surprise entry to the FIFA presidential contest

GENEVA - The fight to remove Sepp Blatter from the most powerful job in world soccer intensified in Europe on Wednesday.In a surprise entry to the FIFA presidential contest, Portuguese great Luis Figo — the 2001 world player of the year — claimed the required support of five national federations by the entry deadline Thursday.I look at the reputation of FIFA right now and I dont like it. Football deserves better, the former Barcelona and Real Madrid playmaker said in a statement without giving detailed campaign plans.Meanwhile, Dutch federation president Michael van Praag launched his campaign in Amsterdam, promising to modernize FIFA, expand the World Cup with more places for non-European countries and give Blatter an advisory role.FIFA is doing badly and has lost all credibility, said Van Praag, who famously told Blatter last year in Brazil that people no longer took him seriously. FIFA is constantly under suspicion. Of conflicts of interest, of nepotism, of corruption.Van Praag said he had no animosity toward Blatter and spoke with him to offer a position running a foundation helping less privileged children.In fact, I like him a lot as a person, the 67-year-old Dutch official said. However, someone who has led an organization for so many years and who has become the personification of its poor image, can no longer be the face of a modernization operation or of a new FIFA.Blatters opponents also include FIFA Vice-President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan.Two more possible candidates from France, former FIFA official and longtime Blatter ally Jerome Champagne and former player David Ginola, seek to file nominations by Thursday evenings deadline.Still, Blatter is strongly favoured to win a May 29 vote by the 209 FIFA member federations, despite bribery and financial scandals which implicated several of his executive committee colleagues.Soccer leaders worldwide have shown little desire for change during Blatters 17-year reign overseeing spectacular commercial success for the World Cup. FIFA has cash reserves of $1.5 billion and distributes increasing bonuses to members.Figo has little experience of sports administration, but said a mood for change exists.I have seen the image of FIFA deteriorate, and as I speak to many people in football — to players, managers and association presidents — so many of those people have told me that something has to be done, the 42-year-old Portuguese said.Figos entry into the race complicates Europes strategy, potentially splitting support for him and Van Praag among the 53 UEFA voters, including some traditional Blatter loyalists. UEFA is the only one of FIFAs six continental bodies actively opposing Blatter.Figo was UEFAs ambassador for the Champions League final in Lisbon last year, and Van Praag is an elected member of UEFAs executive board which met on Monday.Thats when Van Praag announced his bid, saying he was running because no credible challenger had emerged. On Wednesday he further distanced himself from UEFA when saying his campaign was my initiative.The former president of four-time European champion Ajax is the first contender to reveal his nominees: Belgium, Faeroe Islands, Romania, Sweden and Scotland, plus his native Netherlands.The need for a European candidate was created last August when UEFA president Michel Platini opted not to stand against Blatter, while encouraging rivals for his 78-year-old former mentor.Platinis spokesman Pedro Pinto welcomed Figos entry.Credible candidates with new ideas will hopefully add to an open debate in the campaign, Pinto said in a statement. It is good for FIFA, and it is good for football to have valid candidates with extensive experience in the sport, and from different parts of the world.Platini has also supported Prince Alis candidacy.Ginolas bid is taken less seriously as hes being paid by a bookmaker to run. FIFAs ethics rules forbid officials having links to betting, gambling, lotteries and similar events or transactions connected with football matches.Figos paid contract with Asian gambling operator Dafabet, including as an ambassador for its 2014 World Cup promotion, has now ended, the firm said.Now that Luis has decided to stand for FIFA presidency it has been mutually agreed to end the ambassador contract, so he can concentrate his time fully on his campaign, Dafabets head of sports marketing and sponsorship, John Cruces, wrote in an email reply.The winning candidate needs two-thirds of the votes for victory in a first round of secret voting in Zurich, or a simple majority in subsequent rounds.