USSF president Sunil Gulati has run unopposed in his last three elections for the United States Soccer governing body presidency, but if he chooses to run for another election next year, he'll probably have an impudent challenger this time. A Boston attorney Steven Gans, who has “myriad" of connections in the US soccer fraternity over three decades, apparently told the media on Tuesday that he is considering exploring a bid to contest for the American soccer's highest office.
Gans aiming for the job
The 56-year-old attorney, said he'll solicit for endorsements from the American soccer stakeholders before confirming his interest to run, but for now, Gans said he is leaning towards formally declaring his candidacy for the office.
Steven Gans faces a tough task ahead. 57 year old Sunil Gulati, has served in the upper echelon of the United States Soccer Federation leadership for the past 17 years. He first contested and won the USSF presidency in 2006 and was re-elected three times in subsequent elections, and was elected into the FIFA executive committee in 2013. Gulati is widely regarded as a FIFA reformer.
Gulati is at the “forefront” of the United States joint bid with Canada and Mexico to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Barring unsolicited bids from other regions, the world soccer governing body will award the hosting right of the competition to North America for the first-time since 1994, when the United States last hosted the tournament.
Gulati remains silent about his presidential future
Gulati, 57, who under the amended United States Soccer Federation electoral guidelines, is eligible to serve for an additional one term, and hasn't divulge his plans to seek reelection. Though many in the soccer fraternity expects him to contest again, and at the moment, Gulati has not made any comments on this development.
The office of the USSF presidency is an “unpaid” ceremonial position. Dan Flynn, Secretary General of the nonprofit organization is a salaried employee, who administer the day to day operations of the USSF from its headquarters in Chicago, Illinois.
Sunil Gulati resides in New York City and he's a senior lecturer in economic studies at the prestigious Columbia University.
Who is Steven Gans?
While still in school, Gans played at Brandeis and Cornell, and was an integral member of the New England junior men team, and also served as the club's NASL official recorder and statistician. Gans was an administrator and briefly a soccer player with the Baltimore Blast soccer club before aiming for full time opportunities outside the game. Steven Gans was one of the legal counsels for Boston's successful attempt to stage the 1994 World Cup games in the city. He has represented several American professional players. In 2006, Steven Gans founded a soccer marketing agency, which partnered with foreign clubs in pursuing American market opportunities.
Gans began brokering a lucrative commercial deal between Fenway Sports Club and English professional soccer club Fulham FC in 2009.
Steven Gans served as the legal counsel and the board of directors of FC Boston from 2010 to 2015. Though, soccer has remained his undying passion, and the state of the nation's soccer governing body, he said, has immensely motivated him to consider running for the US soccer Presidential Election next year. The next USSF presidential election is scheduled for February 2018 at the organization's annual congress meeting in Orlando, Florida.
