Prince Ali becomes sole challenger to Blatter in FIFA race

HRH Prince Ali became the only challenger to incumbent Sepp Blatter in the FIFA presidential election race after two other candidates pulled out on Thursday.

Dutch candidate Michael van Praag has withdrawn from next week’s election and thrown his weight behind Prince Ali, he said on Thursday.

Hours later, former Portugal forward Luis Figo announced that he was pulling out of the race.

“Michael van Praag decided to withdraw his candidacy to become the next FIFA president and to join forces with presidential candidate Prince Ali,” said a statement published by his campaign organisers on Thursday.

The Dutch FA president added that he had made the decision after “thorough deliberation and reflection with different involved parties and stakeholders” and would hold a news conference later on Thursday.

Portuguese candidate Figo later in the day announced his withdrawal from the race on his Facebook page.

“My decision is made, I will not stand in what is being called an election for the FIFA presidency,” he said.

“After a personal reflection and sharing views with two other candidates in this process, I believe that what is going to happen on May 29 in Zurich is not a normal electoral act. And because it is not, don’t count on me.”

“There has not been a single public debate about each candidate’s proposals,” said the 42-year-old Figo in announcing his decision.

“Does anyone think it’s normal that an election for one of the most relevant organisations on the planet can go ahead without a public debate?”

“Does anyone think it’s normal that one of the candidates doesn’t even bother to present an election manifesto that can be voted on May 29,” he said referring to Blatter.

“Shouldn’t it be mandatory to present such a manifesto so that federation presidents know what they’re voting for?

“This electoral process is anything but an election.

“This [election] process is a plebiscite for the delivery of absolute power to one man — something I refuse to go along with.

“I do not fear the ballot box, but I will not go along with nor will I give my consent to a process which will end on May 29 and from which soccer will not emerge the winner.”

He added: “I have witnessed consecutive incidents, all over the world, that should shame anyone who desires soccer to be free, clean and democratic.

“I have seen with my own eyes federation presidents who, after one day comparing FIFA leaders to the devil, then go on stage and compare those same people with Jesus Christ.

“Nobody told me about this. I saw it with my own eyes.”

Determination

A quiet, steely, determination runs through Prince Ali, president of the Jordan Football Association, who has brought a breath of fresh air to FIFA politics since he was elected to its executive committee four years ago.

Prince Ali, 39, has gained widespread support as something of a reforming influence on the executive but unless he wins the presidential election on May 29 in Zurich, that influence will end.

Not everyone supports the idea of reform and modernisation at world football’s top table and he has become the victim of political machinations in his own Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

That means the seat he occupies as vice-president will now be taken by AFC president Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain.

The Prince, who exudes a polite charm and never appears flustered at least in public, does not have a problem with that principle.

But he was not prepared to stand as an ordinary Asian member seeking a seat back on the FIFA executive committee through a vote by AFC delegates after the AFC last year endorsed Sepp Blatter to continue as president.

Prince Ali and Blatter, once close, became politically estranged because of moves behind the scenes and also because the prince was not prepared to sit back and be a good boy as the youngest member on the executive and do as he was told.

He quickly saw where reforms should be made and is now challenging for the presidency on a platform to change FIFA and unseat Blatter, who originally welcomed him as an amenable ally.

His manifesto “A FIFA Worthy of the World’s Game” emphasises the need to have a more open and transparent organisation.

“It is time to shift the focus away from administrative controversy and back to sport. The headlines should be about football again, not FIFA,” he said when launching his campaign in January.

The prince was quick to correct a rumour that suggested he was thinking of doing that last month, and of all the candidates he appears to have the strongest global support. Whether that will be enough to see him win the ballot, is of course, another matter.

By 35 he was Asia’s vice-president on FIFA and among other things he founded the West Asian Football Federation giving a greater voice to the countries in his region.

He also founded the Asian Football Development Programme which has ploughed vast resources into the grass roots of the game across the vast, sprawling populous continent.

One of his most notable victories was successfully fighting to lift the ban which forbade women and girls playing organised football wearing the hijab or head-scarf.

He also helped Jordan win the right to stage next year’s Under-17 women’s World Cup in the heart of the Arab world.

The prince speaks quietly, has a modest air about him, commands respect and, in his own charming way, generally speaks a great deal of sense.

