Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    7,523 violators of residency, labor, and border security laws deported in a week    Video contradicts Israeli army account of deadly March 23 strike on Gaza paramedics    Saudi Arabia spends over $241 million to implement de-mining projects in 3 countries    Italy's Meloni government approves controversial security decree expanding police protections and penalties    Egypt submits new Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange proposal: Report    'Everything is possible' — Ronaldo focused on titles, not 1,000-goal milestone after Riyadh Derby win    Saudi, US military leaders discuss enhanced defense cooperation in Riyadh    King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language launches program with Indiana University    Ronaldo brace powers Al Nassr past Al Hilal in Riyadh derby thriller    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Al-Jadaan: Crown Prince's directives confirm government's ability to bring back balance to real estate market    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Foreign investors are allowed to engage in real estate business outside Makkah and Madinah Commercial speculation should not be the purpose of real estate transaction    Aubameyang fires Al Qadsiah into King's Cup final with stoppage-time winner over Al Raed    Musk's X is suing India, as Tesla and Starlink plan entry    Tesla sales plunge after backlash against Elon Musk    Danilo Pereira fires Al Ittihad into King's Cup final with dramatic stoppage-time double    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    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.



FIFA rivals Blatter and Bin Hammam seek Europe votes
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 22 - 03 - 2011

PARIS: FIFA President Sepp Blatter and election challenger Mohamed Bin Hammam stepped up their rivalry Monday by seeking support from European football leaders.
Blatter and Asian Football Confederation President Bin Hammam have accepted longstanding invitations to attend the UEFA Congress.
The 53-nation meeting opens Tuesday and will give UEFA President Michel Platini a second four-year term unopposed.
Platini has asked both candidates to be guests at UEFA's official dinner Monday evening, which will be held on a boat on the River Seine. Leaders of FIFA's other confederations are also attending.
As incumbent FIFA President, Blatter gets to address UEFA members Tuesday morning at the start of the Congress at the Grand Palais.
Europe's football agenda was overshadowed by world events when Qatar's Bin Hammam confirmed last Friday he would try to end Blatter's 13-year hold on the game's most powerful job.
UEFA members make up more than one quarter of the maximum 208 FIFA voters that Blatter and Bin Hammam will attempt to woo before a June 1 election in Zurich.
The winner needs a two-thirds majority of valid votes cast in the first ballot, or a majority in the second. FIFA has set an April 1 deadline for other candidates to be nominated by a single member federation.
The first FIFA election since 2002 – when Bin Hammam helped manage Blatter's successful campaign – promises a hard-fought contest between former allies.
Platini has no such worries retaining his presidential office Tuesday. However, he could play a fascinating role in the fight between his two FIFA Executive Committee colleagues.
The former France playing great was mentored in football politics by Blatter after being chosen to organize the successful 1998 World Cup staged in his home country.
However, Bin Hammam has recently revealed he offered to support any Platini bid to take on Blatter in 2011. Platini also voted for Qatar's successful bid to host the 2022 World Cup.
Platini has been seen as a strong candidate for the 2015 FIFA election, when Blatter would be 79.
While Blatter is unpopular with some European football powers, including England, other UEFA members could regard Bin Hammam as an unwanted barrier to Platini's FIFA ambitions. In January, Platini said he would not declare himself a FIFA candidate while promising UEFA members he would serve them for four more years.
Meanwhile, a former top official of the AFC slammed Min Hammam for challenging Blatter, saying the organization would be “doomed” if the Qatari wins.
Peter Velappan, a Blatter ally who was the AFC's general secretary from 1978 to 2007, said Bin Hammam's pledge to bring “new blood” into the leadership of world football was “the joke of the century.”


Clic here to read the story from its source.