Road accident deaths drop by 50% in Saudi Arabia    SR 3.95 million fines for 3 employees of a company and 6-month jail for one for violating Capital Market Law    Qassim emir launches 52 health projects costing a total of SR456 million    BD and INS partner to elevate standards of infusion care in MENAT    Dubai Design Week launches its 10th edition, celebrating creativity and innovation    GASTAT: Passengers of public transport bus and train soar 176% and 33% respectively in 2023    Fakeeh Care Group reports 9M-2024 net profit of SR195.3 million, up 49% y-o-y driven by solid revenue growth and robust profitability    Italy's 'Libra' to arrive in Albania with just eight migrants on board    South Africa shuts border crossing with Mozambique over poll unrest    French families sue TikTok over harmful content that allegedly led to suicides    Harris tells supporters 'never give up' and urges peaceful transfer of power    HRT does not impact life expectancy — UK health body    Liam Payne's body to be flown back to the UK    Suspect arrested for banking fraud totaling SR493 million as Nazaha pursues corruption charges    Arab leaders and heads of state congratulate US President-elect Donald Trump    Neymar suffers muscle tear, out for 4-6 weeks    Crown Prince hails Saudi medical team that performed world's first fully robotic heart transplant    Al Nassr secures 5-1 victory over Al Ain to edge closer to knockout stage    Al Ahli extends perfect start with 5-1 victory over Al Shorta    Mitrovic's hat-trick leads Al Hilal to 3-0 victory over Esteghlal    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Muted Eid celebrations for millions of Nigerian Muslims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Bin Hammam weighing up European support for FIFA bid
Mike Collett
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 12 - 03 - 2011

LONDON: Asia's soccer chief Mohamed Bin Hammam will canvass support in Europe before deciding whether to launch a bid to topple Sepp Blatter as FIFA president, the Qatari said Friday.
The 61-year-old president of the Asian Football Confederation has hinted for months he will fight powerful Swiss incumbent Blatter for soccer's top job at the FIFA Congress in Zurich on May 31 and June 1 and confirmed Friday he will make a decision before the UEFA Congress in Paris on March 20. By then, he says he will know if he has enough support from European countries to mount a realistic bid for the presidency.
“I am happy with most confederations, but I don't know about Europe and how they will deal with my candidacy,” he said in a verified message sent to his Twitter and online accounts.
“Europe is the core of football. I would like now to make a real assessment in Europe. I will go to the Paris Congress of UEFA (on March 20) and I will already have declared my candidacy or otherwise.”
The deadline for declaring his intentions is March 31, so he could canvas opinion among the chairmen of UEFA's 53 member nations in Paris and still have time to declare his candidacy after the Congress.
Bin Hammam's comments came after the English FA attempted to distance itself from comments made last week by two senior officials that the FA would back any credible candidate willing to stand against Blatter in June.
Those comments were made to reporters at last week's International Football Association Board Meeting (IFAB) in Newport, Wales, but the FA contacted FIFA this week to clarify its position.
The FA said in an email to FIFA's general secretary Jerome Valcke that this was not the case, emphasizing that the matter had not been discussed by the FA's board.
Earlier Bin Hammam said he was encouraged by reports of the FA's stance, saying on his Twitter account:
“The FA declaration is very encouraging. Now people expect me to say something.”
Previously Bin Hammam has hinted that if he thought he lacked enough support to unseat Blatter, he would support UEFA president Michel Platini or any other candidate – although Blatter so far is the only declared runner.
Earlier this week Bin Hammam said: “Within 10 days I will formally declare whether I will stand or not.
“I would 100 percent support someone else.
I have not spoken to Michel Platini for a long time but I told him that if he runs he'd have my full support.
That remains the case.”


Clic here to read the story from its source.