Prince William wants FIFA election delayed

Prince William has become the latest public figure to suggest FIFA should postpone their presidential election on Wednesday.

President Sepp Blatter is running for re-election but will be unopposed when the vote takes place at the FIFA congress, with the only other candidate, Mohammed bin Hammam, pulling out of the election before being suspended by the governing body for alleged bribery.

With FIFA’s reputation at an all-time low after countless allegations of bribery and financial foul play, the English FA have suggested the election should be delayed, with a new independent body to oversee the election and give candidates time to prepare their bids.

FIFA have maintained the election will go ahead as planned on Wednesday, but Prince William, the FA president, said it should be postponed.

“The Duke of Cambridge, as president, has been kept informed of the FA’s proposals and is fully supportive of the chairman and the initiatives the FA has recommended,” a Clarence House spokesman for Prince William said.

“He considers the transparency of the international governing body to be integral to the good governance of the game.”

FIFA’s reputation took another hit on Tuesday when CONCACAF general secretary Chuck Blazer, who made the allegations against bin Hammam and FIFA vice-president Jack Warner, was sacked, then re-instated, before being sacked again.

FA chairman David Bernstein, and anti-corruption agency Transparency International, are among those opposed to the one-man election taking place.