Decision to bar Nakhid from FIFA election is upheld

BERNE, Switzerland, (Reuters) – Former Trinidad and Tobago player David Nakhid cannot run for the presidency of football’s scandal-plagued governing body FIFA, said the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

CAS explained in a statement on Monday that it had dismissed his appeal against a decision taken by FIFA’s electoral committee on Oct. 28 during which his candidacy was refused.

Under the organisation’s electoral rules, Nakhid needed written backing from five national football associations to be eligible for the Feb. 26 election that will decide who replaces outgoing president Sepp Blatter.

The Trinidadian was barred from registering by FIFA’s electoral committee because one association had signed letters of support for Nakhid and a rival candidate.

Nakhid sought in his appeal the annulment of the decision and an order that his candidacy be reinstated.

Last month FIFA’s electoral committee said five candidates had passed integrity checks and were approved for the election.

The five were Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan, Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain, former FIFA official Jerome Champagne of France, UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino of Switzerland and South African businessman Tokyo Sexwale.

Musa Bility, head of Liberia’s FA, was ruled out after he failed an integrity check.

Nakhid’s bid did not reach the stage of integrity checks and there has been no suggestion of him being involved in wrongdoing.

FIFA is suffering the worst corruption scandal in its 100-plus year history, drawing in top officials and triggering investigations by U.S. and Swiss authorities.

(Writing by Tim Collings; Editing by Tony Jimenez)