The Court of Arbitration for Sport has refused to call for the postponement of the FIFA presidential election on the request of candidate Prince Ali bin al-Hussein.
The Jordanian was dissatisfied with FIFA’s inability to enforce sufficient measures to ensure a fair electoral process on Friday, including the governing body’s rejecting Ali’s plea to use transparent voting booths, which the Prince’s team offered to supply.
Related: Prince Ali calls for FIFA presidential election to be postponed
The CAS addressed its ruling in a statement Wednesday:
The request for provisional measures has been rejected by the President of the CAS Appeals Arbitration Division. The full order with grounds will be communicated in a few days.
On 22 February 2016, HRH Prince Ali Al Hussein filed an appeal against a decision taken by the FIFA Ad-hoc Electoral Committee dated 15 February 2016 in which it declined to incorporate the use of transparent voting booths for the upcoming FIFA Presidential Election. In an urgent request for provisional measures, HRH Prince Ali Al Hussein sought an order that FIFA be directed to use transparent voting booths, as well as independent scrutineers, in order to safeguard the integrity of the voting process and to ensure that the vote is conducted in secret. In addition, HRH Prince Ali Al Hussein also asked for the FIFA Presidential Election to be postponed in the event the CAS could not rule on the request for provisional measures before the election, but this request is now moot.
The eyes of the world are on this election. Transparent booths are one way to ensure its integrity. pic.twitter.com/KEQgVSzSdE
— Prince Ali (@AliForFIFA) February 24, 2016
Ali’s wish to use transparent booths was meant to ensure voters do not take photos of their filled-out ballot paper as evidence to interest parties that they voted for a certain candidate. FIFA has banned mobile phones during the voting, but Ali does not deem this move as enough of an action to help avoid possible foul play.
Prince Ali is currently considered one of three favourites to become next FIFA president, behind Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, and Gianni Infantino. Tokyo Sexwale and Jerome Champagne round off the five candidates.
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