UEFA president Johansson may apply for re-election

STOCKHOLM, Apr 26 (Reuters) UEFA president Lennart Johansson may run for another four-year term when his presidency expires in 2007, he has told Swedish public television.

''Nobody has applied as a candidate...and those who have shown interest don't have the competence it demands, so I am considering it,'' he said on the SVT channel today.

''I am being subjected to a persuasion campaign, and if the situation remains the same I am ready to run for it. I would rather continue then have someone else ruin everything.'' The 76-year-old Swede has ruled European soccer's governing body since 1990 and has already been re-elected three times.

Johnasson had said he would not seek re-election again and expressed the hope that Franz Beckenbauer, the president of Germany's World Cup organising committee, would succeed him.

REUTERS PDS BST1958