Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini were “totally irresponsible” to agree a payment that has brought ignominy to world football, according to Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, who hopes to take over FIFA next month.
The Jordanian crown prince said the global governing body would be heading for a new “catastrophe” if it doesn’t elect the right candidate to succeed Blatter in the vote on February 26. Eight-year bans against Blatter and Platini have left the pair in disgrace and fighting to save their names.
Prince Ali said however there was no way they could avoid trouble over a $2 million payment approved by Blatter to Platini in 2011. Prince Ali said it was the sort of dark practice that had to be rooted out.
“In this day and age, to have an oral agreement is totally irresponsible,” he said. “You have to be open, it has to be accountable. That’s just a normal way of doing business.”
