FAZ Endorses Al-Khalifa

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has picked Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa as its preferred nominee for the FIFA presidency ahead of today's elections in Zurich, Switzerland.

General secretary George Kasengele said FAZ would support the candidature of Al-Khalifa, the president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) who also has the backing of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Kasengele said this in a statement released yesterday by communications manager Nkweto Tembwe.

FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya led a three-man delegation comprising Kasengele and committee member Pivoty Simwanza, who is also vying for the vice-presidency at the March 19 elective annual general meeting.

"FAZ in line with its core belief of unity of purpose will support the candidature of Al-Khalifa whom CAF has endorsed. We are part of the African football family under CAF and we shall follow what the continental mother body has advised.

"CAF has taken a stance and as you may know our president Kalusha is an executive committee member there and we would not want to appear to be at variance with our leaders" Kasengele said.

Meanwhile, Gianni Infantino and Al-Khalifa easily lead the race to become president of the troubled FIFA, but an AFP poll of world football's members highlighted complex political manoeuvring and uncertainty surrounding today's vote.

Only four federations publicly backed Prince Ali bin al Hussein, a former FIFA vice-president from Jordan while none openly pledged votes for the two remaining candidates in the Zurich run-off, Jerome Champagne of France and South Africa's Tokyo Sexwale.