UEFA holds emergency talks on FIFA election contest

Hours before the FIFA presidential election deadline, UEFA leaders met Monday in an emergency session to consider putting its general secretary in the race.

At the same time, a surprise second African contender entered the field while Asian soccer confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain was also set to run.

A plan for Gianni Infantino to enter the FIFA contest developed in talks with UEFA members over the weekend.

UEFA said its executive committee — without suspended president Michel Platini — talked strategy by video conference on Monday but declined to discuss details.

Liberian soccer association president Musa Bility told The Associated Press on Monday he sent FIFA nominations from the required five member federations, giving Africa two contenders in a growing lineup of up to seven men.

“I don’t want to go into any race that I cannot win,” said Bility, whose bid previously stalled after the African soccer confederation’s executive committee declined to support him.

Platini had been viewed as the favorite with key backing from Asian soccer leaders, including Sheikh Salman. He filed nomination papers before being suspended by the FIFA ethics committee this month and could be barred as a candidate.