TheCable

President of the Liberian Football Association, Musa Bility, has been ruled out as a candidate for the FIFA presidency following integrity checks.

The football world governing body said it would not comment further on the reasons for Bility’s exclusion, which the 48-year-old can challenge at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“The integrity check included a review of corporate records, litigation cases, bankruptcy proceedings, potential regulatory actions taken against the candidate and a review of media reports concerning potential red flags (fraudulent behaviour, match manipulation, human rights violations, etc.),” FIFA said in a statement.

“Each candidate was then asked to comment on the content of the detailed report produced.

“The ad-hoc electoral committee did not admit the candidature of Musa Hassan Bility, in view of the content of the integrity check report relating to him. For reasons of protection of personality rights, the committee – while it has explained its considerations in detail to Musa Hassan Bility – will not comment publicly on the specifics of its decision.”

However, the body has approved five of the presidential candidates, with suspended UEFA boss Michel Platini also not included.

The Frenchman could be added should his ban end before February’s election.

Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, Jerome Champagne, Gianni Infantino, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa and Tokyo Sexwale have been approved.

The electoral committee will not carry out integrity checks on Platini, the UEFA president who is currently suspended for 90 days pending an ethics committee hearing into a £1.3 million payment he received from FIFA in 2011, until the disciplinary process is complete.

The election of the successor to Sepp Blatter, who is also under a 90-day suspension, takes place on February 26.