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Prince Ali of Jordan to Challenge Sepp Blatter for FIFA Presidency Prince Will Challenge FIFA President
(35 minutes later)
Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, who has been critical of FIFA’s leadership from his seat on the organization’s ruling executive committee, announced Tuesday that he would challenge Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency in elections in May.Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, who has been critical of FIFA’s leadership from his seat on the organization’s ruling executive committee, announced Tuesday that he would challenge Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency in elections in May.
Prince Ali, 39, is the president of Jordan’s soccer federation and has been a member of FIFA’s governing executive committee since 2011, as a vice president representing Asia. Recently, he has become a leading voice among a younger generation of ExCo members pushing for transparency and reform of FIFA’s traditionally secretive governance process in the wake of persistent accusations of bribery and other financial misdeeds lodged against the organization’s leaders. Prince Ali, 39, is the president of Jordan’s soccer federation, and since 2011, he has been on the governing committee of FIFA, the sport’s world governing body, as a vice president representing Asia. Recently, he has become a leading voice among a younger generation of committee members pushing for transparency and reform of FIFA’s traditionally secretive governing process in the wake of persistent accusations of bribery and other financial misdeeds lodged against the organization’s leaders.
Most recently, Prince Ali and several other members of the ExCo called for the public release of an internal report investigating the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Questions about the bidding process for those tournaments, which were awarded to Russia and Qatar, have led to mounting criticism of FIFA and raised questions about the continuing leadership of Blatter, who has announced he is seeking a fifth term as president. Most recently, Prince Ali and several other members of the committee, known as the ExCo, called for the public release of an internal report investigating the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Questions about the bidding for those tournaments, which were awarded to Russia and Qatar, have led to mounting criticism of FIFA and raised questions about the continuing leadership of Blatter, who is seeking a fifth term as president.
FIFA’s membership will elect a new president on May 29 in Zurich in a secret ballot. Blatter turns 79 in March. FIFA’s membership will vote for president on May 29 in Zurich in a secret ballot. Blatter turns 79 in March.
“It is time to shift the focus away from administrative controversy and back to sport,” Prince Ali said in a statement announcing his candidacy.“It is time to shift the focus away from administrative controversy and back to sport,” Prince Ali said in a statement announcing his candidacy.
“The headlines should be about football,” he added, “not about FIFA.” He added, “The headlines should be about football, not about FIFA.”
To critics of FIFA, Prince Ali’s voice on the executive committee has been a positive development in the game, but defeating Blatter — who joined the organization before the prince was born, who has served as its president since 1998 and who was unopposed in his past two elections — will be a herculean undertaking.To critics of FIFA, Prince Ali’s voice on the executive committee has been a positive development in the game, but defeating Blatter — who joined the organization before the prince was born, who has served as its president since 1998 and who was unopposed in his past two elections — will be a herculean undertaking.
Blatter is thought to have the support of five of FIFA’s six confederations, including Prince Ali’s own Asian Football Confederation. It is likely that Prince Ali could draw support in Europe, where criticism of Blatter has been loudest, and in Concacaf, since his insurgent voice on the ExCo has often been joined by that federation’s president, Jeffrey Webb of the Cayman Islands, and the U.S. Soccer president, Sunil Gulati.Blatter is thought to have the support of five of FIFA’s six confederations, including Prince Ali’s own Asian Football Confederation. It is likely that Prince Ali could draw support in Europe, where criticism of Blatter has been loudest, and in Concacaf, since his insurgent voice on the ExCo has often been joined by that federation’s president, Jeffrey Webb of the Cayman Islands, and the U.S. Soccer president, Sunil Gulati.
In a statement, the president of UEFA, Michel Platini, seemed to welcome the entry into the race of Prince Ali, a longtime ally and friend, perhaps because it might free Platini from mounting or supporting a challenge to Blatter from Europe, or even bidding for the job itself. But Platini stopped short of expressing his unequivocal support for Hussein’s bid. In a statement, Michel Platini, the president of UEFA, the European soccer authority, seemed to welcome the entry into the race of Prince Ali, a longtime ally and friend, perhaps because it might free Platini from mounting or supporting a challenge to Blatter from Europe. But Platini stopped short of expressing his unequivocal support for Prince Ali’s bid.
“I know Prince Ali well,” Platini said. “He has all the credibility required to hold high office. We now await his proposals and his program for the future of football.”“I know Prince Ali well,” Platini said. “He has all the credibility required to hold high office. We now await his proposals and his program for the future of football.”
Hussein is the third candidate to publicly declare his intention to run for the FIFA presidency, joining Blatter and Jérôme Champagne of France, a former FIFA staff member whose long-shot candidacy may be doomed by Hussein’s entry into the race. Prince Ali is the third candidate to announce his intention to run for the FIFA presidency, joining Blatter and Jérôme Champagne of France, a former FIFA staff member whose long-shot candidacy may be doomed by Prince Ali’s entry into the race.