Those qualities might not be enough to enable him to unseat Blatter but it would be to FIFA’s detriment if they were lost to the organisation for good.Reuters

HRH Prince Ali became the only challenger to incumbent Sepp Blatter in the FIFA presidential election race after two other candidates pulled out on Thursday.

Dutch candidate Michael van Praag has withdrawn from next week’s election and thrown his weight behind Prince Ali, he said on Thursday.

Hours later, former Portugal forward Luis Figo announced that he was pulling out of the race.

“Michael van Praag decided to withdraw his candidacy to become the next FIFA president and to join forces with presidential candidate Prince Ali,” said a statement published by his campaign organisers on Thursday.

The Dutch FA president added that he had made the decision after “thorough deliberation and reflection with different involved parties and stakeholders” and would hold a news conference later on Thursday.

Portuguese candidate Figo later in the day announced his withdrawal from the race on his Facebook page.

“My decision is made, I will not stand in what is being called an election for the FIFA presidency,” he said.

“After a personal reflection and sharing views with two other candidates in this process, I believe that what is going to happen on May 29 in Zurich is not a normal electoral act. And because it is not, don’t count on me.”

“There has not been a single public debate about each candidate’s proposals,” said the 42-year-old Figo in announcing his decision.

“Does anyone think it’s normal that an election for one of the most relevant organisations on the planet can go ahead without a public debate?”

“Does anyone think it’s normal that one of the candidates doesn’t even bother to present an election manifesto that can be voted on May 29,” he said referring to Blatter.

“Shouldn’t it be mandatory to present such a manifesto so that federation presidents know what they’re voting for?

“This electoral process is anything but an election.

“This [election] process is a plebiscite for the delivery of absolute power to one man — something I refuse to go along with.

“I do not fear the ballot box, but I will not go along with nor will I give my consent to a process which will end on May 29 and from which soccer will not emerge the winner.”

He added: “I have witnessed consecutive incidents, all over the world, that should shame anyone who desires soccer to be free, clean and democratic.

“I have seen with my own eyes federation presidents who, after one day comparing FIFA leaders to the devil, then go on stage and compare those same people with Jesus Christ.

“Nobody told me about this. I saw it with my own eyes.”

Determination

A quiet, steely, determination runs through Prince Ali, president of the Jordan Football Association, who has brought a breath of fresh air to FIFA politics since he was elected to its executive committee four years ago.

Prince Ali, 39, has gained widespread support as something of a reforming influence on the executive but unless he wins the presidential election on May 29 in Zurich, that influence will end.

Not everyone supports the idea of reform and modernisation at world football’s top table and he has become the victim of political machinations in his own Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

That means the seat he occupies as vice-president will now be taken by AFC president Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain.

The Prince, who exudes a polite charm and never appears flustered at least in public, does not have a problem with that principle.

But he was not prepared to stand as an ordinary Asian member seeking a seat back on the FIFA executive committee through a vote by AFC delegates after the AFC last year endorsed Sepp Blatter to continue as president.

Prince Ali and Blatter, once close, became politically estranged because of moves behind the scenes and also because the prince was not prepared to sit back and be a good boy as the youngest member on the executive and do as he was told.

He quickly saw where reforms should be made and is now challenging for the presidency on a platform to change FIFA and unseat Blatter, who originally welcomed him as an amenable ally.

His manifesto “A FIFA Worthy of the World’s Game” emphasises the need to have a more open and transparent organisation.

“It is time to shift the focus away from administrative controversy and back to sport. The headlines should be about football again, not FIFA,” he said when launching his campaign in January.

The prince was quick to correct a rumour that suggested he was thinking of doing that last month, and of all the candidates he appears to have the strongest global support. Whether that will be enough to see him win the ballot, is of course, another matter.

By 35 he was Asia’s vice-president on FIFA and among other things he founded the West Asian Football Federation giving a greater voice to the countries in his region.

He also founded the Asian Football Development Programme which has ploughed vast resources into the grass roots of the game across the vast, sprawling populous continent.

One of his most notable victories was successfully fighting to lift the ban which forbade women and girls playing organised football wearing the hijab or head-scarf.

He also helped Jordan win the right to stage next year’s Under-17 women’s World Cup in the heart of the Arab world.

The prince speaks quietly, has a modest air about him, commands respect and, in his own charming way, generally speaks a great deal of sense.

Those qualities might not be enough to enable him to unseat Blatter but it would be to FIFA’s detriment if they were lost to the organisation for good.