Lisle Austin, suspended as acting president of Concacaf, has asked FIFA to intervene in the ongoing battle between him and general secretary Chuck Blazer, backed by the Concacaf executive committee, for control of the regional confederation that governs among other things the Gold Cup. Austin's request comes despite FIFA's move to extend Austin's suspension worldwide.

Austin, who hails from Barbados, took over the regional body as its senior vice president after Trinidadian Jack Warner was provisionally removed by FIFA in the Caribbean bribe scandal. Austin twice tried to fire Blazer, who turned in Warner, former FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam and two Caribbean soccer officials.

“The organization is under attack from within by those who refuse to respect the statutes of Concacaf and have no regard for the rights and interests of the members,” Austin said in an e-mailed statement. ‘I will not stand idly by while this happens and hope, through FIFA intervention or other means, to restore order to Concacaf as soon as possible."