{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Mathematical 7","provider_url":"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7","title":"An African's FIFA presidency dream \u2013 an update! - Mathematical 7","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"dC5LGGswWI\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/an-africans-fifa-presidency-dream-an-update\/\">An African&#8217;s FIFA presidency dream \u2013 an update!<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/an-africans-fifa-presidency-dream-an-update\/embed\/#?secret=dC5LGGswWI\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;An African&#8217;s FIFA presidency dream \u2013 an update!&#8221; &#8212; Mathematical 7\" data-secret=\"dC5LGGswWI\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Big_Seg_FIFA_1.jpg","thumbnail_width":861,"thumbnail_height":831,"description":"The countdown to the February 26, 2016 election has begun.  There are only five working days left between Nigeria and the realization of the country\u2019s ambition to present a candidate for the vacant seat of the presidency of FIFA. In those five days, two things have to happen to convert that intention into reality.  The first is that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), must write a nomination letter addressed to FIFA confirming the status of its nominee as a bonafide and active member of the football family in Nigeria for, at least, two of the last five years.  The second is that the nominee must secure letters from the football federations of five other countries from any part of the world endorsing his candidacy to contest for the elections. Neither of these two actions confers on the nominee definite support when the actual voting comes up in February 2016, provided the Executive Committee of FIFA does not shift the date of the election as a result of the continuing drama that has decimated the ranks of prospective candidates. \u00a0These sets of letters must then be deposited with FIFA by October 26.   The reality is that by Friday, October 15, 2015, the two Nigerians that have indicated their interest to contest the election still have not heard a word from their football federation in response. From the body language of the NFF, it appears the NFF are indifferent to the issue. With the deadline for submission looming, the silence and inaction of the federation mean that the journey to Zurich may terminate even before the train leaves the departure lounge and that the country and those interested in participating can go take a running jump. What is really sad is that nothing will happen. The earth will simply go on rotating and revolving. The humble requests for nomination will become an \u2018irritating\u2019 glitch in the life of Nigeria\u2019s football administration, and the interested Nigerians, with their tails tucked between their legs, will return to their narrow world, struggling to be relevant in a chaotic football planet. In the public space, a controversy has been raging about who the NFF should back and nominate between my friend, Orji Uzor Kalu and I. Both of us have indicated similar interests. I believe that if we were both told that the NFF had difficulty selecting one of us, in the greater interest of the country (and indeed Africa), either of us would have voluntarily conceded the right to contest to the other, and supported him to embark on this great journey where there is absolutely nothing anyone stands to lose but the possibility of a bountiful harvest (tangible and intangible) for Africa any way the election goes."}