Shell invests in Mina West gas development in Egyptian Mediterranean Sea    Egypt's FM highlights 'soft power' in Mali meeting with alumni    Egypt's foreign minister opens business forum in Niger, targets new partnerships    Egypt's FM delivers Al-Sisi message to Niger's leader, seeks deeper security ties    Rafah Crossing 'never been closed for one day' from Egypt: PM    Egypt will keep pushing for Gaza peace, aid: PM    Remittances from Egyptians abroad surge 70% YoY in July–May: CBE    Sudan's ambassador to Egypt holds reconstruction talks on with Arab League    Egypt's current account gap narrows, but overall BoP records deficit    Al-Sisi urges accelerated oil, gas discoveries, lower import bill    Egypt hosts international neurosurgery conference to drive medical innovation    Egypt's EDA discusses Johnson & Johnson's plans to expand investment in local pharmaceutical sector    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi calls for boosting oil & gas investment to ease import burden    EGX to close Thursday for July 23 Revolution holiday    Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards    Egyptian Drug Authority discusses plans for joint pharmaceutical plant in Zambia    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    Egypt foils terrorist plot, kills two militants linked to Hasm group    Giza Pyramids' interior lighting updated with new LED system    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Korea Culture Week in Egypt to blend K-Pop with traditional arts    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Prince Ali to stand for FIFA presidency
Published in Ahram Online on 06 - 01 - 2015

Jordanian royal Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, a close ally of UEFA President Michel Platini, announced plans on Tuesday to challenge for the leadership of world soccer's scandal-hit governing body FIFA.
The current FIFA vice-president and head of the Jordanian and West Asian Football Federations said he had been encouraged to stand by colleagues disenchanted with Sepp Blatter's governance of the body, hit by endless corruption allegations.
The 39-year-old British and American educated Prince will join Jermone Champagne in challenging the 78-year-old Blatter, who is widely expected to announce this month his candidature for a fifth term in the May elections in Zurich.
"I am seeking the presidency of FIFA because I believe it is time to shift the focus away from administrative controversy and back to sport," Prince Ali said in a statement on Tuesday.
"This was not an easy decision. It came after careful consideration and many discussions with respected FIFA colleagues over the last few months.
"The message I heard, over and over, was that it is time for a change. The world game deserves a world-class governing body — an International Federation that is a service organisation and a model of ethics, transparency and good governance."
FIFA has lurched from one crisis to another, with many of its all powerful executive committee members leaving their positions in the wake of the controversy over the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar in 2010.
Blatter, first elected president in 1998, has held onto his position but has been criticised heavily for allowing corruption to take place under his watch.
Ethics investigator Michael Garcia resigned last month and complained about a lack of leadership in world soccer's governing body after being angered at the way his 43-page report into the bidding process for the World Cups was handled.
That, coupled with the never-ending row about when the Qatar World Cup will be hosted, has left Ali having had enough of the failings.
"The headlines should be about football, not about FIFA," he added.
"FIFA exists to serve a sport which unites billions of people from all over the world, people of differing and divergent political, religious and social affiliations, who come together in their enjoyment of 'the world's game'."
Ali first became Jordanian football president in 1999 before being elected as the Asian Football Confederation's FIFA Vice-President in 2011, surprisingly edging out powerful South Korean administrator Chung Mong-joon.
An initial ally of Blatter, relations between the two weakened over the course of Ali's four-year term as the Jordanian strengthened his ties with Platini, long tipped as a future FIFA President.
Ali, who campaigned long and hard for the allowance of hijabs in women's soccer, has seen his position weaken in Asia since the election of AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa in 2013.
The Bahraini pushed through legislation to ensure the AFC president would take the FIFA vice president seat, with Prince Ali accusing Shaikh Salman of playing politics.
The change will come into effect after the AFC elections later this year.
The move also led to speculation that Ali would stand for the AFC Presidency before Platini, who brings the total support of UEFA's 54 member associations, encouraged another FIFA leadership candidate after declining support for Blatter and Champagne.
(For more sports news andupdates, followAhramOnlineSports on Twitter at@AO_Sportsand onFacebookatAhramOnlineSports.)
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/119588.aspx


Clic here to read the story from its source.