A candidate for the scandal-tainted governing body for football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF) has been barred from running for the organization's presidency following a background check by FIFA, a statement said Tuesday. Antigua and Barbuda official Gordon Derrick had been seeking election to the presidency of CONCACAF, which has been at the heart of the global corruption scandal engulfing world football since May last year. Domenico Scala, chairman of FIFA's audit and compliance committee, said in a statement Derrick was being barred from running for office after an investigation. "The Audit and Compliance Committee has concluded that one candidate, Mr. Gordon Derrick from Antigua & Barbuda, could not be admitted as a candidate for the office of CONCACAF President nor FIFA vice president nor the FIFA Council," Scala said. "For privacy reasons we are not in a position to go into further details with regard to this decision. The person concerned has been informed." The statement was issued shortly after CONCACAF published a statement announcing candidates for various positions within the organization. Derrick, who had announced his intention to run for president earlier this year, was not included in the list of candidates, which now comprises just two men, Canadian Soccer Association president Victor Montagliani and Bermuda Football Association president Larry Mussenden. The CONCACAF presidency has become the poisoned chalice of football governance. Three of the most recent CONCACAF presidents are facing corruption allegations. Brazilian boss back The head of Brazil's football confederation has returned to his job after a three-month leave, despite facing charges in the wide-ranging FIFA scandal. The CBF confirmed Tuesday that Marco Polo del Nero was back on the job Friday, without any public announcement. Del Nero was one of dozens of soccer officials and associates indicted as part of the FIFA probe being led by American and Swiss authorities. He is accused of racketeering and money laundering. His replacement, 79-year-old Antonio Carlos Nunes, has returned to his duties as vice president. Del Nero apparently stepped aside to let the pressure subside in the FIFA case. He was also forced late last year to give up his post on the FIFA executive committee as a representative of the South American federation CONMEBOL. Del Nero's predecessor Jose Maria Marin is under house arrest in New York after being extradited from Switzerland.
