Prince Ali submits FIFA presidency bid
AMMAN, Jordan — Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein has submitted his candidacy for the upcoming FIFA presidential election and pledged to restore the image of the governing body if elected in February.
The Jordanian is not naming the five nominators who backed him ahead of the Oct. 26 deadline for contenders.
Prince Ali failed to unseat Sepp Blatter in May’s election but the president’s subsequent resignation created a vacancy again with a Feb. 26 poll.
Blatter was last week suspended from his job and is under criminal investigation over alleged wrongdoing as president.
Prince Ali said on Thursday: “This time of crisis at FIFA is an opportunity for positive change. Many good ideas have emerged in the current discussion over FIFA’s future.
“A better future will only come if ideas turn into action – and that will only happen if FIFA has the right leadership. I am confident that FIFA can emerge from this difficult period with its reputation restored and become (an) organisation that is once again viewed with respect.”
He has also emailed the heads of all of FIFA’s member associations saying the “dark cloud” over FIFA’s leadership should not overshadow the good work done.
“I have never lost sight of the fact that there are so many good and honest people within the global FIFA organisation,” he said. “The crisis at FIFA is a crisis of leadership. I believe in this organisation. Together we will make it great again.”
UEFA’s 54 member associations are meeting to discuss the crisis later on Thursday while Michel Platini is facing the prospect of a number of European countries — including the four British associations – turning their back on him as a result of his 2million Swiss franc (£1.35m) payment from FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
The disclosure that no written contract for the payment has been provided to FIFA’s ethics committee – which has provisionally suspended UEFA president Platini and Blatter for 90 days – has caused consternation among those who had initially backed the Frenchman.
On Wednesday, Prince Ali said that delaying February’s presidential election would further harm the credibility of the organisation.
Meanwhile, Asian football president Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa from Bahrain is also actively considering now running for the FIFA presidency.
Information from the Press Association was used in this report.
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