Prince Ali back in the race to be FIFA president

Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan speaks at the Roman Amphitheatre area in downtown Amman, Jordan, September 9, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

AMMAN - Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan is back in the race to be elected FIFA president having declared his candidacy on Wednesday four months after losing May's vote to Sepp Blatter.

Prince Ali, 39, announced in a speech in the Jordanian capital that he would run again for the top job at world soccer's governing body.

"Friends I stand here in this ancient place in the timeless heart of Amman to once again launch my candidacy for the Presidency of FIFA," Prince Ali said.

"Let me be clear, I want to finish what we started," he added.

"We have come too far to walk away now. I have thought long and hard on this, I believe in the road we started, I believe in the moments I shared with people all over the world, who told me their hopes and dreams."

Prince Ali is the third heavyweight to declare following UEFA chief Michel Platini of France, and former Asia vice-president Chung Mong-joon of South Korea.

He also said in his declaration speech that his campaign will depend on reforming the organisation.

"It is only through new leadership that FIFA can change I do not believe that FIFA can give this sport back to the people of the world without new leadership, untainted by the practices of the past.

"Since the last election, I have thought long and hard about how to reform FIFA. It will be a difficult task. We must overcome deep-seated corruption and political deal making.

"I will not be a pawn for others. I cannot leave the field that I have cleared, only to allow a flawed system to continue.

"To Member Associations of FIFA I say, you are the backbone of football and FIFA should serve you. FIFA will not be run as the personal fiefdom of an all-powerful clique.

"We must take back the game we love," Prince Ali added. "We must return to what makes football the greatest sport on Earth: hope, dignity, excellence and opportunity."

Ali lost by 133-73 votes to incumbent Blatter in the election on May 27 before the Swiss announced he was standing down from the position four days later after FIFA was plunged into the worst crisis in its 111-year history following arrests of its officials and others two days before the election.

A fresh election to find a successor to Blatter will be held in Zurich on Feb. 26 and Ali will again campaign on an anti-corruption, reform programme.