Jerome Champagne has announced that he has pulled out of the race for FIFA presidency.
The former FIFA executive committee member had planned to challenge Sepp Blatter, who is standing for a fifth term, but his campaign is now officially over.
Champagne has confirmed that he failed to receive the five required nominations from FIFA member associations to stand for election in three months' time.
"I regret to have to announce that I have not presented the five sponsorship letters needed to be registered as a candidate in the election of May 29," Champagne said in a statement.
"I warmly thank the three federations that have endorsed me and the many presidents who explained with candor and friendship, that they could not do it despite their interest in my program.
"The reasons were numerous. Because they feared reprisals from their confederations having issued "recommendations". Because their federations were candidates to host continental competitions. Because they relied too heavily on the financial support. Because they were committed to defend a united continental front. Because some of the presidents were themselves engaged in an election or simply preferred another candidate.
"The institutions have mobilised to eliminate the only independent candidate. The latest events orchestrated in secret with barely veiled intentions by one of them, distributing letters of support between candidates, made me lose sponsorships especially in Europe."
Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of the Jordanian FA and former Portugal international Luis Figo are among the candidates trying to remove Blatter from the head of the world governing body following allegations of corruption.
The news comes after retired French footballer David Ginola announced that he too failed to gain the letters needed to stand.
Danielle Joynson
