Prince Ali asks FIFA to investigate Africa-Asia MoU

LONDON – FIFA presidential candidate HRH Prince Ali has asked football’s world governing body to investigate Friday’s agreement signed between the African and Asian confederations in case it breaches the electoral code.

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and Confederation of African Football (CAF) counterpart Issa Hayatou signed the co-operation memorandum of understanding (MOU) in Rwanda, just over a month before the FIFA presidential election in Zurich on February 26.

Sheikh Salman, South African politician and businessman Tokyo Sexwale and Prince Ali are among five candidates standing in the election. 

The MOU is seen as a vote deal struck between the two confederations who will have a combined 100 votes in the 209 member poll.

“I have always promoted cross-regional understanding, however the timing of this MoU between the AFC and the CAF looks like a blatant attempt to engineer a bloc vote,” Prince Ali said in a statement.

“Africa’s proud football associations are not for sale and development resources belonging to national football associations should not be used by presidential candidates and confederation presidents for political expediency.

“Questions must be asked: was this deal approved by the members of the executive committees of both the AFC and CAF and is the timing of the announcement, prior to a presidential election, acceptable?

“Now more than ever, this apparent exploitation of confederation resources shows the world that the actions of individuals must stop bringing FIFA into disrepute.”

There was no immediate response from Sheikh Salman’s campaign.

The prince, who is president of the Jordanian federation, served on FIFA’s executive committee from 2011 to 2015.