Chung Mong-joon considers FIFA presidency
FIFA vice-president Chung Mong-joon has suggested that he would be interested in becoming the next FIFA president.
Current FIFA president Sepp Blatter is expected to stand again for election and Chung did not rule out the possibility of running against Blatter.
While addressing the Leaders in Football conference, Chung said, that it was "too early to say there would be no contender next May".
The 58-year-old vice president was then asked if he would put himself up as a candidate and said, "I had not thought of that, now you have asked me I will think about it. You need competition at the summit. We need to keep FIFA healthy."
Chung’s family founded the South Korean industrial company Hyundai and the vice-president would be seen as the main rival to Blatter if he decided to stand.
Of the eight vice-presidents Chung is the most high profile. Mohamed Bin Hammam who is the president of the Asian Football Confederation has ruled himself out of the election and Chung seems like the only other viable candidate.
The South Korean said that the decision as to who will host the 2018 and 2022 World Cup "might affect the atmosphere of the presidential election next year." A decision is to be made in December as to who will host the events.
So far, Blatter is the only candidate that has confirmed he will be running for the election in May. The 74-year-old Swiss national has led FIFA for 12 years.
Blatter first became President in 1998 when he took over from Joao Havelange after he beat Lennart Johansson who was the president of UEFA at the time.
Blatter was elected again in 2002 after he beat Issa Hayatou, the president of the African confederation.
In the last election in 2007, Blatter remained in control as he was not opposed.
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