman's announcement was quickly followed by criticism from former presidential candidate Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein. He said: "Platini is not good for football and football's fans and players deserve better. FIFA is engulfed in scandal. We must stop doing business as usual. The practice of back-room, under-the-table deals must end."
Chung styles himself as a candidate untainted by scandal and with a global, non-Eurocentric vision to take the organisation into a new era.
The billionaire scion of Korea's Hyundai group is renowned for being one of the most powerful brokers of Asian football. He said he would formally announce his candidacy to replace Blatter next week who has been at the helm since 1998.
Vowing to serve just one four-year term, he added "during those four years I hope I can fulfil my agenda, making Fifa a true, sporting NGO - open, transparent, moral, ethical and truly global," Chung told AFP.
"I don't want to be a Fifa president who just enjoys the luxury of the presidential office," the 63-year-old added.
Platini, who enjoyed a 15 year playing career in France and Italy, is widely considered to be the frontrunner for the post as he is believed to have the backing of four of Fifa's six regional confederations.
Blatter, 79, decided to stand down shortly after being re-elected for a fifth term as president in June.
Platini has reconfigured himself as one of the most outspoken opponents to Blatter's regime. However, Chung argued that the Frenchman was fatally tainted by his past associations with the president.
"Platini is good for football, but whether he can be a good Fifa president? I don't think so. He is a product of the current Fifa system," Chung said.
"There are several questions we can have whether Platini can symbolise a new era for Fifa or whether he is simply a protege of Blatter.
"I want to ask Michel whether he really believes that he can cut off his relationship with Blatter; whether he can reveal all the wrongdoings, corruptions, criminal acts committed by Blatter; whether he can really disclose all those things," Chung said.
The South Korean is likely to prove a strong candidate as he retains enormous influence within Asian football and has the financial muscle to mount an effective campaign.
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