Bin Hammam wins Korean backing for FIFA job
Source: Agencies |
April 6, 2011, Wednesday
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Print Edition
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AFTER being confirmed as the only challenger to Sepp Blatter's 13-year rule of FIFA, Mohamed Bin Hammam said on Monday that he hoped the presidential election on June 1 would show the organization is not corrupt.
The Asian Football Confederation president and Blatter are embarking on a two-month showdown for the top job in world football after being the only candidates to be nominated by last week's deadline.
Bin Hammam helped to manage the first two of Blatter's three election victories, but the former allies have grown apart.
The cornerstone of the 61-year-old Qatari's campaign will be transparency after FIFA was rocked by allegations of corruption during bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Bin Hammam said he will write to Blatter to "let him know that I see this election as an opportunity for us to prove that FIFA is not corrupt and that the organization is open and democratic."
"I will tell him that throughout this campaign we should respect FIFA's Statutes and protect FIFA's integrity by ensuring that there will be no outside interference in the attempt to win votes; the influence of third parties should not be tolerated or accepted," Bin Hammam added on his personal website.
"I am sure that Mr. Blatter will do his utmost to implement, in this campaign, FIFA's principles pertaining to the elections."
Bin Hammam decided to run after playing an important role in Qatar successfully winning the vote in December to host the 2022 World Cup. Yesterday, the Qatari received a boost to his campaign when he was backed by his former foe and ex-FIFA executive committee member Chung Mong-joon.
Bin Hammam sat alongside as Dr. Chung, who famously questioned the Qatari's mental health two years ago at the Asian Football Confederation Congress, said he was the right man for the job.
"We welcome the candidacy of Asian Football Confederation president Mohammed Bin Hammam," Chung said in Seoul yesterday.
"Blatter has served as FIFA secretary general and president for 30 years. Now it's time for him to give way to a new person."
Chung, who surprisingly lost his FIFA vice-president seat to Prince Ali of Jordan at the AFC Congress in January, remains an influential figure in world soccer having been part of the FIFA executive committee since 1994 and his family owning the giant Hyundai conglomerate.
The Korean, honorary chairman of the Korean Football Association, questioned Blatter's popularity.
"In terms of finances, FIFA is more successful than the (International Olympic Committee) IOC and the president should be admired, beloved and respected but Blatter is not. I can't say Bin Hammam is perfect but he is the right candidate to bring change and revolution to FIFA," he said.
The 75-year-old Blatter marked the official start of his campaign to seek a fourth and final four-year term by meeting officials at England's Football Association on Monday.
"I started my campaign at the end of March, 1998," Blatter said in London. "I am confident that the consolidation of football will be done over the next four years. I will come out with my manifesto soon."
The FA said in a statement that they discussed goal-line technology, the international football calendar, third-party ownership of players and the World Cup bidding process.
English football's governing body was at odds with Blatter during its failed bid for the 2018 tournament. As FIFA's executive committee prepared to vote in December, Blatter spoke of the "evil of the media" in England following investigations into corruption in the bidding process.
England received only two votes.
The Asian Football Confederation president and Blatter are embarking on a two-month showdown for the top job in world football after being the only candidates to be nominated by last week's deadline.
Bin Hammam helped to manage the first two of Blatter's three election victories, but the former allies have grown apart.
The cornerstone of the 61-year-old Qatari's campaign will be transparency after FIFA was rocked by allegations of corruption during bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Bin Hammam said he will write to Blatter to "let him know that I see this election as an opportunity for us to prove that FIFA is not corrupt and that the organization is open and democratic."
"I will tell him that throughout this campaign we should respect FIFA's Statutes and protect FIFA's integrity by ensuring that there will be no outside interference in the attempt to win votes; the influence of third parties should not be tolerated or accepted," Bin Hammam added on his personal website.
"I am sure that Mr. Blatter will do his utmost to implement, in this campaign, FIFA's principles pertaining to the elections."
Bin Hammam decided to run after playing an important role in Qatar successfully winning the vote in December to host the 2022 World Cup. Yesterday, the Qatari received a boost to his campaign when he was backed by his former foe and ex-FIFA executive committee member Chung Mong-joon.
Bin Hammam sat alongside as Dr. Chung, who famously questioned the Qatari's mental health two years ago at the Asian Football Confederation Congress, said he was the right man for the job.
"We welcome the candidacy of Asian Football Confederation president Mohammed Bin Hammam," Chung said in Seoul yesterday.
"Blatter has served as FIFA secretary general and president for 30 years. Now it's time for him to give way to a new person."
Chung, who surprisingly lost his FIFA vice-president seat to Prince Ali of Jordan at the AFC Congress in January, remains an influential figure in world soccer having been part of the FIFA executive committee since 1994 and his family owning the giant Hyundai conglomerate.
The Korean, honorary chairman of the Korean Football Association, questioned Blatter's popularity.
"In terms of finances, FIFA is more successful than the (International Olympic Committee) IOC and the president should be admired, beloved and respected but Blatter is not. I can't say Bin Hammam is perfect but he is the right candidate to bring change and revolution to FIFA," he said.
The 75-year-old Blatter marked the official start of his campaign to seek a fourth and final four-year term by meeting officials at England's Football Association on Monday.
"I started my campaign at the end of March, 1998," Blatter said in London. "I am confident that the consolidation of football will be done over the next four years. I will come out with my manifesto soon."
The FA said in a statement that they discussed goal-line technology, the international football calendar, third-party ownership of players and the World Cup bidding process.
English football's governing body was at odds with Blatter during its failed bid for the 2018 tournament. As FIFA's executive committee prepared to vote in December, Blatter spoke of the "evil of the media" in England following investigations into corruption in the bidding process.
England received only two votes.
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