Saturday, 23 November 2024

Platini, Prince Ali and the Fifa presidency hopefuls

With Sepp Blatter about to leave his post, there are a number of potential candidates already in with a chance of succeeding him

Less than a week after Sepp Blatter was re-elected as Fifa president until 2019, football finds itself back in the market for a new administrative leader.

As Blatter's shock resignation on Tuesday begins to sink in, several leading members of sports administration will now consider whether to throw their hat into the ring to replace the long-serving president.

But while David Ginola has already announced his intention to stand and Luis Figo may again pledge himself to the cause, there are a number of other figures who are expected to be among those showing an interest in the leading role.

Here, Goal runs through a handful of the big-hitters who could run for the presidency.

PRINCE ALI BIN AL-HUSSEIN


 

After Luis Figo and Michael van Praag pulled out of the race for Fifa president, Prince Ali was the only opponent left to fight Blatter as the Swiss marched to a fifth term in power. But having gained the favour of 73 member nations, the Jordanian may well believe he has what it takes to persuade another 32 that he is the man to lead football into the post-Blatter era after announcing he will again run for the post.

Last time around, Prince Ali was able to garner enough support to meet the minimum requirements of the election process even before he had made any pledges regarding his plans for football. But a wider pool of candidates under the modernisation banner may see the 39-year-old's voter base split.



SHEIKH AHMAD AL-FAHAD AL-SABAH


Many people within football expected Sheikh Ahmad to make a play for the Fifa presidency in 2019 under the assumption that Blatter would retain the position throughout his fifth term. But the shock events of the past week may well see the Kuwaiti accelerate his power play.

Currently the president of the Olympic Council of Asia and a big name in the corridors of the International Olympic Committee, the 51-year-old was said to be targetting one of the AFC's places on the Fifa Executive Committee during the 2015-19 cycle until Blatter's resignation. The Sheikh formerly served in the Kuwaiti army and was minister of oil under his uncle's premiership in his home country.



DAVID GILL


David Gill was elected as Britain's Fifa vice-president in March only to announce his intention to resign after Sepp Blatter was given a new mandate as president. But the news of Blatter's exit was immediately followed by the news that Gill - who had not yet formally handed in his notice - would now take up the role as planned.



"Having yet to confirm formally my resignation, I am more than willing to play my part in helping to bring about a positive future for Fifa and to work with the many people within the organisation who are only committed to developing and promoting the game around the world," Gill said in a statement on Tuesday.

The 57-year-old former Manchester United executive has also sat on the English FA board and became a Uefa Executive Committee member in 2013.

ISSA HAYATOU


The 68-year-old Cameroonian has been president of Caf for the past 27 years and has already run for the Fifa presidency once, losing out to Blatter in 2002 after gaining 56 votes to the Swiss' 139.

In 2011 he was reprimanded by the IOC for taking kickbacks as part of an investigation into relationships between major sporting figures and the former sports marketing company ISL. Hayatou denied corruption, claiming he received the $20,000 from ISL as a gift for his confederation. He was later named by the Sunday Times as one of the leading executives linked to Mohammed Bin Hammam's alleged attempts to garner votes for the 2022 Qatar World Cup bid.

As a member of the Blatterite African confederation, Hayatou may well find himself heavily backed by member nations should he decided to stand.



MICHEL PLATINI


Having announced he would not run against Sepp Blatter for presidency, the current Uefa president may finally throw his name into the hat after the 79-year-old's demise. The Frenchman has gained many supporters around the European game for his introduction of the Financial Fair Play legislation and concern for child welfare, but also courted criticism for his support for Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup.

The 59-year-old called Blatter's resignation "a brave decision" having previously appealed to the Swiss in person not to stand for a fifth term in charge. Platini is many bookmakers' early favourite to win the election at Fifa's Extraordinary Congress.

 

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