S. Korean football chief withdraws from election for FIFA body

SEOUL, July 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korean football chief Chung Mong-gyu has pulled out of the election for a seat on FIFA's main decision-making body, the sport's national federation said Tuesday.

Korea Football Association (KFA) President Chung has informed the international football governing body that he will no longer pursue a seat on the FIFA Council.

Chung was recently elected for his second term at the KFA, and is serving as chef de mission for South Korea at next month's Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics. The FIFA election is scheduled for Sept. 27, and the KFA said Chung decided to focus on the Olympics.

He's scheduled to depart for Rio with the first batch of the delegation just past midnight Wednesday, and will stay in Brazil for the duration of the Aug. 5-21 Olympics.

Chung came up short in last year's FIFA election.

The KFA added Chung, a business executive and a veteran football administrator, may also be nominated as a vice president for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

The FIFA Council, which has replaced the FIFA Executive Committee, has 37 members, with seven seats allocated to the AFC. Three additional members will be selected at the upcoming election.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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