Black Friday is Now! Don’t miss out on up to 60% OFF InvestingProCLAIM SALE

Prince Ali calls for 10-year reform of 'secretive' FIFA

Published 10/01/2015, 23:19
Updated 10/01/2015, 23:20
© Reuters. FIFA President Sepp Blatter and Jordan's Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein hold a joint news conference in Amman

(Reuters) - FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein will launch a 10-year programme to restore confidence in football's "secretive" world governing body if elected.

The Jordanian prince last week announced he would run for football's top job and is in campaign mode to drum up support to unseat incumbent Sepp Blatter who is bidding for a fifth consecutive term.

"I believe we should be totally transparent," the BBC on Saturday quoted Prince Ali as saying. "I will look to a 10-year programme for the organisation, where everyone is a part of it and ourselves as the executive committee will implement it.

"In the coming months, I will be looking to sit down and talk to all our member associations and listen to them.

"I'm not coming in to dictate. I have my ideas and progress I want to implement, but I have to hear back from my colleagues."

The 39-year-old prince's decision to run has breathed new life into the presidential run-off but he faces an uphill battle to beat Swiss Blatter in the May election.

Frenchman Jerome Champagne is also standing.

A member of FIFA's powerful executive committee and a vice-president of the Asian Football Confederation, Prince Ali attended an AFC meeting in Melbourne on Friday but senior officials there declined to back his candidacy, saying the bloc was unanimously behind Blatter.

On announcing his candidacy, Prince Ali said he wanted to shift the focus on FIFA from "administrative controversy" back to the sport.

FIFA has been under fire over its handling of an investigation into allegations of corruption in the bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups which were won by Russia and Qatar respectively.

In November, FIFA's ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert issued a summary of chief investigator Michael Garcia's report.

The summary identified cases of "inappropriate conduct" in a number of the bids but said there was not enough evidence to justify reopening the process.

Under pressure to release more details, FIFA said last month it would publish an "appropriate" version of the report but the Russia and Qatar World Cups would still go ahead.

"Reform is crucial," Prince Ali said. "I was the first to ask for the Garcia report to come out. We should have nothing to hide.

"FIFA as an organisation tends to be a bit secretive, but we should be confident and happy to be open and engaged with everyone.

© Reuters. FIFA President Sepp Blatter and Jordan's Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein hold a joint news conference in Amman

"I don't see a reason to be guarded. We have to bring the administration of sport into the current time we live in. I want to bring back that confidence."

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.