FIFA - LIBERIA - Musa Bility rejected as candidate

Liberia's Musa Bility has been ruled out as a candidate for the Fifa presidency following integrity checks.

Football's world governing body has approved five of the presidential candidates, with suspended Uefa boss Michel Platini also not included.

The Frenchman could be added should his ban end before February's election.

Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, Jerome Champagne, Gianni Infantino, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa and Tokyo Sexwale have been approved.

Bility, the 48-year-old president of the Liberian Football Association, was given a six month ban from all football activities in 2013 for using confidential documents from African football's governing body in a legal challenge against Issa Hayatou.

He was involved in a fight against CAF's rule changes to the process that effectively allowed president Issa Hayatou to be re-elected unopposed in March.

Bility said he has been informed by FIFA that his candidacy was "principally rejected" because of the ban.

"I reject this and think it's unfortunate," he added. 

"My decision to fight CAF at the time was a genuine attempt to change African football and prevent rules from being arbitrarily violated.

"I am awaiting the review by my team of lawyers to determine my next course of action."

FIFA said it would not comment further on the reasons for Bility's exclusion, which he can challenge at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The election is to find a successor to the suspended Sepp Blatter, who is under criminal investigation.

The 79-year-old Swiss announced he would be stepping down in June, with world football's governing body at the centre of a corruption scandal.

FIFA and Swiss prosecutors are investigating a £1.35m "gentleman's agreement" payment made in 2011 for work Platini did as Blatter's adviser nine years earlier.

Both men deny any wrongdoing and are appealing against their 90-day bans.