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January 10, 2015

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Prince Ali has few AFC backers in FIFA bid

ASIA’S top sports leaders yesterday refused to back Prince Ali bin Al Hussein’s election challenge to FIFA President Sepp Blatter.

Asian Football Confederation chief Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said there would be no about-turn on the regional body’s commitment to back Blatter. He said all 46 AFC member associations were behind the controversial 78-year-old’s re-election, despite Jordanian royal Prince Ali’s status as an AFC vice president.

“We made it clear where Asia is heading in the next FIFA election and the 46 countries have committed to Joseph Sepp Blatter to take a fifth term — so nothing has changed,” Shaikh Salman said.

However, Japan’s football chief took a more circumspect view.

“We have not made a decision on whether to support Prince Ali or support Blatter,” Japan Football Association President Kuniya Daini said. “Prince Ali has very clear ideas but of course it depends if the Asian members back him. Japan belongs to the East Asian Football Federation and we hope to decide with our partners...”


 

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