David Ginola Ends Challenge to Sepp Blatter in FIFA Presidency Election

David Ginola's challenge to Sepp Blatter for FIFA's presidency has taken an interesting turn. He's reportedly decided to withdraw his bid for FIFA presidency.

Continue for updates.

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Ginola Reportedly Withdraws from Presidential Bid

Friday, Jan. 30

BBC Sport reports Ginola is no longer considering a run in the FIFA Presidential Election.

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Ginola Refunds Campaign Donations, Claims He Hasn't Given Up

Thursday, Jan. 29

Richard Conway of the BBC shared an image of David Ginola's website, where he ended his campaign for FIFA's presidency:

Later, Ginola tweeted that he has not given up:

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Ginola Comments on Challenge to Sepp Blatter

Friday, Jan. 16

Former Paris-Saint Germain and Tottenham Hotspur winger David Ginola has spoken about his alleged plans to stand for FIFA presidency, claiming "it is time that football was refreshed." The 47-year-old is expected to officially unveil his campaign and attempt to overthrow Sepp Blatter on Friday.

It's yet to be determined how serious Ginola's campaign will be, not least because Paddy Power—a betting company known for its pranks—are said to be behind the retired star's step into the limelight, per Nick Harris of the Daily Mail. Ginola has provided a set of rousing quotes, however, per the aforementioned report:

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It is time that football was refreshed. I know it will not be easy for me to be elected but I have to try. I'm not interested in dwelling on the sins of the past, this is about taking football forward and putting supporters at the centre of the game.

Football belongs to the people and they deserve to have a voice. We want transparency so that everyone knows where every penny goes. People need to be able to trust the decisions being made by those in charge.

"

Stu Forster/Getty Images

Ginola also added, "I'm doing this because I believe I can make a difference," per Harris' report. "I'm always being asked questions about what is needed to change FIFA. Well now I'm going to do something about it."

Sky Sports profiled the retired player in light of the news:

Shaun Custis of The Sun suggests "the aim is to draw the football family together under the slogan Rebooting Football." The aforementioned newspaper also tweeted its Friday headline:

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WORLD EXCLUSIVE: David Ginola wants to become the next president of Fifa. Full story ONLY in Friday's SunSport pic.twitter.com/nHsGYbZFTB

— The Sun Sportdesk (@SunSportdesk) January 15, 2015"

Only FIFA vice-president Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan and former FIFA representative Jerome Champagne have confirmed they will stand against Blatter at this point, per Harris. Harold Mayne-Nicholls, who led FIFA's investigation into the bidding processes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments, is also expected to state his intentions in the near future.

Steve Bardens/Getty Images

Each of these candidates possess significant power on the world stage and are likely to already have many supporters. Ginola would be something of a wild card in the process; someone whose leadership skills are questionable yet intriguing due to the public's perception of his flamboyant playing career.

As noted by Harris, Ginola needs to prove he has played an "active role" in football for two of the last five years if he's to be granted a shot at the presidency. Custis' report notes Ginola has been given a letter by French club Etoile Frejus Saint-Raphael, who confirm he has worked as their consultant since 2010.

He also needs to confirm the support of at least five national associations from across the globe by Jan. 29. It's likely Ginola will drum up plenty of fan support, but it's questionable whether he can boast official followers at this stage. CNN's Alex Thomas indicates Ginola is yet to receive such weight behind his campaign:

Ben Radford/Getty Images

Such a story is certainly interesting to watch. In the age of social media, such campaigns are far more likely to ignite with support. Ginola remains an extremely popular figure in football and has the charisma to show Blatter isn't the only viable choice for FIFA.

The next presidential vote is all about options. Blatter has remained unopposed for much of his tenure and many have steadily questioned his suitability as boss. Whether Ginola develops into a legitimate candidate or not, it's important the next set of potential leaders show fresh ideas and new techniques to ensure the sport progresses.