Prince Ali bin al-Hussein wants FIFA presidential election suspended

Last Updated: 23/02/16 12:43pm

 
 

Sky Sports News HQ reporter Kaveh Solhekol explains why Prince Ali has asked for FIFA's presidential election to be suspended over the use of voting booths

Prince Ali bin al-Hussein's lawyers have moved to have the FIFA presidential election suspended.

Prince Ali's legal representatives have made an official request to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to postpone the event because of fears over voting arrangements.

CAS confirmed: "We have registered an appeal and request for urgent provisional measures filed by Prince Ali Al Hussein.

"FIFA has been invited to file written observations in reply to Prince Ali's request. The request for provisional measures will be decided by CAS no later than the morning of Thursday 25 February."

Al-Hussein's chief concern is that "middle men" are offering money to the 209 member associations to vote for different candidates. 

Al-Hussein wants transparent voting booths used at the congress, but this request was rejected by FIFA, while there have also been suggestions he has asked voters to take a picture of their voting card for proof.

Al-Hussein's second concern is that two of the candidates, UEFA's Gianni Infantino and the Asian Football Confederation's Sheik Salman, are backed by their own associations.

They will therefore have more of their own people accredited and present at the Zurich congress, and Al-Hussein is concerned these people will try to cajole the 209 voters to vote for their men.

Al-Hussein's third complaint is that Infantino, the second favourite to win behind Sheik Salman, has admitted he has been talking to Michel Platini - the suspended FIFA president - on the phone, and that it is breaking election rules.

In a statement, Al-Hussein's lawyers said: "FIFA opposed our request for an accelerated procedure so that these questions could be decided before February 26. It was therefore natural that Prince Ali goes to the CAS (on Monday)."

Sky Sports News HQ's chief news reporter Kaveh Solhekol, reporting from Zurich, said: "Prince Ali has become more forthright in the last couple of weeks but, to be honest, there is not much chance of the election being suspended.

"Prince Ali and his lawyers do not think the election is going to free or fair, but a lot of people feel this is an act of desperation on his part."

Al-Hussein, Sheikh Salman and Infantino are joined by Tokyo Sexwale and Jerome Champagne on the ballot.

Sheikh Salman of Bahrain is considered the favourite having gained the support of both the Asian Football Confederation, of which he is president, and the Confederation of African Football.

Infantino has received the backing of UEFA, including the English FA.

source:skysports.com

Former Aston Villa boss set for Egyptian side Zamalek

Former Scotland manager Alex McLeish has agreed to coach Zamalek, the Egyptian club have announced.

The 57-year-old will take over from former Tottenham striker Mido, who was sacked two weeks ago.

A statement on Zamalek's official website said: "Murtaza Mansour, chairman of the club, has confirmed that Alex McLeish has signed with him in principle to lead the first team."

McLeish left Genk last summer after a season with the Belgian club.

The Scotsman parted company with the Pro League outfit after they finished seventh and was linked with Zamalek before Mido started his second spell in charge in January.

Mido's latest spell lasted just 37 days and seven games with Zamalek, who are currently second behind Cairo rivals Al Ahly in the Egyptian Premier League.

He became the third coach sacked by the club this season following the dismissals of Jesualdo Ferreira and Paqueta.

Former Aberdeen and Scotland defender McLeish has also previously managed Motherwell, Hibernian, Rangers, Birmingham City, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.

source:bbc.com

NPP Dir Of Elections claims EC boss is on a mission to Rig 2016 Election

Ghana's Electoral Commissioner, Madam Charlotte Osei Following the brouhaha surrounding the yet-to-be-commissioned 18-member Steering Committee to facilitate the activities of the Electoral Commission in the upcoming November 7 polls, the Director of Elections for opposition NPP, Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah says he suspects the EC boss Madam Charlotte Osei is on a mission to rig the election. There was rare unanimity amongst the country’s political parties over the necessity of a Steering Committee. The political parties emerged out of a meeting with the Electoral Commission with the understanding that the controversial committee had been suspended. Leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Peoples National Convention (PNC) in separate interviews, expressed satisfaction about the decision to suspend the committee. The parties said the EC could not provide cogent answers to questions about why it found it necessary to establish such a committee to oversee the November 7 polls. However, the commission, over the weekend, released a statement saying its decision has been misconstrued. The Commission described reports of the suspension of its steering committee as "erroneous" which "should be disregarded". Reacting to the entrenched position of the EC to maintain the Steering Committee, Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah on Okay Fm’s Ade Akye Abia Morning asserted that the EC boss has made her mind to rig the 2016 election for the NDC but assured that won’t be possible. “There have been series of activities going on at EC and when you put them together, they present a certain picture to you that someone has made the mind that she is on a contract to rig the 2016 election for the NDC but I want to assure that it won’t be possible.” “Ghana does not belong to one person; what is going on at EC is disgusting and annoying and it is not as if we are cowards in this country. Blatantly, someone wants to destroy the peace of this country at all cost; Charlotte Osei and Cohorts cannot take us for granted. At this point, we are not going to do any holdbacks and she should be very careful the way she is running this commission,” he fumed. source:peacefmonline.com

Sepp Blatter expects bad news over ban appeal

Last Updated: 23/02/16 11:09am

 
 

Sepp Blatter is worried about the verdict of his appeal against an eight-year band from football

Sepp Blatter will learn the result of his appeal against an eight-year ban from football on Tuesday and he is "nervous and expecting bad news", according to a source close to the 79-year-old.

