Oceania keen to replace delegate for vote

The Oceania Football Confederation want to replace their delegate Reynald Temarii so they can vote on who will host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

The OFC’s executive committee met in Auckland on Saturday to discuss a solution to the vacancy left by vice-president and FIFA representative Temarii after he was suspended by FIFA.

The World Cup hosting rights delegate was suspended by FIFA secretary general Jeremy Valcke after he was revealed to be involved in an alleged cash-for-votes scheme last month.

The confederation released a statement confirming they wanted to cover Temarii’s loss.

“An enquiry has been made to FIFA to seek further clarification on this and no further comment will be made until such time as FIFA has responded,” the statement read.

Oceania is hopeful they can send acting president David Chung to Zurich next week for the host cities announcement, as Temarii’s replacement on the FIFA ruling panel.

But Valcke has already declared there will now be just 22 votes in the process, down from the original 23 on each respective World Cup poll.

Chung took over as acting president after Temarii was provisionally suspended pending an investigation by FIFA on October 20.