By Andrew Warshaw
June 6 – The newest and youngest member of FIFA’s inner sanctum says everyone within the organisation’s hierarchy must now be held accountable for their actions following the biggest bribery scandal in the history of world football.
As the inquiry into whether Jack Warner and Mohamed Bin Hammam offered inducements to 25 Caribbean member nations intensifies, Jordan’s 35-year-old Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein says he intends to try and concentrate on football rather than the internecine warfare that has caused such divisions.
Earlier this year, in arguably the biggest ever power shift within FIFA’s Executive Committee, Prince Ali ousted long-standing incumbent Chung Mong-joon of South Korea as Asia’s FIFA vice-president – one of the most influential positions in world football.
The continent might have had a terrible press in the wake of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Bin Hammam’s temporary suspension but Prince Ali – a staunch Sepp Blatter supporter – says it comes first and rejects any suggestion that Qatar should not hold the World Cup in 2022.
“One individual is not a complete continent,” the Prince, who attended his first FIFA Congress as an Executive Committee member in Zurich last week, said in an exclusive interview with insideworldfootball.
“There is a long way to go to 2022.
“This has not been about Qatar.
“It’s been about one individual.
“Any country, regardless of their size, has their right to host.
“It shouldn’t be about image.
“Everything should be judged on planning and preparation.”
The Prince is the third of the late King Hussein’s children to gain high office in the international sports arena following his sister Princess Haya, the President of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and Prince Faisal, the head of the Jordan Olympic Committee.
Both are members of the International Olympic Committee.
But Prince Ali (pictured with Blatter) insists he has no interest in being in the role for more than one term.
Developing youth and women’s football, and setting up a new foundation out of his own pocket, are among his biggest priorities.
Politics is not.
He may have arrived at the worst possible time in terms of FIFA’s reputation but wants to bring a fresh blueprint to the way the organisation operates.
“There is way too much politics going on,” he said.
“I don’t care about that stuff.
“I know things are shaky but I want to concentrate of football.
“Yes we have to strengthen the framework within FIFA but it must be to serve football.
“I believe that if that if we do that, it will become a symbol of how things should be done.
“Decisions can’t be made the way they have been in the past, otherwise we’ll be in a lot of trouble.
“I say hold me responsible for my actions and I believe every single one of the FIFA ExCo needs to do exactly the same.
“Hold us all accountable because at the end of the day it’s not about personalities.
“I want to show that this is a position where you don’t just show up at meetings, it’s about serving the game we all love.
“Whether it’s today or in four years, I won’t change.
“Enough is enough.”
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