Fifa corruption scandal: Blatter and Prince Ali bid for leadership

The two rivals for the leadership of Fifa, Sepp Blatter and Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, have delivered final appeals to electors in a vote overshadowed by corruption allegations.

Mr Blatter said he would “shoulder the responsibility of the current storm” and vowed to bring change.

Prince Ali pledged to bring “a new dawn to break through the darkness”.

The vote in Zurich comes two days after seven senior officials were arrested there as part of a US prosecution.

Mr Blatter is expected to beat Prince Ali and win a fifth term.

Sportsday – live updates

Mr Blatter has faced calls to resign, including from UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who said in Berlin on Thursday that Mr Blatter should quit “the sooner the better”.

‘No easy answers’

Fifa’s 209 members are now voting in a secret ballot at the congress on whether to give Mr Blatter, 79, another four-year term.

Prince Ali, 39, is the only challenger.

In the first round, a candidate must get 140 votes – two-thirds – to win outright.

If that is not achieved, there will be a second round requiring a simple majority.

Analysis: Matthew Kenyon, BBC Sport

If you read most of the world’s media, Sepp Blatter’s ability to hang on to power at Fifa is nothing short of miraculous.

After years of negative headlines, the frenzy has reached fever pitch in the wake of the US allegations of corruption – even though Mr Blatter himself has not been implicated. And running through all this is a theme – bemusement that much of the football world keeps voting for him.

Nowhere is Sepp Blatter’s support stronger than across Asia and Africa. So why are most of the representatives from those two continents preparing to vote for him again?

Here’s about as succinct an answer as you’re going to get – from the president of the Nigerian Football Federation: “Blatter feels Africa. What Blatter pushes is equity, fairness and equality among the nations.”

We’re talking about two things – the first is concrete investment, often literally so. The second is respect.

Why Africa backs Blatter

South Africans shocked by scandal

Who still supports Sepp Blatter?

Prince Ali, in his address to the delegates, said that questions had been raised in recent days “about whether our Fifa family is morally bankrupt”.

He said: “There are no easy answers and no blame that can be cast that will wash away the stain that marks us all.

“Today is about the first step towards a process of change – a new dawn to break through the darkness,” Prince Ali added.

Mr Blatter said: “I am being held accountable for the current storm – so be it, I will shoulder the responsibility. I will take it upon myself and I want to fix Fifa together with you.

Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, 4 May

Prince Ali: “I am a straightforward person with straightforward ideas and ethics”

BBC

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