Fifa election: Prince Ali loses bid to suspend Friday's vote

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Prince Ali bin al-HusseinImage source, EPA
Image caption,

Prince Ali is one of five contenders to become the new head of world football's governing body

Friday's Fifa presidential election will go ahead as planned after candidate Prince Ali bin al-Hussein lost a bid to have it suspended.

Prince Ali, 40, is unhappy with voting arrangements but the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) rejected his case.

The Jordanian wanted transparent voting booths to ensure the election, to find Sepp Blatter's successor, is fair.

"I have done all I can. I regret that the system let us down," he said.

"It is now imperative that voters abide by the ban on mobile phones and cameras in the voting booth."

World football's election commission rejected Prince Ali's original request to suspend it if it could not "ensure that the vote is conducted in secret" and Cas ratified that decision on Wednesday.

Media caption,

Take a tour around the new Fifa museum with Richard Conway

Ali wants to ensure delegates do not photograph their ballot papers when they choose the next president, claiming they could be put under pressure to produce evidence of their vote to interested parties.

Prince Ali is one of five contenders looking to succeed the Swiss, who is stepping down at world football's governing body after 18 years.

He is up against:

  • South African businessman Tokyo Sexwale

  • Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa

  • Former Fifa deputy general secretary Jerome Champagne

  • Uefa general secretary Gianni Infantino

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