Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - A total of 209 football associations will cast their ballot, choosing between an incumbent accused by some of embodying everything that is wrong with the organisation and a challenger many hope could bring a breath of fresh air to football’s governing body.
The vote takes place just two days after the arrest of several top FIFA officials at a hotel in Switzerland on suspicion of receiving bribes totalling $100 million (€ 91 million), followed hours later by the launch of a criminal investigation into the 2018 and 2022 football World Cup bids.
It is a testament to Blatter’s uncanny ability to cling to power, and also perhaps the skewed priorities of those that govern the world’s most popular sport, that even amid the biggest scandal ever to engulf FIFA, the 79-year-old is still the strong favourite.
Blatter: FIFA’s great survivor
After a varied career that included jobs in marketing, public relations and a stint as general secretary of the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation, Blatter made a relatively low-key entry into the world of football governance in 1975, when he joined FIFA as a technical director.
Since then, the son of a chemical factory foreman has climbed the ladder of the FIFA hierarchy all the way to the summit with a skill and determination that even his detractors are forced to acknowledge.
Six years after his arrival, he found himself in the position of secretary-general under the presidency of Joao Havelange. When Havelange stepped down in 1998, Blatter succeeded him and his 17-year-rule at the head of world football began.
Under Blatter’s leadership, the sport has undergone tremendous economic growth and generated billions of dollars in profits – to the delight of national federations across the world and, of course, the game’s sponsors.
He has also overseen a policy of directing FIFA development funds towards smaller nations, particularly in Africa and Asia, thereby winning their unwavering support come election time.
The controversies, though, have been numerous, most notably allegations of under-the-table-payments made to FIFA officials by the organisation’s one-time marketing partner ISL, and the storm surrounding the decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.
But Blatter has emerged relatively unscathed from all of them, while many of his associates have fallen by the wayside. Blatter’s name has never been mentioned in any formal investigation in connection with wrongdoing at FIFA and he has always been able to deny any responsibility.
On the contrary, he has often baffled his critics by painting himself as the man trying to steer football in the right direction and drive out the bad apples that tarnish the game’s reputation.
"It must ultimately fall to me to bear the responsibility for the reputation and well-being of our organisation, and to ultimately find a way to move forward and fix things," he said. It was an act of typical brazenness by FIFA’s great survivor.
Prince Ali: a fresh face to restore confidence?
As a former wrestler and army officer, Jordan's Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, the man harboring thin hopes of preventing Blatter from winning a fifth term as FIFA president, should, at least, have the stomach for the fight.
From a background of wealth and privilege and not yet 40 years old, the son of the late King Hussein of Jordan cuts a contrasting figure to the man he aims to overthrow.
The anti-Blatter camp, though, is hoping the differences are more than merely superficial and that, if elected, Prince Ali will follow through on his promise to transform football’s governing body.
"We cannot continue with the crisis in FIFA," said the prince in a statement after following the news of Wednesday’s arrests.
"FIFA needs leadership that governs, guides and protects our national associations.
"Leadership that accepts responsibility for its actions and does not pass blame. Leadership that restores confidence in the hundreds of millions of football fans around the world."
Prince Ali graduated in 1993 from Salisbury School in Connecticut, USA, where he excelled at sports including wrestling. He then joined Britain's prestigious Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst.
He was awarded the Brunei Medal for Excellence and was commissioned as an officer in December 1994 while still a teenager.
The prince has won several foreign decorations, including a British knighthood, the French Legion d'honneur and Japan's Order of the Rising Sun.
He still holds the rank of general in the Jordanian Armed Forces and became president of the Jordan Football Association in 1999. He has been vice president of FIFA in Asia since 2011 and is a member of the organisation's powerful executive committee.
The father of two has already proved he can bring about change.
He led the campaign which saw FIFA lift the ban on the hijab and other religious head coverings being worn during matches last year.
Last September, he led calls for Michael Garcia's report into FIFA's awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals to Russia and Qatar respectively to be made public.
He is expected to win strong support from European federations in Friday's vote, while Australia, the US and New Zealand have also endorsed the prince.
But with Blatter enjoying the staunch backing of most of Africa, Asia and Latin America, that is unlikely to be enough to unseat FIFA’s seemingly untouchable king.
*Agencies
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