Sheikh Salman poised to enter race to run FIFA - Sky sources
Thursday 15 October 2015 22:50, UK
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman is to stand for the FIFA presidency, according to Sky sources.
It was thought that the AFC would back UEFA president Michel Platini but, if they are unanimously behind Salman, that would give him the votes of 46 of the 209 FIFA associations.
Salman may announce his candidacy prior to Tuesday's emergency meeting of the FIFA executive committee in Zurich.
His entry into the race may be a blow to the hopes of Platini, who in any case will need to be cleared of wrongdoing over a £1.35m payment to him from FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
Platini has been suspended for 90 days by FIFA's ethics committee but UEFA's members have issued a joint statement calling for a "rapid decision" on his case by mid-November and supporting his right to a fair hearing. Platini and Blatter have denied any wrongdoing.
If Salman runs it may also damage the chances of Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan, who delivered his five nominations to FIFA earlier on Thursday.
