Prince Ali assured of full Arab support in FIFA role challenge to Chung

AFC rivals: Prince Ali bin Al Hussein and Chung Mong-joon / lake images

KEIR RADNEDGE / Sports Features Communications

LONDON/AMMAN, Dec 29: Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan has been reassured of full Arab support for his bid to overthrow South Korea's Chung Mong-joon as the Asian Football Confederation's FIFA vice-president.

Chung has held the position since 1994 and is almost as twice as old as 35-year-old Prince Ali, son of the late King Hussein of Jordan and the late Queen Alia. He is standing for relection on a platform of improved and fairer development work within Asia and improved communications beyond.

As president of the West Asian Football Association, Prince Ali has expected to count on full support from the Arab members of the AFB and speculation about a split among them has been quashed by Saudi Arabia's Said Jama’an of the Arab Football Federation.

He was speaking in Jakarta where he attended the AFF Suzuki Cup Final between Indonesia and Malaysia.

Ahead of the election on January 6 at AFC Congress in Doha, SAid Jama'an said: “I’m here to support Prince Ali on behalf of Saudi Arabia and also the Arab federation. All the Arabs are supporting Prince Ali. We need a person like him who can unite all of us and bring us together.

"We strongly believe in him. He is going to do the job right. It’s time for a change and he is good for the Asian region.”

Earlier Prince Ali, who is also the West Asia Football Federation president, spoke of wanting to move Asia forward, assist and protect all the AFC's member associations. He said: "I am not a politician but I want to see the sport grow in Asia.”