Fifa crisis: Prince Ali against postponement of presidential election after Sepp Blatter suspension

Nominations for the election are due to close on October 26

Prince Ali was defeated by Blatter in May's presidential election (Getty Images)

FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan is strongly opposing moves to postpone the election.

The election of the successor to Sepp Blatter is scheduled for February 28 but an emergency meeting of FIFA's executive committee next week is due to discuss postponing it due to the crisis that has struck the world governing body.

Blatter and UEFA president Michel Platini, who was due to stand against Prince Ali, have both been provisionally banned by FIFA's ethics committee for 90 days over a £1.35million payment made to the Frenchman.

Nominations for the election are due to close on October 26 and Prince Ali said the rules on the election should remain.

He said in a statement: "Recent events at FIFA have shown us that no one is above the law. The ethics committee must now be allowed to do its work in a robust and timely fashion.

"With FIFA's crisis deepening, the organisation needs to move beyond interim leadership and elect an accountable president.

"Delaying the scheduled election would only postpone needed change and create further instability. It would tell the world that lessons haven't been learned, that the same backroom deals that have discredited FIFA in the first place continue.

"Members of the FIFA executive committee should remember that football associations, players, coaches and fans the world over are watching.

"The ExCo should not interfere with an ongoing process that was put in place by the ad hoc electoral committee. The election date of February 26 was set three months ago with a clear procedure that meets all of FIFA's statutory requirements. Candidates have had plenty of time to declare and still do. The rules should not be changed after the game has started."

PA