(ATR) UEFA-backed FIFA presidential candidates Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, Michael van Praag and Luis Figo will meet this week as they seek to plot the downfall of Sepp Blatter.
The trio are set to meet on the sidelines of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) congress in Paraguay on Wednesday.
It will be the first time the Jordanian FIFA vice president, Dutch FA chief and former Portuguese star have met since each announced in January their bid to challenge Blatter for the top job in world football.
Today, Michael van Praag launches his manifesto, billed the ‘Normalisation agenda for FIFA 2015-2019’, the period he would serve if elected before making way for a younger successor. The 67-year-old will present his vision at an extraordinary General Assembly of the Dutch FA in Zeist, not far from the federation’s headquarters.
Van Praag is scheduled to hold a press conference afterwards before being whisked to Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport to fly to Paraguay to attend the congress. He plans to meet CONMEBOL president, Juan Angel Napout of Paraguay, and as many of the heads of the 10 member associations as he can to press his case for the FIFA presidency.
Prince Ali and Figo will also use the congress to lobby for votes. All three are sure to meet to discuss their plans to unseat Blatter, who will also be in attendance along with UEFA president Michel Platini and his CONCACAF counterpart Jeffrey Webb.
The trio vying to oust the Swiss will doubtless seek an audience with Webb, a Blatter ally with growing influence on the world stage, in a bid to convince him they are best suited to take the helm of the world football federation and restore FIFA's battered reputation.
The 78-year-old FIFA chief will aim to counter the assault on his leadership credentials, offering his own vision for world football to leaders of FAs in a region where he has traditionally had a stronghold of support.
On Tuesday, Blatter, Platini, Webb, US federation president Sunil Gulati, Spanish FA leader Angel Maria Villar Llona are among the guests at a dinner hosted by CONMEBOL.
Napout and Blatter are scheduled to attend a press conference after the congress on Wednesday where the Paraguayan stands unopposed for another term as CONMEBOL president.
Reported by Mark Bisson
20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.
Últimas Noticias
Boxing’s place in the Olympics remains in peril as IOC still unhappy with the state of AIBA’s reform efforts
The IOC says issues concerning governance, finance, and refereeing and judging must be sorted out to its satisfaction. AIBA says it’s confident that will happen and the federation will be reinstated.
McLaren report to FIBA confirms abuses in the Mali women’s basketball program
The investigation could not “independently verify” allegations against FIBA president Hamane Niang, who has resumed his duties after stepping aside during the probe.
ATR Extra: 1st ISF U15 World School Sport Games – Belgrade 2021
Olympic Channel is live streaming the basketball, basketball 3x3, football, judo and wrestling competitions during the event, which runs September 11-19.
International Judo Federation bans Algerian athlete and coach for 10 years for refusing to fight an Israeli at Tokyo 2020
Judoka Fethi Nourine and his coach Amar Benikhlef admitted they were withdrawing from competition to avoid a potential match with Tohar Butbul of Israel.
IIHF bans Belarus hockey president for five years for code of conduct violations - Federation Focus
Also: no contested election for next ITTF president; BWF calendar shrinks as event in India cancelled due to pandemic; FISU announces early bids for 2027 and 2029 World University Games
