By Andrew Warshaw
January 26 – Yet another twist has emerged in the FIFA Presidential election later this year with the President of the Asian Football Confederation, Mohammed Bin Hammam, revealing he has been asked to stand against Sepp Blatter to lead football’s world governing body.
The 61-year-old Qatari has been widely touted as a possible challenger to Blatter but has continually refused to say whether or not he will take him on at the FIFA Congress in Paris on June 1.
Blatter wants an unprecedented fourth term in office and although Bin Hammam has questioned FIFA’s transparency under the 74-year-old Swiss, he has not yet announced officially whether to challenge him.
He has until April 1 to do so.
In an interview with the German press agency DPA, Bin Hammam admitted publicly for the first time he had been asked by colleagues in FIFA to stand, though he did not say by whom.
“Yes, I have been, but I don’t think I am the only one,” he replied when asked a direct question.
Bin Hammam has long believed that four terms is too many and that fresh blood is needed to take FIFA forward, particularly following the recent spate of corruption allegations.
“Blatter will, even if he is serious and so honest in his approach to fight corruption or to be more transparent, always be confronted by people who do not believe in his approach,” he told DPA.
“The more they want to stay in the position, the game is getting less important in their acts and their daily work.
“Their focus is always: How can I stay longer.
“This is actually where the corruption in big organisations starts.
“That’s why I think change is very much necessary.
“We are not talking only about FIFA, but let me say international organisations should have limited mandates.
“The FIFA President should have a maximum of eight to 12 years.”
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