KEIR RADNEDGE in MANCHESTER: FIFA should not abandon the reform work set under way in the summer of 2011 and term limits should be kept among the options, according to Prince Ali of Jordan.

Prince Ali, Asian vice-president of the world federation, was speaking at the Soccerex Global Convention in Manchester.

The apparently immovable longevity of senior members of the FIFA executive committee had prompted reform leader Mark Pieth to include age and term limits among his proposals for a cleaning up of the body’s governance.

However the idea was voted down decisively by FIFA Congress in Sao Paulo in June.

The issue has returned to the agenda because of president Sepp Blatter’s ambition to extend his reign, next year, for a further, fifth, four-year term.

Age limit cut-off

This would also take him beyond the age of 80 which is the age limit cut-off for membership of the International Olympic Committee on which he leads football representation.

Prince Ali, asked about Blatter’s declared will to continue in office, said: “He has a full right to stand again no matter of what he has said or hasn’t in the past and that looks to be what he has in mind.

“But our process of reform within FIFA needs to continue and eventually we should look at instituting term limits – maybe not just for the FIFA president but for executive members including myself.

“In Asia we have an age limit and in some other confederation. I don’t believe in an age limit but I do believe in term limits. People would be much happier with knowing there are limits as well as people, who aspire to a position, in knowing they were working towards a limit.”

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