The run-up to Friday's FIFA presidential election has been "mired in further intrique after Prince Ali bin al-Hussein's campaign team told police they had been approached by someone who said he could deliver 47 votes to help him oust" FIFA President Sepp Blatter, according to the LONDON TIMES. The Jordanian's team added that the individual also offered to provide "what appeared to be illegally obtained" information relating to the financial activities of Blatter. The person's identity "is not known," although, according to the campaign team, he is not part of FIFA or any national FA. Prince Ali's team said, "Our goal was not to create a campaign issue but to properly react to an approach made to us that appeared to involve criminal activity. The campaign did not want to do anything that could jeopardize the police investigation" (LONDON TIMES, 5/26). REUTERS' Brian Homewood wrote the matter was referred to Quest, a U.K.-based corporate intelligence firm, which was "asked to contact the police and the offer was rejected." FIFA's ethics committee, however, "was not informed." Quest, headed by former London police commissioner John Stevens, said in a previous statement that Prince Ali had engaged them in January to ensure "the highest levels of integrity and ethical standards throughout his campaign for the presidency of FIFA." Quest said, "The individual's claims to have obtained information illegally are now under police investigation" (REUTERS, 5/26).
