FIFA President Sepp Blatter got an unlikely new opponent on Friday as the sports betting Web site Paddy Power revealed it’s paying former Tottenham soccer player David Ginola nearly $380,000 to run for president of the world soccer governing body. Yes, leave it to FIFA, which lives under the shadow of various allegations of ethical breaches, to provide a platform on which a gambling Web site known for its PR stunts and controversies can literally pay a man several hundred thousand dollars to do its bidding.  “This campaign is all about transparency and we are paying David £250,000 (nearly $380,000) for the campaign and for being here today,” a spokesman for Irish bookmaker Paddy Power told Reuters at a press conference on Friday. “It is his full-time job now and, hopefully, will be for the next four months.”  But is Ginola, who’s better known as a L’Oreal shampoo spokesmodel than a soccer administrator, even qualified? There’s significant reasons to doubt him.  The 47-year-old failed to answer reporters’ questions about some of the basic issues currently facing FIFA, according to Associated Press sports reporter Rob Harris.  David Ginola couldn't answer my questions about IFAB (key to changing football rules) or third-party ownership (key issue in football)  — Rob Harris (@RobHarris) January 16, 2015  He also reportedly couldn’t name a single member of FIFA’s executive committee — a committee Ginola’s now seeking to lead.  David Ginola can't name a member of FIFA's executive committee  — Rob Harris (@RobHarris) January 16, 2015  In a campaign video posted to the Web, Ginola echoed much of same platitudes he espoused to the media.  “I’m (running) because, like you, I love football,” the ex-Premier League player said. “Whether you’re on the pitch or on the terraces, we all know that FIFA isn’t working. The game needs to change.”  Ginola also sprinkled in buzzwords, such as “transparency” and “democracy,” two things it will take more than a simple change in leadership to actually bring to the notoriously opaque organization.  Ginola also used his Paddy Power-funded video to unveil a new crowd-funding campaign, in the hopes that soccer fans around the world will donate to Ginola’s bookmaker-backed effort.  Dubbed “TeamGinola.com” online, the slogan for the campaign that hopes to raise £2.3 million (almost $3.5 million) is “Rebooting football.”  Ginola’s words are nice, but with Paddy Power behind him, as well as his inability to answer serious questions about soccer administration, much of the general public has chocked his candidacy up to just another publicity stunt for the company (Paddy Power’s marketing strategy is built on them).  Not entirely sure a campaign backed by a publicity seeking bookmaker is the answer to all FIFA's ethical problems.  — Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) January 16, 2015  This is pathetic. An absolute embarrassment! Ginola's FIFA campaign just a pathetic attempt of marketing from Paddy Power. Shameful!  — Whitehouse Address (@The_W_Address) January 16, 2015  Having a credible former player stand up to Blatter on the issues that matter is a great idea. Having it backed by Paddy Power, not so much.  — Owen Gibson (@owen_g) January 16, 2015  This #Ginola for FIFA president garbage. Doesn't qualify to run & he knows it. 1 day we'll be ashamed gambling is so involved in football.  — James Montague (@JamesPiotr) January 16, 2015  If Paddy Power and Ginola are serious about their campaign, they face an uphill battle. To get Ginola’s name on the ballot, by Jan. 29, he will need to show FIFA he has played an “active role” in soccer administration for at least two out of the last five years, as well as gain the support of at least five national soccer associations from around the world. That last part will be particularly difficult given the air of skepticism surrounding Ginola’s efforts already.  But maybe Paddy Power will pay for that, too. If so, they’d likely be less transparent about that one…  While the world waits to see how serious Ginola’s (and, ergo, Paddy Power’s) candidacy will be, we know Blatter likely won’t be the sole name on the ballot in May, as at least two others who have declared the intentions to run. They include: FIFA Vice President Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan, who declared his intentions earlier this month and former FIFA official Jerome Champagne.  Marissa Payne writes for The Early Lead, a fast-breaking sports blog, where she focuses on what she calls the “cultural anthropological” side of sports, aka “mostly the fun stuff.” She is also an avid WWE fan.
Is this another one of the sports betting Web site's infamous publicity stunts or is Ginola, a former Premier League player, serious?