By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
July 20 – The prospect of Michel Platini becoming the new FIFA president has taken a potentially decisive turn with the suggestion that four of FIFA’s six confederations would like him to stand.
As Sepp Blatter prepared to face the international media for the first time since announcing he was stepping down, it emerged that the UEFA chief has been strongly encouraged to put his name forward to replace his mentor-turned-foe.
Platini is reported to have had assurances of support from his own confederation, Asia, South America and CONCACAF according to reports emanating from briefings given to journalists on the sidelines of today’s FIFA executive committee session, the first since the organisation was plunged into its most serious corruption crisis ever.
Platini is believed to have held talks here on Sunday night with Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and, just as significantly, with Kuwaiti powerbroker Sheikh Ahmed Al Sabah, the Asian Olympics supremo who has only just joined the FIFA exco. The pair would prove formidable allies for Platini given the AFC has 46 members to add to UEFA’s 53. Together, that would represent almost half of FIFA’s 209 nations.
If the reports are true and with Blatter out of the picture, Platini would be a shoo-in for the FIFA presidency despite rejecting the chance to go for it last time, indicating he wasn’t interested and that he still had important work to complete at UEFA. If he really does have the support of four confederations, it would be difficult to see anyone beating him even though senior FIFA sources have indicated it would be preferable to have a minimum three candidates.
Meanwhile, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, the Jordanian FA boss beaten by Blatter in May, says he should step down immediately rather than wait until an extraordinary Congress in a few months’ time – the actual date of which was being decided today.
Prince Ali no longer has a senior position of power within FIFA having lost his two main roles but was quoted as saying: “President Blatter’s resignation cannot be dragged out any longer. He must leave now.
“He cannot be permitted to plan his succession and manage this election process. An interim independent leadership must be appointed to administer the process of the elections, in addition to the reforms that are being discussed prior to the elections.”
However, Blatter is not expected to backtrack on his announcement to remain in charge until the official election takes place.
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