PtG Article 29.09.2011

Grondona to face rival for Argentine presidency

Senior FIFA Vice President Julio Grondona's bid for a ninth term as Argentina Football Association president is being challenged by Fernando Raffaini, head of the football club Velez Sarsfield.

According to Associated Press (AP), Fernando Raffaini is expected to challenge 80-year-old Grondona with the support of at least four other first-division clubs: All Boys, Independiente, Newell's and Belgrano.

Grondona, who has been the undisputed leader of Argentinean football since 1979, is still expected to be re-elected on 18 October. But his authority is being openly challenged for the first time in years with increasing pressure from clubs facing severe financial problems and the poor performance of the Argentine national team, according to AP.

Grondona, also known as ‘Don Julio’, was also embarrassed earlier this year when his plan to reorganise Argentina's first division to include 38 teams from the top-two divisions was rejected.

Roberto Bugallo, the president of All Boys, told the Argentine news agency DyN that Grondona's health and age were factors when "there are lots of young leaders to serve football."

Focus on South American football

Play the Game will put a lot of focus on South American football at its conference in Cologne 3-6 October.

Earlier this year Brazilian football president and FIFA Executive Committee member, Ricardo Teixeira, came under public scrutiny and police investigation for his way of leading Brazilian football and the preparations up to the World Cup in 2014.

At the conference the respected Argentinean sports writer Ezequiel Fernandez Moores will discuss the controversial leaderships of Grondona and Teixeira at the ‘Change in Sport Day’, Thursday 6 October.

Also on the programme will be the former president of the Chilean football association, Harold Mayne-Nicholls, and several other speakers discussing the present governance problems in football and other sports.