From Antigua OBSERVER

HAMILTON, Bermuda (CMC) – CONCACAF presidential candidate Larry Mussenden has vowed to recover millions of dollars seized in the FIFA corruption scandal and share it among the region’s football associations, if he is elected president of the confederation next month.

Mussenden, who is the Bermuda Football Association president and also the island’s new Director of Public Prosecutions, made the pledge in his election manifesto released on Monday.

The Bermudan said he would like to see a “significant share of the US $190 million seized by the US Department of Justice” returned to CONCACAF – the continental governing body for football in North, Central America and the Caribbean.

Those funds would then be divided between the federation and the unions, with member associations getting the lion’s share, he said.

Mussenden also promised to begin legal proceedings to recover the Centre of Excellence in Trinidad and Tobago, which was built by Jack Warner and forms part of the corruption allegations against the former CONCACAF president, who is fighting extradition to the United States.

Mussenden further pledged to work towards the creation of a Caribbean Professional League, and the strengthening of all domestic professional leagues across the region.

On the international stage, he wants to see a fairer qualifying process for top tournaments, and a time when every member of CONCACAF is a full voting member of FIFA.

For example, French Guiana, Bermuda’s opponents on June 1 in the second round of the Caribbean Cup, are not a member of the world governing body because they are considered part of France.

Mussenden, a former attorney general under the previous Progressive Labour Party administration here, and Victor Montagliani, the Canada Soccer Association president, are locked in a straight fight for the presidency, with the election due to be held in Mexico City on May 12.

Gordon Derrick, president of the Caribbean Football Union, was also due to run for the presidency, but was removed from the running after failing a FIFA integrity check.

IMAGE: CONCACAF presidential candidate Larry Mussenden.

For more on this story go to: http://antiguaobserver.com/mussenden-pledges-to-recover-seized-cash/