By Andrew Warshaw in Doha
January 6 – Against all the odds, FIFA gained a new vice-president today when Jordan’s Prince Ali bin Al Hussein ousted long-standing incumbent Chung Mong-joon of South Korea for one of the most powerful positions in world football.
Prince Ali, viewed as being close to FIFA President Sepp Blatter, stunningly upset Chung – who had held the position since 1994 – by 25 votes to 20 at the Asian Football Confederation congress in Doha.
Prince Ali is the latest of the late King Hussein’s children to gain high office in the international sports arena.
Princess Haya is President of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), while Prince Faisal is head of the Jordanian Olympic Committee.
Both are also members of the International Olympic Committee.
At 35, the Prince, head of the Jordanian FA for the past 10 years, becomes by far the youngest FIFA Executive Committee member and was at pains not to criticise his predecessor.
Chung has long been one of the most influential FIFA Executive Committee members and in the late 1990s was one of the architects of South Korea’s bid to jointly stage the World Cup in 2002.
But Prince Ali said there was “much to resolve” -not least making sure that dealings between federations are open and transparent.
“I hope in four years’ time all the national associations will say this man served us, he worked for us and he belonged to us,” said Prince Ali.
“There needs to be much more interaction between us.”
Tellingly, he appeared to rule out supporting his own confederation should AFC president Mohamed Bin Hammam challenge Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency this year.
“I support President Blatter for his election and wish him all the best,” was his one-sentence reply.
In a further development, Worawi Makudi of Thailand retained his FIFA Executive Committee seat and was joined, in a further twist to a significant power shift in Asia, by Vernon Manilal Fernando of Sri Lanka who took over from the retiring Junji Ogura of Japan.
Earlier, as expected, Bin Hammam was unanimously re-elected as AFC President and is now the only realistic candidate from Asia who could take on Blatter for the top job following Chung’s surprise exit, which was arguably more of a shock than Qatar winning the 2022 World Cup vote.
In a juicy coincidence, just as Prince Ali was giving his triumphant press conference, at the other end of the Sheraton hotel, in Doha, Bin Hammam admitted he had voted for Chung.
“In life we learn to win and lose,” said Bin Hammam, who tried to put on a brave face but was clearly disappointed.
“Was I surprised? Maybe but Prince Ali is most welcome.”
But with Chung’s power base lost, can Bin Hammam possibly risk taking on Blatter, as he has hinted he might, come next summer?
“I will not state whether I am going to run or not,” he said.
“If I am a candidate, I will depend on my own capability as to whether I can do the job or not.
“If I run for any position, it is the right of the people to support me or choose to work with someone else.”
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