In whichever way you see it, it is more than time that those so called "leaders" be thrown away!

Mubarak, the Tunisian one, Kadhafy, and in the same line, Blatter, Jack Warner, those absurdly ridiculously tyrants as Argentina's Grondona, Brazil's ( humongous shame and ridiculous) Teixeira, and the most ridiculoous of all...Paraguay's and Conmebol, NIcolas Leoz...

It is absurd that players and managers, professionals of the game, are out, and those businessmen that never played and understand the game, are heading the party and enjoying VIP life.

Grant Wahl is a superbly intelligent and wise journalist. A real person of football
Thanks for that note, terry@@@@!!!

First he will never get his name on the ballot. There are no lunatics in the world of international soccer that would give him legitimacy. Second the proposition that he is "everyman seeking to snatch the game back from the autocrats" is laughable, he is a representative of the corporate world out to destroy the beautiful game for the masses by making sure it allows time for commercials. The commercial issue is the only factor why soccer is kept as a tightly controlled fringe sport in the US. Case closed.

this man contesting for fifa top job came from a country were journalist

are embroil with tabloid,thus fifa hatchet men will not allow,candidate from a nation where is past,for example sex scandal,could put fifa business in bad sheets,thus he has lost before contesting,perhaps he may not get even 1 vote.
please,find something doing than cheap popularity.

grant not need.

Its about time Blatter went, he should have resigned before the last world cup......... as a leader, I would compare him to Bush Jrn, he always went to the same place twice, the second was an appoligy for his first visit. not to mention the amount of inappropriate comments and lack of good decisions.

we have to get sepp blatter off the FIFA as soon as possible

Blatter must go. Awarding 2022 to Katar is a decision not unlike those made by Kaddafi.

Besides Blatter has been around too long. Time to go Mr. Blatter........you don't own Football

I am not to sure where you were going with this article but I did sense that the impulse reaction (By many fans to lean in favor to Grant Wahl) is not a wise one. The other alternative would be just keep the status quo (Basically accept Blatter)... with all due respect but you sound like a batter wife who would rather stay in an abusive relationship because it is cheaper than to get a divorce.
Your point of view (And I don't mean to come across as insolent) is very narrow-minded. Perhaps Grant is not the right person to run FIFA (I suppose you know him better than the rest of the world and you are in a better position to come up with that judgment) but there are several issues need to be address in regards on how FIFA runs the sport we all love!
Having a goal line technology is not going to hurt the flow of the game. It will just make it: FAIR! It is not fair that the rest of the world (Remember the number of TV viewers is quite high) gets a second look at the potential goal just to be annulled by one "Professional" referee because he saw something different. Also a referee doesn't have to give anyone an explanation for any critical calls?? (I understand emotions run deep and FIFA need to protect them); however, there are also millions of people who's hope get shattered and deserved an explanation not the snub of a whole organization. I could go on but I don't have the whole year. There is a valid point on Mr Walh's decision to challenge the "Status quo".. Maybe that way Mr. Blatter will start listening to the fans and not just the lobbyist that can provide better funds to his Swiss account

At times Sepp's leadership remains questionable in football world. The most popular sports needs fresh input-us and new direction to enhance its current stagnation. New tournament and more competition will bring in extra revenue and freshness to this hugely popular world..... Pramok

I think Grant Wahl's bid for the presidency will fail, but that's not the point. By putting himself forward as a candidate I hope he's shown the way forward for other more traditional football officials who are better placed to oppose Blatter, because Blatter does need opposing.

For sure a change in leadership is long, long overdue. Blatter has overstayed his welcome and if he has any decency left should step down to make room for a new leader with new ideas. In short we need fresh blood and new directions and not more of the same old Blatter-style regime that leads to nowhere except controversy. Is Grant Wahl that person who can successfully challenge the status quo and lead us into
a "new world" ? Doubtful.

Blatter must go! How did this guy come to be in this place anyway?/

NICE, A CLEVER ARTICLE. ACCORDING TO ME WITH ALL THE ALLEGEATIONS OF MATCHES BEING MANIPULATED BY THE ASSIAN, OR CROATION OR OTHERS MAFIAS, MOBSTERS SOMETHING BY ALL MEANS SHOULD/MUST BE DONE AT THE VERY TOP LEVEL.
BUT WITH SUCH INCREDIBLY HUGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY INVOLVED, IN THE GAME, I DO NOT THINK IT WILL EVER HAPPEN.
MR. BLATTER, BEING THE KINGMAKER IN APPOINTING THE BOSSES IN ALL THE WORLD COUNTRIES, WILL REIGN FOR EVER. WE SHALL KEEP ON LISTENING TO NEWS OF RIGGED MATCHES.
IT IS THE SAME STORY IN BULGARIA, WITH THE RUSSIAN MEGA ENERGY PROJECTS, ONCE VL.PUTIN/KGB HAS MADE A DECISION,
DO NOT DARE TO OPPOSE IT, IF YOU DO, FATAL ACCIDENTS WILL FOLLOW, FOR SURE.

