Reuters, Zurich: FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan said that soccer’s governing body has been “decimated” by the recent wave of scandals and that he has heard from “many member associations” in the last 24 hours.
FIFA was thrown into fresh turmoil on Friday when the Swiss attorney general’s office (OAG) opened criminal proceedings against president Sepp Blatter on suspicion of criminal mismanagement.
The OAG said Blatter, who has been FIFA president since 1998, was suspected of a “disloyal payment” of 2mn Swiss francs ($2.04mn) to UEFA president Michel Platini.
Platini, the favourite to win the election to replace Blatter on Feb 26, was asked to give information as a witness, the OAG said. UEFA said the payment related to work Platini had carried out under a contract with FIFA.
“I have heard from many member associations over the last 24 hours, and what I have heard gives me confidence that, working together, we can emerge from this stronger,” said Prince Ali in a statement.
“The need for new leadership that can restore the credibility of FIFA has never been more apparent.
“We cannot change the past, but we can have a future where FIFA member associations are able to focus on football rather than worrying about the next scandal or criminal investigation involving FIFA leadership.
“We have to accept that changing FIFA is not a matter of choice; it has already changed, shaken to its very core by the scandals that have decimated our governing body and cast a cloud over the entire organisation.”
Prince Ali, who avoided mentioning Platini or Blatter in the statement, lost to Blatter in May’s presidential election, but the Swiss announced four days later that he would lay down his mandate as crisis engulfed FIFA.
“We have a duty to use our expertise, our experience, and our knowledge to lift that cloud by taking action to demonstrate that FIFA is worthy of the sport it oversees,” added Prince Ali.