Bin Hammam claims he is "well placed" in race against Blatter after meeting FA

By Andrew Warshaw

April 28 – FIFA Presidential contender Mohamed Bin Hammam flew into London for a meeting with Football Association officials today and afterwards declared himself “well-placed” in the contest against Sepp Blatter.

Bin Hammam met FA chairman David Bernstein at Wembley before flying on to Paris after the latest stop in an intensive lobbying tour ahead of the election in Zurich on June 1.

Bin Hammam and Blatter have been trading tit-for-tat offers of increased financial help to FIFA member nations as they attempt to secure votes and the Asian challenger said he has been heartened by pledges of support.

The FA will decide at a board meeting on May 19 who to back, with many senior figures privately favouring Bin Hammam rather than a fourth Blatter term.

Unlike Blatter, who has hired two experienced journalists to promote his bid, Bin Hammam, president of the Asian Football Confederation, appears virtually to be running his own public relations campaign, with just a couple of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) aides criss-crossing the globe with him.

Insideworldfootball understands that one of his Asian-based advisers failed to receive the requisite visa to visit Britain and had to remain in Malaysia where the AFC is based.

Before boarding a flight to the French capital, Bin Hammam, who discussed details of his manifesto with Bernstein and other FA officials, said he was picking up support wherever he travels.

“I said when I announce my candidacy that my chances were 50-50 and although I would not change that figure I am feeling confident,” he said.

The 61-year-old Qatari has promised to double the financial support handed out to each of FIFA’s 208 member associations to $500,000 annually.

Blatter has responded by pledging to provide more than $1 billion in developments funds.

Bin Hammam denied such methods were a way of buying votes.

“People want to hear what the candidate is going to help them with,” he said.

“The need for the funds is essential for national associations – they need to have development projects, national teams, youth teams, facilities and it all costs money.

“This is not an improper act – people should know what I’m planning.”

English officials are still fuming at receiving only two votes for their 2018 World Cup bid but bin Hammam sidestepped the issue.

“I am more interested in explaining myself and my manifesto,” he said.

“I hope every member association will give me the opportunity to present my vision for the future.”

Bin Hammam’s next major port of call, after a one-night stop in Paris, will be Paraguay on a special chartered flight.

The destination is no surprise given that the CONMEBOL Congress which covers South America takes place in the capital Asuncion on Sunday (May 1), followed two days later by the CONCACAF Congress in Miami.

Both are fertile voting ground for the two candidates.

After the meeting at Wembley, the FA put out a brief statement saying a range of topics had been covered and that those in attendance included Bernstein, general secretary Alex Horne and head of international relations Jane Bateman.

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