Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein claims he can be trusted to run FIFA
Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein says he can be trusted to run FIFA and rejected the idea that the sport’s world governing body could not be changed by an insider.
The Jordanian is one of five candidates who will stand for the FIFA presidency on February 26 and believes he is the man to unite and reform an organisation which has been severely tainted over the past year.
Sepp Blatter’s presidency was ended by an eight-year ban handed down last month over a “disloyal payment” to UEFA president Michel Platini, who received the same sanction from FIFA’s ethics committee, while American and Swiss authorities are also conducting inquiries into further allegations of corruption within the governing body.
Prince Ali, 40, is the president of his country’s football association but insisted that position within the game’s establishment would not prevent him pushing through the change needed at FIFA.
“I do believe you can make the change from within football and I want to prove that’s the case,” Prince Ali told BBC Sport.
“That’s why it is critical to have the right leadership coming in in February.”
Asked directly whether he was a leader people could trust, he replied: “Yes. I can guarantee that I am the right person for this job. My track record is that I keep my word and I implement what I say.
“Hopefully, when I win this, judge me by my actions. The president has to take responsibility for himself and for the entire organisation.
“Of course I am tough enough and I come from a background in my own country of working in crisis management, something that we need in Fifa right now.”
Prince Ali was asked about the ban for Blatter but steered clear of criticising the Swiss, saying he was “only focused on the future”.
The other four candidates for the FIFA presidency are Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain, UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino from Switzerland, former FIFA executive Jerome Champagne from France and South African businessman Tokyo Sexwale.