Blatter was banned along with former UEFA president Michel Platini, both for eight years, by FIFA's ethics committee last December.

Both men's appeals were heard by the FIFA appeals committee last week and, if they lose, they have each said they will take their cases to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Blatter and Platini were banned over a "disloyal payment" of £1.3m between them in 2011, made without a written FIFA contract.

Both men claim they had a verbal agreement for FIFA to pay Platini additional salary for his work as Blatter's presidential adviser from 1999-2002.

But FIFA ethics prosecutors have counter-appealed to seek life bans for both men.

Blatter's is also expected to publish a book - "Sepp Blatter: Mission Football" - about his lief within FIFA in the next few days. 

Published by Swiss company Werd & Weber, a preview read: "Despite the success, Blatter repeatedly had to put up with harsh reviews and prejudices.

"In this richly illustrated book, written by his spokesman, Thomas Renggli, Sepp Blatter tells how he learned to deal with the hostility."

source:skysports.com

John Obi Mikel wants Hiddink to stay on as Chelsea boss

Last Updated: 23/02/16 9:07am

 
 

John Obi Mikel says Chelsea is a much happier place under Guus Hiddink

Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel wants interim manager Guus Hiddink to extend his stay at the club beyond the current season, despite the Dutchman confirming his intention to leave the club in May.

Hiddink replaced Jose Mourinho in December and has lost just once in 13 games in all competitions with the same squad that suffered the club's worst start to a league season since 1978 under the Portuguese.

Mikel, who has featured in 11 games for Hiddink after falling out of favour under Mourinho, has followed Oscar in praising Hiddink's impact.

Hiddink takes training at the club's Cobham base

"Obviously, definitely I want him to stay," he said. "It is the choice of the owner, the club and the board... but if you speak to the players, 98 or 99 per cent of them want him to stay."

Hiddink, 69, said on Friday that he would leave as planned after the current campaign but Mikel feels there is a chance he may stay on.

"It depends on the board and it depends on Guus if he wants to continue. He has said that he is here until the end of the season but you never know, he might change his mind," the 28-year-old added.

"If the club want to appoint him, fair enough. His record speaks for itself."

Hiddink says he will leave Chelsea at the end of the season

Mikel said Hiddink had an immediate impact at the club after walking back through the doors for his second spell at Stamford Bridge.

"From day one, since Guus has come in, the atmosphere has changed. The players feel more relaxed, people know what their jobs are and people are getting on with their jobs in a more relaxed way.

"He has given responsibility to people and expects them to thrive on it and make sure they do it in a way where they feel comfortable. I think that's what the players are showing now."

source:skysports.com

 Valencia president backs coach Gary Neville

Last Updated: 23/02/16 9:43am

 
 

Gary Neville was appointed as Valencia head coach in December

Valencia president Layhoon Chan says Gary Neville's position as head coach was never under threat.

Speculation surrounding Neville's position at Valencia intensified following a run of 12 La Liga matches without a win.

However, speaking after Valencia recorded three victories in just over a week, including a 6-0 thrashing of Rapid Vienna in the Europa League, Chan has revealed Neville's position was not in jeopardy.

"You cannot dismiss a coach for a poor run when the players believe in him - they believe in Gary Neville," she told AS. "I do understand the football culture in Spain, but we have belief in what we are doing and we will continue in the direction which we believe is the right one.

"And with Gary we have been doing well; now the victories are coming. We are looking to secure a project. The first year went better than we expected, this year hasn't but we will continue to keep investing."

Neville was a surprise appointment in December when he was chosen to replace Nuno at Mestalla.

It was the former Manchester United defender's first managerial role and, Chan reveals, was aided by his friendship with Valencia owner Peter Lim.

"We took refuge in Gary Neville because we know him," says Chan. "We know his leadership qualities and we needed a motivator - someone who could reactivate the team and who could restore the relationship with the fans.

"We were aware that he had not coached a team before but we believed in him. He is a club man and he resolved the division in an instant. He was the ideal choice in our opinion.

After picking up a third sucessive victory, Gary Neville threw a few Spanish words into his press conferences

"We have a very young squad, with players who are not used to the pressure which has been forced on them and Gary was the ideal person to manage that anxiety although the results didn't arrive until this week."

Neville is only under contract with Valencia until the end of the season and Rafa Benitez has been reportedly linked with a return to the club as manager in the summer.

Asked whether Benitez will be back in the future, Chan said: "We cannot speak about next season at this moment in time."

source:skysports.com