Prince Ali Urge FIFA Not To Postpone Presidential Election

The Jordanian Football Association President, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, has urged the FIFA executive committee to fast track the process of electing a new leader for the world football governing body following Sepp Blatter's suspension.

The election that will install a new leader for FIFA was scheduled for February next year, after 79-years old Blatter revealed he will be stepping down from the position, never to re-contest again.

Prince Ali, who also the founded the West Asian Football

Federation, and under his presidency the membership has increased to 13 countries said that electing a leader now will inform the world that FIFA has leanrt from its past mistakes and are ready to correct them.

Fifa presidential candidate says any delay in electing Sepp Blatter's replacement, that is currently serving a 90-day suspension owing to corruption matters would "create further instability".

But after Blatter, 79, and Uefa president Michel Platini, 60, were suspended, Fifa is expected to discuss postponing the vote.

Prince Ali said that would "tell the world lessons haven't been learned".

Swiss Blatter and Frenchman Platini, a Fifa vice-president, are both appealing against their 90-day suspensions.

General secretary Jerome Valcke is also suspended. All three deny any wrongdoing.

Platini maintains he will still stand for election on 26 February to replace Blatter.

Prince Ali said: "With Fifa's crisis deepening, the organisation needs to move beyond interim leadership and elect an accountable president.

"Delaying the scheduled election would only postpone needed change and create further instability. It would tell the world that lessons haven't been learned, that the same backroom deals that have discredited Fifa in the first place continue."

Fifa's emergency meeting is being held on 20 October in Zurich.

The governing body's ethics committee began its investigation after the Swiss attorney general opened criminal proceedings against Blatter in September.

He is accused of signing a contract "unfavourable" to Fifa and making a "disloyal payment" to Platini.

The ethics committee also opened an inquiry into Platini over the 2m euros (£1.35m) payment, which was made nine years after the former France footballer carried out consultation work for Blatter. BBC