Salman 鈥榚xit strategy鈥, a big boost for Platini鈥檚 bid
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Michel Platini鈥檚 damaged bid to become FIFA president was boosted yesterday when it emerged one of his main rivals could step aside if the Frenchman was cleared to run in the election.
European football boss Platini鈥檚 ambition to succeed his one-time friend-turned-arch enemy Sepp Blatter is currently on hold as he serves a 90-day suspension.
The ban was imposed over a 鈥渄isloyal鈥 US$2 million payment Platini received from Blatter on behalf of FIFA in 2011 for consultancy work carried out years before.
But the UEFA chief鈥檚 presidential chances improved with the news that Asian football head Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa could withdraw from the FIFA contest should Platini emerge unscathed from the investigation. That exit strategy was raised by FIFA executive committee member Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah in an interview with Olympic watchdog website insidethegames.biz.
Sheikh Ahmed, a prominent International Olympic Committee member who is close to Bahrain鈥檚 Sheikh Salman, said: 鈥淚 was a supporter for Michel, I still am a supporter for Michel.
鈥淚 fully know that he鈥檚 innocent but I don鈥檛 know the system that will happen.
鈥淗e paid all the tax for this (the payment) and is not hiding something, but the mechanism is creating a problem.
鈥淚f he has the right to run we will support him.鈥
And when asked if Sheikh Salman would pull out of the race rather than stand against Platini, he replied: 鈥淚 think so.
鈥淚 believe a lot of the candidates would withdraw.鈥
Aside from Sheikh Salman and Platini the other contenders in the February 26 election are Jordan鈥檚 Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein, Liberia鈥檚 Musa Bility, Jerome Champagne of France, Swiss Gianni Infantino, and South African Tokyo Sexwale.
Sheikh Ahmed鈥檚 intervention came just hours after Platini had made an impassioned defense of his suitability to become the next head of FIFA.
鈥淚n all modesty, I am the best-placed to lead world football,鈥 the 60-year-old former Juventus and France star told Swiss daily Le Matin.
鈥淚 am the only one to have a broad vision for football,鈥 the UEFA president added.
He is adamant he will be cleared by the ongoing investigation.
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