By Duncan Mackay

Papua New Guinea's David Chung has been re-elected President of the Oceania Football Confederation ©OFCPapua New Guinea's David Chung was today re-elected unopposed as President of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) and immediately offered his backing to Sepp Blatter's campaign to remain head of FIFA for a fifth term. 


The support for Blatter at the 23rd OFC Ordinary Congress in Papua New Guinea capital Port Moresby was backed by 11 countries who passed a a resolution unanimously promising to vote for the Swiss, who is set to face competition from Jordan's Ali Bin Al Hussein and Frenchman Jérôme Champagne. 

Chung will be hoping such a public show of support for Blatter is rewarded in Oceania being granted direct entry into the World Cup instead of having to go through a play-off every four years.

New Zealand qualified for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, drawing all three of their matches, but were knocked out by Mexico in the play-off for Brazil 2014. 

Oceania were not represented at last year's FIFA World Cup in Brazil after being beaten by Mexico in a play-off ©Getty ImagesOceania were not represented at last year's FIFA World Cup in Brazil after being beaten by Mexico in a play-off ©Getty Images

Chung, a 52-year-old originally born in Malaysia but who has been a Papua New Guinea citizen since 1985, sees regular representation in the World Cup as a vital part of developing the sport in the region.

"We will continue to grow the game through development programmes and to popularise football in the region through television, radio and new competitions, continue to create pathways for our elite players and teams and strive to create revenue and become financially sustainable so we can reinvest in growing the game and creating pathways for our elite players and teams," said Chung.

Chung's re-election means he will continue to serve as a FIFA vice-president having originally been elevated to acting President of the OFC in 2010 after Tahiti's Reynald Temarii was forced to step down following allegations of corruption linked to the bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup made by The Sunday Times in London. 

"The next four years will be an exciting period for the OFC and I am sincerely thankful to the Member Associations of OFC for putting your trust in me as your President," Chung told delegates.

"We need to be united, transparent and make collective decisions for the good of OFC.

"You must know that OFC is not an independent organisation, it belongs to you the members and our vision for the next four years is for the benefit of the members and you our stakeholders; your clubs, players, coaches, referees and administrators."

The OFC Executive Committee saw just one new member join the newly elected group.

American Samoa's Iuli Alex Godinet joined the Committee alongside and will sit alongside the Cook Islands' Lee Harmon, Fiji's Rajesh Patel, Samoa's Laupama Solomona, Solomon Islands Barnabas Anga. Tonga's Lord Ve'ehala and Vanuatu's Lambert Maltock.

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