MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Suspension of FIFA Friday's presidential requested by candidate Prince Ali

The FIFA ad-hoc electoral committee denied the Jordanian prince request to use the transparent booths.

FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali Al Hussein of Jordan is appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to implement transparent voting booths in Friday’s election. CAS says Prince Ali is asking for “urgent provisional measures” against the Feb. 15 decision of the FIFA ad-hoc electoral committee to deny his request to use the transparent booths.

 “As a consequence, we are now seeking provisional measures before CAS to suspend the coming election on Friday 26th of February,” lawyers of Prince Ali said publicly.

CAS did not respond to the request to suspend the election but will rule on the use of the proposed transparent booths.

“HRH Prince Ali Al Hussein seeks an order that FIFA be directed to use transparent voting booths, as well as independent poll watchers, in order to safeguard the integrity of the voting process and to ensure that the vote is conducted in secret,” CAS said in a statement.

CAS has invited FIFA to respond to Prince Ali’s request with a written statement explaining the decision.

Although the election committee denied the use of the booths, Prince Ali sent a few to FIFA headquarters anyway.

FIFA says it will make voters hand in their cell phones and other recording equipment before entering the voting booth and that this measure is enough to ensure a fair election. Prince Ali's lawyers disagree saying the provision is “not sufficient”.

The court says it will make a decision no later than Thursday morning, one day prior to the election.

Prince Ali is competing with UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino, AFC president Sheikh Salman of Bahrain, South African businessman Tokyo Sexwale and former FIFA executive Jerome Champagne. The 209 Member Associations of FIFA will choose its next president on Feb. 26.