English FA to back Blatter's challenger
Source: Agencies |
March 9, 2011, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
LEADERS of the English Football Association would support any "credible challenger" to FIFA President Sepp Blatter, according to officials with direct knowledge of the situation.
Mohamed bin Hammam of Qatar has indicated he could challenge Blatter and the FA is considering writing to him urging him to stand against the 13-year incumbent.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the FA is not making its position public at the moment.
"The matter has not been discussed but will be considered by the FA Board when nominations have closed and the FIFA Congress agenda has been published," the FA said in a statement.
Any candidates for the June 1 election at the FIFA Congress in Zurich must be nominated by one of FIFA's 208 national federations.
Winning bid
Bin Hammam, the Asian Football Confederation president who has served on FIFA's executive committee since 1996, has not formally declared whether he will run or not. Strengthened by Qatar's winning bid for the 2022 World Cup, he dropped another hint over the weekend that he will meet the March deadline to enter the race.
Referring to the FIFA presidency, the 61-year-old Bin Hammam said on his Facebook account that "competition is the best way to make the organization vibrant and alive."
Blatter was re-elected unopposed for a third successive term in 2007. English FA leaders believe the 74-year-old Swiss has served the world game long enough, the officials with knowledge of the situation said.
The FA's current bitterness toward Blatter stems from England's failed bid to host the 2018 World Cup. England received only two votes as FIFA awarded the tournament to Russia.
"If you want to see new faces, then OK, every four years we have an election and we are now in an election process," Blatter said on Saturday. "If I win, OK. If lose, I say, 'thank you' then go away. You will have your new face and then we will see what will happen...."
Mohamed bin Hammam of Qatar has indicated he could challenge Blatter and the FA is considering writing to him urging him to stand against the 13-year incumbent.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the FA is not making its position public at the moment.
"The matter has not been discussed but will be considered by the FA Board when nominations have closed and the FIFA Congress agenda has been published," the FA said in a statement.
Any candidates for the June 1 election at the FIFA Congress in Zurich must be nominated by one of FIFA's 208 national federations.
Winning bid
Bin Hammam, the Asian Football Confederation president who has served on FIFA's executive committee since 1996, has not formally declared whether he will run or not. Strengthened by Qatar's winning bid for the 2022 World Cup, he dropped another hint over the weekend that he will meet the March deadline to enter the race.
Referring to the FIFA presidency, the 61-year-old Bin Hammam said on his Facebook account that "competition is the best way to make the organization vibrant and alive."
Blatter was re-elected unopposed for a third successive term in 2007. English FA leaders believe the 74-year-old Swiss has served the world game long enough, the officials with knowledge of the situation said.
The FA's current bitterness toward Blatter stems from England's failed bid to host the 2018 World Cup. England received only two votes as FIFA awarded the tournament to Russia.
"If you want to see new faces, then OK, every four years we have an election and we are now in an election process," Blatter said on Saturday. "If I win, OK. If lose, I say, 'thank you' then go away. You will have your new face and then we will see what will happen...."
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