Sep 15, 2015 Jordan’s Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein recently affirmed his decision to run for FIFA’s presidency. The 39 year old made this known at the Royal institute of international affair in London, saying he wants to be the man to lead soccer out of the “danger” it has been put in by its current leadership.
Prince Ali, while officially announced his candidacy at the Jordanian capital, said:
“I stood in Amman yesterday and announced that I would seek election because FIFA was in danger. The future of football in danger and if we do not act now, it may be too late. Without an intact governing body, without a World Cup in which all regions of the world participate, without a brand that is attractive to sponsors, we will have nothing. We will get nothing and we will go nowhere.”
Prince Ali is the third heavyweight to declare interest in the FIFA top spot alongside Michel Platini of France, and Chung Mong-joon of South Korea. He went on to say that his campaign will focus on reforming the organization.
“The facts are clear – Football has carried FIFA. But the beautiful game cannot save its governing body from itself any longer. It is time for us to take the first step, the first quiet step, to rebuilding football together.”
He went on to say that change will only be achieved through a drastic change in leadership and that the current FIFA leadership should take responsibility for the crisis that has engulfed the organization.
“I think any organization, wherever it is or whatever it is, the leadership must take responsibility if there are major failings within the organization. That is a given. And no matter what you do at this stage, you cannot bring back the reputation of the organization if things happen under your watch,”
The Jordanian prince concluded his speech by stressing the importance of transparency in the build up to February election.
“We went to confederations and, as candidates; we were not even allowed to speak. Which is a real shame when you talk about democracy. If I have candidates up there I want to ask them what their ideas are, how they can help us… But that system was not allowed to take place and that was a real shame. So, in that respect, there was no democracy in any way, shape, or form, in terms of the election. And I am really concerned that that might become the case again,”