Mohamed bin Hammam set to run against Sepp Blatter for Fifa presidency

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Mohamed bin Hammam set to run against Sepp Blatter for Fifa presidency
• Sepp Blatter could face challenge to reign from Asia president
• Qatari looking for support in Europe before declaring candidacy


http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/mar/10/mohamed-bin-hammam-fifa-presidency

mohamedbinhammam007.jpg

Mohamed bin Hammam, the president of the Asian Football Confederation, is planning to announce his intention to challenge Sepp Blatter this month. Photograph: Mohamad Torokman/Reuters

Sepp Blatter's 13-year reign over world football could be entering its final phase after Mohamed bin Hammam gave his broadest hint yet that he will oppose the Fifa president's bid for re-election in May.

Bin Hammam already enjoys an elevated status within Fifa, having served as a member of its 24-man executive committee for the past 15 years. He is the president of the Asian Football Confederation, one of the six Fifa confederations, and the chairman of the Fifa Goal Bureau, whose grants provide financial support for member associations across the world. He was also influential in bringing the 2022 World Cup to his native Qatar.

Now it is Bin Hammam's intention to unseat Blatter from his position at the top of the world game. Bin Hammam told the Guardian: "People have to try change. Change is good." He added: "Within 10 days I will formally declare whether I will stand or not."

At 61, Bin Hammam has relative youth on his side compared to Blatter, who turns 75 today and would be 79 before the end of the four-year presidential term. Yet Bin Hammam's appetite is not for personal aggrandisement, since he would swing behind the candidacy of another credible challenger to the incumbent.

"I would 100% support someone else," he said. "I have not spoken to Michel Platini for a long time but I told him that if he runs he'd have my full support. That remains the case."

As Uefa's president Platini has ensured a greater policy of engagement with the clubs, football's principal income drivers, within his own organisation's decision-making processes. Bin Hammam considers this an essential task for the world governing body to undertake, in contrast to Blatter, who has repeatedly rejected demands for similar reforms at Fifa.

As well as a policy of engagement, Bin Hammam advocates the introduction of greater openness in the decision-making processes of Fifa.

"I would call for more transparency in Fifa, to widen the decision-making base and bodies within Fifa," he said. "I'd engage stakeholders more and give them a real platform to express their wishes. We cannot ignore the clubs. We should respect the clubs, and it is for the clubs also to respect the member associations."

There are less than three months before the election takes place at Fifa House in Zurich during the 61st Fifa congress on 31 May and 1 June. Bin Hammam's confidence has grown over recent months after a number of positive soundings received from the five other confederations in Asia, South America, North America, Africa and Oceania. However, the Qatari considers Europe to be the key. He is willing to delay his decision to stand for a few more days to gauge the level of support his candidacy might win among Uefa members.

"I am happy with [perceptions in] most confederations but I don't know about Europe and how they will deal with my candidacy," he said.

"Europe is the core of football. I would like now to make a real assessment in Europe. I have not declared myself as a candidate; maybe [upon doing so] it will be easier to see the response then.

"I will go to the Paris Congress of Uefa [on 20 March] and I will already have declared my candidacy or otherwise."

Bin Hammam also made clear that he has drawn heart from reports this week of influential support he enjoys within the Football Association. "The FA declaration is very encouraging," he said. "Now people expect me to say something."

As the man who has presided over Fifa since 1998, Blatter's reputation suffered when a serving Fifa vice-president and another executive committee member were banned from all football-related activity for up to three years after corruption allegations were upheld.

Blatter's unilateral call for an anti-corruption unit involving figures from "politics, finance, business and culture" caused rancour within the Fifa executive committee, which recognised it was not an issue he should
 
I know very little about this bloke, but if he is against Blatter, he has my vote
 
I know very little about this bloke, but if he is against Blatter, he has my vote
from what I've read about him, he's everything Blatter is not; willing to be open, more progressive
 
Trying won't hurt anyone, I guess. You can't get much worse than this...
 
from what I've read about him, he's everything Blatter is not; willing to be open, more progressive

Get him in then. Can't do any worse than Blatter.
 
I'd give him a vote too. But can see Platini taking the role, and the same old corruption running rife throughout fifa as it has done for a while now. Nothing will change. But this guy sounds more promising than that knoblet Blatter.
 
He has been in charge of Asian football for 13 years over the last 10 years Asian teams have become more competitive. Im not sure as to how much involvement he has had in this but it defenatly looks like he knows what he is on about.
 
How about someone from Europe or Latin America? I bet this guy was somehow involved in whatever corruption brought the World Cup to Qatar of all places. But anyone's better than Blatter.
 
How about someone from Europe or Latin America? I bet this guy was somehow involved in whatever corruption brought the World Cup to Qatar of all places. But anyone's better than Blatter.

I bet you have loads of awesome evidence to back up that claim?

No?

Bummer.
 
How about someone from Europe or Latin America? I bet this guy was somehow involved in whatever corruption brought the World Cup to Qatar of all places. But anyone's better than Blatter.
Blatter's Swiss and look where that's gotten us.

I'm all for this guy.
 
If he's against Blatter he has my support we need to introduce technology in football.
 
Blatter is a dirty stinking low life, he wont go without a fight and that will mean underhand tactics. People like him love the power and wont give it up easily. He is the Colonel Gaddafi of football in many ways only crazier.
 
Blatter v anyone im going with anyone. Sepp has done nothing for the game in his time as president and should go as soon as
 
A blind, deaf and drugged chimpanzee with schizophrenia could do better than Blatter. That said though, Blatter's going to be in charge for another 20 years.
 
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A blind, deaf and drugged chimpanzee with schizophrenia could do better than Blatter. That said though, Blatter's going to in charge for another 20 years.

Until he's 95? :S
 
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