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Prince Ali Warns Against Changing Date Of FIFA Presidential Election

Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has warned FIFA that changing the date of the presidential election "would send the message that the scandal-hit governing body has not learned its lesson and would plunge it to new depths" by creating "instability," according to Matt Cotton of the LONDON TIMES. Prince Ali, the presidential candidate from Jordan, will meet with fellow FIFA execs next week to discuss rescheduling the vote set for Feb. 26 "in the wake of the suspensions" handed to FIFA President Sepp Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini. Prince Ali: "With FIFA's crisis deepening, the organization needs to move beyond interim leadership and elect an accountable president" (LONDON TIMES, 10/14). REUTERS' Simon Evans reported an election delay would give Platini "more time to appeal against his 90-day provisional ban." The ban, together with a possible 45-day extension and the length of any appeals process, are seen as "major obstacles to his campaign." Without Platini in the field, Ali's chances of winning "could rise significantly." As it stands, the deadline for nominations is Oct. 26 and prospective candidates "face a FIFA integrity check." Prince Ali said, "Candidates have had plenty of time to declare and still do. The rules should not be changed after the game has started." The prince, supported at the time by Platini, lost to Blatter in May's presidential election (REUTERS, 10/14).

NIERSBACH WANTS ACTIVE ROLE: REUTERS' Karolos Grohmann reported German Football Federation (DFB) President Wolfgang Niersbach has said that he wants to play an "active role in restructuring world football" but stopped short of "hinting at a run for the crisis-hit FIFA's presidency next year." Niersbach has "until now dodged questions" about running to head FIFA. But in an interview with the German newspaper Die Zeit to be published on Thursday, he "opened up a bit" to say, "I do not want and I will not shy away from playing my part." Asked what his part could be, he said, "This thing can certainly not be won in the media. You only win it if internally you set a clear course for which you win majorities" (REUTERS, 10/14).

SIX-YEAR BAN: REUTERS' Franklin & Evans reported FIFA's Ethics Committee banned former South African FA official Lindile Kika from football activities for six years on Wednesday, "adding to a string of suspensions at the sport's governing body." Kika is a "former head of referees" and ex-member of the exec committee of the SAFA, which hosted the 2010 World Cup. The Ethics Committee said in a statement that the decision to ban him for six years "was related to FIFA regulations on conduct, loyalty, duty of disclosure and other issues." It said the ban takes effect immediately. A spokesperson was not authorized to discuss details (REUTERS, 10/14).

VILLAR FACES QUESTIONS: The EFE reported Spanish Football League (LFP) President Javier Tebas addressed FIFA's situation and indicated that of those involved in the corruption, "the majority are in jail or are suspended, and [Spanish Football Federation President and UEFA VP Ángel María] Villar was either very clever or very foolish and did not find out about anything." Tebas: "It concerns me that the president of the RFEF has not found out about anything that has happened" (EFE, 10/14). The EFE reported in a separate piece Spanish Superior Sports Council (CSD) President Miguel Cardenal said that it would be "good" for Villar to explain whether he had knowledge of "the scandalous corruption practices that have emerged" at UEFA. When asked whether Villar "had any knowledge" of corruption within UEFA, Cardenal said, "He has to explain it. It would be good for him to do this because I believe that this question is in the heads of many people" (EFE, 10/14).

FA TO CONTEST CHARGE: In London, Matt Law reported the FA will "fight any attempt" from UEFA to fine it over the "crowd trouble that took place" during England's final European Championship Group E game against Lithuania. Despite "initially claiming that a disciplinary case had not been opened" over the incident in Vilnius, UEFA on Wednesday morning posted a notice on its website saying that disciplinary proceedings "were being taken against both the English FA and Lithuania FA." FA officials were "astonished to find they had been dragged into the case" as the problems on Monday night were "down to the fact the Lithuanian FA sold tickets to travelling supporters in the home end." The Lithuanian FA reportedly "ignored warnings" from both the FA and the Football Supporters' Federation over selling tickets to England fans ahead of the game (TELEGRAPH, 10/14).

BLATTER ADVISOR SPEAKS OUT: In London, Alex Richards reported Blatter's "long-time confidant" has declared that Blatter is "deserving of more respect," while also deriding the "robber barons" of UEFA and European football. Klaus Stöhlker has leapt to the defense of Blatter, who he says is the "father of football," before launching an "astonishing attack" on Platini, and both the French and German football federations. Stöhlker: "Sepp Blatter is the father of world football, which did not exist before him. In 40 years he has built an organization with 1.6 billion fans, 300 million active participants and 209 national associations with a worldwide turnover of more than 300 billion Swiss francs. While the wolves howl in Europe and the U.S., the fans flock to the stadiums; 2015 is also the growth of the football industry globally over 20 percent" (DAILY MIRROR, 10/14).

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