Paris, May 25 (IANS) Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) president Michel Platini showed his support on Monday for Jordanian Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein to win the May 29 FIFA presidential elections during which the prince will face incumbent FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
Platini said he was convinced that Prince Ali would make a great FIFA president, noting that he is not eligible to vote, but personally supports him, reports Efe.
The UEFA president explained that his demand for UEFA member associations to support Blatter in 2011 was based on a promise Blatter made that he would not run for another term, a promise he evidently broke. Platini remarked that Blatter wants to stay in office out of fear of “emptiness” after devoting his life to FIFA and not because he has big plans for the future.
Blatter, leader of the organisation since 1998, will try for a fifth term in Friday’s elections against Prince Ali, the only rival candidate left after Dutch football president Michael van Praag and former Portuguese player Luis Figo withdrew last week.