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Former VP Chung: FIFA meltdown requires emergency leadership

FIFA presidential candidate Chung Mong-joon wants FIFA to set up an emergency leadership task force to govern the organization while it is in “total meltdown.”
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FIFA presidential candidate Chung Mong-joon wants FIFA to set up an emergency leadership task force to govern the organization while it is in “total meltdown,” he said Tuesday, according to The Associated Press.

President Sepp Blatter is under investigation by the Swiss for criminal mismanagement and misappropriation. General secretary Jerome Valcke has been suspended while under investigation by the FIFA ethics committee. Former vice president Jack Warner was banned from FIFA for life earlier on Tuesday, and the entire organization is under ongoing investigations by the United States and Switzerland.

During this crisis in leadership, Chung believes special measures should be taken.

“Under such circumstances, FIFA and regional confederations should consider convening extraordinary sessions of their respective executive committee[s] as well as congress to set up an emergency task force that will enable FIFA secretariat to function without interruption,” Chung said in a statement.

FIFA bans former vice president Jack Warner for life

Chung, who served as a FIFA vice president under Blatter for 17 years until 2011, announced his presidential bid in August, and has promised to reform the governing body of world soccer. Chung has also been subject to a FIFA ethics committee investigation.

“FIFA is currently facing an unprecedented crisis,” Chung said. “However, this is also an unprecedented opportunity to reform it. If all those who love football can bring their collective wisdom to bear on reforming FIFA, it will be possible to save and revitalize it.

“The most urgent task at hand is to root out corruption from within FIFA.”

The new FIFA president will be elected on Feb. 26. Despite his resignation announcement and current criminal investigation, Blatter has said he will remain president until that date.

- Erin Flynn