Who is Kozo Tashima, the Japanese official running for FIFA presidency?

Kozo Tashima first started playing football after watching the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and since then he has dedicated his life to developing the sport’s growth in Japan. The 68-year-old is set to become the first person from Japan to run for the FIFA presidency after announcing he would stand against Gianni Infantino in football’s governing body’s election in March.

He rarely makes headlines, and one of the few times he appeared outside the sport pages was when he became one of the first public figures in Japan to contract coronavirus in March 2020. He spent time studying at the German Sport University Cologne and said the experience changed the way he saw sport’s purpose in society.

He says his decision to run for the FIFA presidency was based on a belief that “in this age of business and money, sport must firmly uphold its integrity”. “The worst thing would be if he [Infantino] were to continue without an election,” he told reporters after announcing his candidacy.