GENEVA (AP) – FIFA vice president Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan will stand for election in a bid to oust Sepp Blatter as leader of football’s scandal-hit world governing body.
The 39-year-old Prince Ali declared his intention Tuesday to stand as a candidate in the FIFA presidential election on May 29 in Zurich, where Blatter has pledged to seek a fifth mandate at age 79.
“This was not an easy decision,” the prince said in a single-page statement in which he pledged to run a positive campaign and did not specifically mention Blatter. “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,” said Prince Ali, who has been encouraged to run by European football governing body UEFA and its President Michel Platini.
During Blatter’s 17-year leadership, FIFA has been rocked by bribery allegations in presidential elections and World Cup bidding, kickbacks paid to senior officials and World Cup ticket scams.