Deadline day looms for FIFA candidates
FIFA has almost reached its deadline to stop accepting candidates to replace Sepp Blatter as the scandal-tainted body's leader, with five contenders declared and more expected before the door shuts.
Tokyo Sexwale, a South African diamond mining tycoon and politician, became the latest to join the race for the February 26 election, despite the mounting corruption scandals that have hit football's world body.
The deadline for nominations is Monday.
He will challenge Michel Platini, the UEFA leader now suspended by FIFA, former FIFA vice president Prince Ali bin al Hussein, David Nakhid, a former Trinidad and Tobago captain, and Jerome Champagne, a former FIFA official.
Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim al Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation, is believed to be considering a run. At least one other senior football official could also stand.
Candidates have until midnight Monday to register papers at FIFA headquarters.
The world body's electoral committee will then carry out integrity checks on all of the runners before confirming them for the vote to be held at a special FIFA congress in Zurich.
Platini had been the frontrunner in the race after Blatter announced in June that he would stand down.
But a Swiss criminal investigation into Blatter and a two million dollar payment made by FIFA to Platini in 2011 has thrown the race wide open again.
Blatter and Platini have been suspended for 90 days and the French football legend's candidacy will only be examined when the ban ends in early January.
