Nakhid FIFA presidential election decision upheld by CAS

David Nakhid has failed in his attempt to have his disqualification from the FIFA presidency election overturned at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The former Trinidad and Tobago midfielder announced his intention to stand as a candidate to replace current incumbent Sepp Blatter in August.

Nakhid, who is based in Lebanon where he runs a football academy, then needed to secure letters of support from five different national associations to be accepted as a contender.

He thought he had that but when FIFA confirmed a list of seven candidates in October, the 51-year-old's name was not on it.

It was later revealed Nakhid and another of those bidding to replace Blatter - who is currently suspended from all football activity - had received backing from the same nation.

Given each country can back just one candidate, only one of the people they had supported could stand and Nakhid was discounted.

The list could yet reduce to six candidates if Michel Platini is removed from it between now and the election on February 26.

He and Blatter's hearing by FIFA's ethics committee into a payment to the Frenchman signed off by the latter as a backdated salary payment takes place later this week.

A decision is expected by Christmas and it could see both men, who deny any wrongdoing, receive more substantial bans from involvement in the game than the 90-day suspensions they are currently serving.

Whatever happens there, Nakhid definitely will not be standing after CAS upheld FIFA's decision to rule him out.

A statement read: "In its decision of 28 October 2015, the FIFA ad hoc electoral committee found that Mr Nakhid had not presented declarations of support from at least five member associations.

"For this reason, [he] could not be admitted as a candidate for the election for the office of FIFA president on 26 February 2016.

"In appealing to the CAS on 13 November 2015, Mr Nakhid sought the annulment of the challenged decision and an order that his candidacy be reinstated.

"In line with the FIFA AEC, the CAS panel found one member association had issued declarations of support to two candidates, including one for Mr Nakhid, in violation of the applicable FIFA rules.

"As a consequence, those letters of support were disregarded, meaning David Nakhid had not met the qualifying criterion of obtaining declarations of support from at least five member associations.

"Accordingly, his candidature could not be validated. The full award with the grounds will be notified to the parties in a few days."