Tricky FIFA path lies ahead for soon-to-be member Sheikh Ahmad

andrewbinner 22:53 29/04/2015
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  • Done deal: Sheikh Ahmad helped Thomas Bach become IOC president in 2013.

    Thursday should see, will see, the public emergence of a serious power in the field of football politics when Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah of Kuwait takes his seat on the FIFA Executive Committee. Not receiving enough votes at the AFC Congress in Manama, Bahrain, would be a much bigger shock than Kuwait qualifying for the World Cup. It’s in the bag.

    Sheikh Ahmad has been a highly influential figure in Asian football for years. As president of the National Olympic Council of Asia and the Association of National Committees, he has pulled plenty of strings at the AFC, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and elsewhere. In recent times, he played a major role in Shiekh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa becoming the president of the confederation in May 2013 by a landslide and also helped Thomas Bach become IOC president in the same year

    Now the former head of OPEC no longer seems to be content by staying in the football shadows and will step into the light on Thursday. Until now in Manama, he has yet to make an appearance among the general delegates at the Ritz Hotel but, according to his brother, was present at a dinner hosted by the United Arab Emirates FA on Tuesday evening. At the moment, the Sheikh is not talking to the media, he doesn’t have to. His work is done behind the scenes and his influence is felt everywhere. It is more than possible that he will help Kohzo Tashima of Japan and Malaysia’s Tengku Abdullah join him on the FIFA Exco.

    When he does become officially involved with the world governing body, the world is going to start watching his every move. The reason is simple: many are starting to think that the bearded bureaucrat has his eyes on the top prize and that he wants to succeed Sepp Blatter. It is not out of the question.

    He has supported Blatter and is doing so for the upcoming FIFA election. Both of them had a major rival in the shape of Mohamed Bin Hammam that no longer exists. Ahmad helped Salman succeed the Qatari and Salman is a staunch supporter of the Swiss supremo. Assuming that Blatter steps down in 2019, it is certainly possible, even probable, that he would be much more open to the idea of being succeeded by the Kuwaiti than a European.

    And Sheikh Ahmad has extensive ties with Africa and, with Blatter’s help, could make inroads into that continent. If so, he won’t be far away.

    Still, there’s a long way to go and it remains to be seen how he deals with being in the international spotlight a little more and as 2019 draws nearer, a lot more. And being so powerful has its drawbacks. Already, there are murmurings in the AFC, especially from candidates whose opponents benefited from the Sheikh’s support, that he is becoming too influential. The longer he stays, the more enemies he is likely to make.

    Sources at the AFC say that his long-term success in Asia and then in FIFA will depend on how he balances his existing roles with his expected new one and how he handles the increase in power.

    And he is not infallible. In his native Kuwait he accused ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and former speaker Jassem Mohammad Abdul-Mohsem Al-Karafi of planning to overthrow the government and misusing public funds. These allegations were dismissed by a court, prompting a televised apology to his uncle, the Emir of Kuwait, and the Crown Prince.

    “I thought the information was correct and credible,” said Sheikh Ahmad. “But now that the competent judicial authorities affirmed they were not valid or correct, stressing the truth is a virtue. As I seek pardon from Your Highness, I stress that what happened will be a lesson from which I will benefit and draw appropriate conclusions.I am in full compliance with the orders and directives of Your Highness and I promise to turn the page on this matter and not to raise it again.”

    The soon-to-be FIFA Exco member will have to learn to be circumspect in the future. As he receives more attention from Asia and around the world, the power he has will need to be used wisely and discreetly. Sheikh Ahmad is already a major player in global football politics but very soon, more and more people are going to know all about him.

    On Thursday however, he is going to enjoy his triumph and take his place on the seat on the most powerful committee on world football. It could just be the start.

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