___Associated Press writer Mike Corder in Amsterdam and AP Sports Writer John Leicester in Paris contributed to this report Anthony Miller Jersey . The football club recently announced an increase in season ticket prices in five of the seven categories at Investors Group Field for 2014. 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The Milwaukee Brewers took it from there, tightening the NL wild-card race with a contentious 1-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday. Garza was ejected in the fifth inning after hitting reigning NL MVP Andrew McCutchen for a second time. The bullpen stepped in and kept the surging Pirates at bay with 4 1-3 shutout innings. The Brewers scored the games only run on when Elian Herrera sprinted home on Logan Schafers sacrifice fly off Mark Melancon (3-5) in the ninth. Milwaukee drew within 3 1/2 games of the Pirates for the last playoff spot with eight days left in the regular season by winning for just the second time in its last 13 road games. "We knew what we had to do and we know how things have been going," manager Ron Roenicke said. The Brewers celebrated loudly in the hallway leading to the clubhouse, the kind of fire thats been missing during their lengthy September swoon. Garza, however, stoked the fire with 4 2/3 strong innings. His work included two run-ins with McCutchen. Garza hit the Pittsburgh star centre fielder on the left shoulder in the third then grazed McCutchens elbow with the bases empty two innings later. Both plunkings came with two outs and the bases empty, hardly the kind of pitches meant to send a message. "If people think I hit McCutchen on purpose, with a 1-2 count in a game like this, then youre just an idiot," Garza said. Garza had hit just two batters in 158 innings coming in. McCutchen -- who went to the disabled list in August with fractured rib cartilage shortly after getting drilled while playing in Arizona -- figures Garza was just trying to work inside when the pitches got away from him. "He didnt try to hit me but he got it in and Im sure hes thinking its better he hit me than me hit him with a homer or double or something," McCutchen said. Zach Duke (5-1), a former All-Star with the Pirates, picked up the victory after getting the final out of the eighth. Francisco Rodriguez worked a perfect ninth for his 43rd save of the season and 347th of his career, moving him into a tie with Randy Myers for 10th on the all-time list. Herrera reachhed on a forceout off Melancon (3-5) in the ninth and moved to third on Lyle Overbays second double of the night.dddddddddddd Herrera scored when Schafers fly to left was just deep enough. The Pirates left 10 runners on base and went 0 for 8 with men in scoring position. "The pitchers were out there and kept putting up zeroes," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "We had some opportunities and couldnt push a run across and they got one late." Pittsburgh starter Edinson Volquez retaliated after the first plunking by throwing inside to Milwaukee star Ryan Braun, earning a warning to both benches, making Garzas ejection automatic even as he pled his case to home plate umpire Marty Foster. "He just told me, In this type of situation, my hands are tied," Garza said. "I said, Come on, you know it. Hes like, Yeah, I know and all three umpires over there are like, Youve got to understand the situation." Garzas unexpected departure forced the Brewers to rely on an already taxed bullpen that had blown games on Thursday and Friday. This time a string of six relievers stood firm after letting late leads slip away earlier in the week. The Pirates loaded the bases with one out in the eighth but Starling Marte lined to third and pinch-hitter Gaby Sanchez grounded out to short against Duke. Volquez lacked Garzas crispness early, needing 52 pitches to labour through the first three innings alone, but continued his remarkable bounce back season. The pitcher who went 9-12 with a 5.71 ERA a year ago while pitching for San Diego and the Los Angeles Dodgers lowered his ERA to 3.15 by keeping the Brewers off the scoreboard before exiting in the seventh.. UP NEXT Brewers: RHP Wily Peralta (16-10, 3.70 ERA) makes his 31st start of the season on Sunday. He is 2-1 with a 4.32 ERA in four career starts against the Pirates, all of the starts coming at Miller Park. Pirates: RHP Vance Worley (7-4, 3.18 ERA) returns to the rotation after making a brief move to the bullpen when Charlie Morton was taken off the disabled list. Worley is 0-3 with a 5.48 ERA in four career starts against Milwaukee. He gave up four runs on 12 hits in a 4-3 loss to Milwaukee on Aug. 24. 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