- Title: SWITZERLAND: LENNART JOHANSSON EXPECTED TO STAND FOR FIFA JOB
- Date: 8th November 1995
- Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (NOVEMBER 8, 1995) 1. EXTERIOR HILTON HOTEL 2. LENNART JOHANSSON ARRIVING WITH OTHER DELEGATES 3. DELEGATES ENTER LIFT 4. FRITZ AHLSTROM SPEAKING (ENGLISH): DURING THE MEETING THIS AFTERNOON IN GENEVA ALL MEMBERS OF THE UEFA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND THE THREE EUROPEAN MEMBERS OF THE FIFA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ASKED MR. JOHANSSON TO CANDIDATE FOR THE FIFA PRESIDENCY AND HE ACCEPTED THAT." (REPORTER ASKS: WHATS THE REASON BEHIND THIS MOVE) AHLSTROM REPLIES: I THINK EUROPE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE NEXT, WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE NEXT FIFA PRESIDENT TO BE EUROPEAN AND LENNART JOHANSSON NEVER HAD ANY AMBITION ABOUT THAT JOB BUT HE FEELS THAT IT IS HIS DUTY AND IF PEOPLE ASK HIM AND THEY THINK HE'S THE BEST ONE, THE BEST CANDIDATE, AND IT IS WITHOUT DOUBT, THEN HE WILL DO IT HE SAID AND TODAY HE WAS ASKED BY EVERYBODY PRESENT AND HE ACCEPTED THAT." (REPORTER ASKS: SO THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF HIM CAMPAIGNING AGAINST JOAO HAVELANGE FOR THE PRESIDENCY?) AHLSTROM REPLIES: "NO, DON'T SAY IT THAT WAY BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO CAMPAIGN AGAINST ANYBODY, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT MR. JOHANSSON, AND YOU KNOW WHEN HE BECAME PRESIDENT OF UEFA IN 1990 HE DIDN'T CAMPAIGN AT ALL, HE WAS ASKED BY SOMEBODY, AND HE REPLIED, 'OK, I AM INTERESTED, I WOULD LIKE TO DO A JOB FOR EUROPEAN FOOTBALL' AND HE WAS ELECTED, BUT HE NEVER ASKED FOR IT, HE NEVER CAMPAIGNED, AND HE WON'T DO THAT AGAIN. THIS IS NOT A MATTER ABOUT CAMPAIGNING AGAINST ANYBODY, ITS JUST A QUESTION ABOUT SUPPORTING THE UEFA PRESIDENT." (REPORTER ASKS: IT WOULD INCREASE THE IMPRESSION THAT THERE IS SOME KIND OF POWER BATTLE ...) AHLSTROM REPLIES: "WE DON'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT A BATTLE BECAUSE WE REALLY CARE ABOUT THE GAME, WE FEEL WE OWE A PART OF THE GAME AND IF WE ARE INVOLVED WE HAVE A DUTY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GAME." 5. CUTAWAY OF REUTERS REPORTER Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 23rd November 1995 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- City:
- Country: Switzerland
- Reuters ID: LVABBHO3ZE4QQORJDCRJ60KGECS6
- Story Text: UEFA President Lennart Johansson, buoyed by his success in a power battle against FIFA's Joao Havelange, said on Wednesday (November 8) he was a candidate to replace the Brazilian in 1998.
But Johansson said after a meeting of the UEFA (soccer's European governing body) Executive Committee had asked him to stand that he did not expect to be up against his old rival because Havelange had told FIFA leaders he was retiring after his current term in office.
Johansson is leading a European campaign to curb Havelange's power within world soccer.
UEFA want a shake-up of the sport which would give more power to regional confederations such as UEFA itself and for FIFA (the world governing body) to be more competitive in marketing World Cup finals.
Havelange retains the support of Central and South American clubs, but FIFA's decision to withdraw this year's world youth championships from Nigeria has lost it support in Africa.
Asia and Oceania remain ostensibly neutral but are said to welcome UEFA's call for regional confederations to have more power within FIFA.
Johansson's candidacy was confirmed after the UEFA meeting by spokesman Fritz Ahlstrom.
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