NEW YORK CONCACAF, football's governing body for North and Central America and the Caribbean, has thrown its weight behind Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency. CONCACAF President Jack Austin Warner cited the Eurocentric stance of Blatter's rival Lennart Johannson as one reason for the decision. We believe that Mr. Blatter offers continuity of thought and action and a continuation of the work of Doctor Joao Havelange, Warner said in a statement released Monday. It would be a bitter blow to Dr. Havelange's legacy if his work was not continued.

Warner said CONCACAF's decision did not reflect any ill will towards Johansson. However, we feel strongly that Mr. Blatter has shown that he has a global view of the game as opposed to the Eurocentric positions so often taken by the other candidate, Warner said. Blatter, currently the secretary general of FIFA, world football's governing body, and Sweden's Johansson, head of the European governing body UEFA, are the only candidates to succeed Havelange. Each national association affiliated to FIFA will cast a vote in the June 8 election in Paris, but Warner's remarks indicated that all 35 CONCACAF countries would back Blatter. We feel that the whole world game will be more secure in Mr. Blatter's hands, Warner said.

Thus, the CONCACAF countries, including the three countries which were first supporters of Mr. Blatter: Jamaica, USA and Mexico all World Cup qualifiers shall vote for him at the FIFA congress. (AFP)