Salman joins FIFA race - Report

Asian football's leader Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al Khalifa has become the sixth candidate to submit his candidacy for the FIFA presidential election, according to the official Bahrain news agency.

26 October 2015, 2:13pm
by Staff Reporter

2 min read

Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa is expected to stand for the FIFA presidency

Sheikh Salman, who is from Bahrain, is said to have submitted his nominations to FIFA on Sunday night despite opposition from human rights groups.

His entry into the election throws the contest wide open - he had previously backed UEFA president Michel Platini until his suspension, commands widespread support in Asia and is a close ally of influential Olympic powerbroker Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah from Kuwait.

Platini is still hopeful of being able to run despite being suspended by FIFA's ethics committee for 90 days pending a disciplinary hearing into a #1.3million payment signed off by outgoing president Sepp Blatter in 2011.

The other candidates announced so far are: South Africa's Tokyo Sexwale, a former anti-apartheid activist who was imprisoned on Robben Island with Nelson Mandela; Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan; David Nakhid, former Trinidad and Tobago player; and former FIFA deputy general secretary Jerome Champagne.

Sheikh Salman is a member of the Bahrain royal family and has attracted opposition from human rights organisations due to the regime's role in the suppression of the country's pro-democracy demonstrations in 2011.

Meanwhile, UEFA's general secretary Gianni Infantino is expected to enter the race later on Monday, it can be disclosed.

The members of UEFA's executive committee are expected to recommend Infantino - Michel Platini's right-hand man for the last six years - be nominated for the presidency.

Platini has also submitted his candidacy for the election but is currently banned for 90 days pending a disciplinary hearing into a £1.3million payment signed off by outgoing president Sepp Blatter in 2011.

Sources close to UEFA have disclosed to Press Association Sport that an emergency meeting of UEFA's executive committee - via teleconference - has been called where Infantino's candidacy will be discussed.

The head of the Liberian FA Musa Bility says he has submitted his candidacy for the February 26 election with the backing of the five member associations.

Bility told the BBC: "I am a very happy man."

There is some uncertainty however over whether Sexwale has secured the five nominations necessary to run.

Meanwhile, Korea's former FIFA vice-president Chung Mong-Joon has officially withdrawn following his six-year ban imposed by FIFA's ethics committee.

He said on his blog: "Because of the Ethics Committee's unjust sanctions, I will have to miss the October 26 deadline to file my candidacy. It is now time to officially withdraw my candidacy for the next FIFA president. Even though I cannot run in this election, I believe there is still much that I can do. As someone who loves football, I will continue to speak out frankly about FIFA's problems."