After months of speculation, Asian Football Confederation president Mohammed Bin Hammam has announced his candidacy for FIFA's top job. Running on a platform that includes nominal promises to increase transparency, Bin Hammam claims public opinion helped shape his manifesto.
"The view that FIFA is not transparent... it hurts, you know? (To rectify that) change the administration, give more votes for the confederations, to listen to other stakeholders, debate and listen."
Despite running against Sepp Blatter and rumors of a frosty relationship in recent times, the Qatari says Blatter will have a place at FIFA should he be ousted.
Because that's the public wants.
"Naturally I would propose to him that he remains part of the family... maybe he can still do a function on behalf of FIFA."
"I'm not there to (seek) revenge I'm actually just trying to make the change for what I believe is good for FIFA. I will embrace him... I will respect him."
In addition to pushing for greater transparency, Bin Hamman promises the following (via Reuters):
* Will expand the FIFA executive committee to 41, including the president, and rebrand it the FIFA board.
* Will double FIFA member donations to $500,000
* Will support goalline technology and the use of two additional assistant referees in matches.
* Will increase funds in the FIFA goal project for developing nations to $1 million.
* Promises to decentralise bureaucratic FIFA administration.
* Will establish a FIFA transparency committee
Bin Hammam's campaign slogan is "Future" (you read that right). When announcing his candidacy in Kuala Lumpur, the AFC president stood in front of a massive poster bearing a photo of him kneeling with a ball and giving a cheery thumbs up.
Future. Thumbs up. Also, no sleep and assurances he will serve no more than two terms if elected.
The Qatari said he would have to work 22 hours and sleep only two a day in order to convince people he should be their new president.
But if he proves victorious he said he had no plans to put down roots.
"I will definitely not do more than two terms."
There's little arguing that Blatter's time as FIFA head should come to an end after 13 years, if for no other reason than any organization will stagnate with the same leadership for that length of time. Unfortunately, Mohammed Bin Hammam is one of the usual suspects when it comes to FIFA politics, and while his platform seems promising, there's little reason to believe he will rock the boat once in office.
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