BY JONAS TERRADO
NONONG Araneta and Ricky Yanson will contest the presidency of the Philippine Football Federation in Friday’s national congress at the Century Park Hotel.
Araneta is seeking a third and final term as head of the national football federation opposite Yanson, who serves as president of the Negros Occidental Football Association.
Football Association presidents from across the country will cast their votes on whether they’ll go with Araneta for one more term or pick for fresh leadership in Yanson.
If elected anew, Araneta plans to continue the programs already in place while focusing on the formation of age-group leagues to compliment the pro league Philippines Football League, which recently secured a partnership with Qatar Airways.
Yanson, on the other hand, plans to put more grassroots tournament and strengthen the PFL. He has spent the past few months organizing leagues such as the NOFA Cup, Mindanao Cup and Luzon Cup.
The election will be held amid a corporate feud between the Bacolod-based Yanson family that may spill over to football.
Araneta has the backing of Ceres-Negros club chairman Leo Rey Yanson, who battled Ricky and his other siblings for control over the family’s bus company.
Ricky declared his bid last September while he announced that Araneta will slide down as his running mate.
But Araneta decided to announce his re-election campaign last month, adding that he wanted to protect the sport from infighting.
