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Former Trinidad and Tobago national football team captain and Caribbean MVP, David Nakhid, lodged his appeal with the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) yesterday in a final effort to get back into the race for the 2016 FIFA presidential elections.
(Copyright Thomas Søndergaard/Play The Game)
Nakhid, whose legal team is headed by attorney Jalal El-Mir, contends that the FIFA Ad-Hoc Electoral Committee is guilty of “a clear violation of the FIFA Electoral Regulations” by disqualifying him as a candidate for the top post in the global game.
The Electoral Committee declared, on October 28, that Nakhid’s candidacy was invalid since he failed to secure the five nominations necessary to compete. One of Nakhid’s nominations was disqualified since the proposer, United States Virgin Islands (USVI) president Hillaren Frederick, also nominated another candidate.
Nakhid contends that the nomination process was flawed and his case will be heard by CAS.
“I believe that a proper and impartial review by the CAS will reveal that my client is a serious and qualified contender who was treated unjustly,” said El-Mir, via a press statement. “We can only hope for a speedy hearing given the critical time-line for this special campaign.”
Nakhid’s spokesperson, Josanne Leonard, suggested that his appeal was further testimony of his commitment to change.
Nakhid’s candidacy was subsequently declared invalid by the FIFA Ad-hoc Electoral Committee.
(Copyright Thomas Søndergaard/Play The Game)
“Going to the Court of Arbitration for Sport is a statement of commitment by Nakhid to be a true agent for change, regardless of the challenges faced,” said Leonard. “This appeal action (yesterday) amplifies Nakhid’s commitment to fairness and transparency in the FIFA Electoral process and will be a positive action for the future.”
The CAS decision is expected within a few weeks.
FIFA makes provision for an appeal to CAS in its electoral rules and there is precedent for the body reversing or altering decisions by the world football body.
CAS previously overturned FIFA’s lifetime ban for 2011 presidential candidate, Mohamed Bin Hammam, and softened punishment meted out to Uruguay international star, Luis Suarez, at the 2014 World Cup.
Nakhid is not the only presidential hopeful on shaky ground either, as suspended UEFA president Michel Platini is awaiting the verdict of the FIFA Ethics Committee with regards to a suspect payment he received from incumbent Sepp Blatter in 2011. Blatter is also suspended.
(Copyright Michael Buholzer/AFP 2015)
Platini has been allowed to stand for FIFA president while he awaits the Ethics Committee’s decision.
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Too “out-there” for me. There is no room for me to position or justify anything! Good luck David!
That’s playing to the final whistle. 😉
I don’t see how but time will tell.
If he succeeds, it would be that he has proven shocking incompetence by the FIFA electoral committee. So it would be quite a story.
I have read the rules and see nothing to support that having a smooth process extends to advising a candidate that his nomination is faulty before the closing date. I would be shocked if he succeeds.
justice is not only about the letter of the law but the spirit as well. The absolute absence of laws specifically preventing something being done does not validate that doing it is indeed the alright thing to do. I really hope that Nakhid wins his appeal, even if he is later on unsuccessful in the FIFA Presidency bid. The old ways of conducting football’s business are indeed over; FIFA needs to be reminded of this!
Rather ambitious. What can you do to stop a man from trying ?
Because some of the documents are confidential, not much can be said now on his side. And for that reason, I haven’t done my wrap yet as I want to have as much info as possible when I do.
But it hinges on the Electoral Committee’s responsibility to ensure a smooth and transparent process. And there is a question about the controversial dual nomination.
I still don’t see the case that he is making.