As you pointed out yourself Mr. Terry, football and FIFA are not on par with the life and death struggles we are witnessing in the middle east as men and women fight to change the status quo. For precisely that reason, I will gladly accept whatever outcome would result if Grant Wahl were to be successful in affecting the FIFA presidential elections. There is only certainty here and it is that FIFA is corrupt and ruining the game.

Lester, that's an idiotic ending to your comment. Americans who like soccer fully appreciate the reasoniang for why it has no commercials. Your statement has no other basis in fact. Are you trying to say that since Grant is American, he must therefore be pro-corporate? You clearly have no idea what you're talking about. If I – an American – were to take over FIFA, I would be sure to retain the no-stoppage-for-TV policy that currently rules, as would many other Americans who love the sport, as Grant does (yes I read the article).

Blatter is a problem. His claim to wish to abolish racism in sport clashes entirely with his decision to hold the World Cup in Russia in 2018; his claim to wish for Fair Play clashes entirely with his love for choosing match referees in the World Cup who are woefully inadequate to the task, to say nothing of his World Cup election process. FIFA is loaded with corruption, and he's just one of many figures who need to be replaced.

If it were up to most football fans Blatter would have been gone a long time ago. Have you ever actually heard anyone say, "That Blatter, doing a sterling job, bloody marvellous he is". As far as i'm concerned they could elect the re-animated corpse of Atilla the Hun and it would be a marked improvement.

Sports had become politics a long time ago. Hurting innocent souls (fans) who fuel the game week in week out with their passion for the game.
I am a Cameroonian, as far as I can remember we've had one federation president. As far as I can remember Africa has had the same confederation president. Terry these are not the only pro-active guys on the planet, are they?
They are being upheld by the same criminal organisations and interest groups backing those you consider "catalysts". Blatter is out of ideas, and nothing says Wahl can't do the job.

The old dog has no tricks time to leave but why are they all so scared to chalenge him..

How dare that little known Sports IIIustrated journalist Grant Wahl challenge DR Joseph Sepp Blatter 4 the FIFA Presidency.This Wahl guy has joined the chorus of the Western world criticism of Blatter.The majority of the 208 Fifa family will never take this typical arrogant American seriously hence they will never vote 4 him instead they will ensure that Dr Blatter receives a landslide victory at the polls.The Fifa family will never vote 4 a native of a country that continues to treat Football disdainfully.The arrogant Americans want to highjack the world`s favourite sport because of its influence & prestige .By virtue of becoming Fifa President one becomes the most poerfulman in the sporting world & the Americans wld love to occupy such as a powerful ,influential position that touches every corner of the world because of the sport`s popularity.Football is a such a powerful vehicle that can influence /change the world .Im not referring to the pigskin NFL football but proper football run by FIFA that consists of 208 members that affect 4billion everyday on earth..I salute Dr Blatter & FIFA 4 taking Football to new frontiers Russia 2018 & Qatar 2022.Fifa has continuosly rebuked the powerful influence of the western world that only want to enjoy the Fifa cake among itself.I also applaud Fifa 4 taking the world cup to SA in 2010 much to the chargrain of the powerful Confederations..Bravo to Sepp Blatter `s goal projects that have transformed millions of lives in Africa,the Carribean ,Eastern Europe & South America.One wonders why CAF members didnt vote 4 Danny Jordaan on the FIFA EXCUTIVE instead voted 4 a little known Ivorian who is bound to be corrupt.Jordaan deserved to be voted onto FIFA EXECUTIVE because of the sterling work he put in at SA2010.There is much influence welded by Norh & West Africa at the Cairo based CAF.There is so much corruption & injustice in African football hence the need to get rid rid of the corrupt ,docile ISSA HAYATOU who has been at the helm of CAF since 1988.

Football could take a lesson from Rugby Union,the Ref has total control players accept his decisions right or wrong,back chat an the offending team is punished.There is a feeling that the ruling body is corrupt,and that not going to change anytime soon,money talks.
Mr Blatter said he would like to abolish racism from football ,why are going to Russia?

blatter needs to go, I hope other fifa members dont support platini cuz his worse than blater, platini does not even want video technology in the game blatter at least has said he will consider. As for Bin Hammam he bribed many players and federations for the Qater world cup. he is probably the same as blater.

Grant wahl is the best choice , his proposals of video replays is needed in football, we need more representation from women. for Football to grow Fifa has to consider bring more women into the fold. Also his proposal of goal technology and not giving yellow cards for players removing their shirts is good. ,here more important and worse things than players removing shirts.

I hope Grant Wahl wins