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FIFA president Sepp Blatter praised by Sheikh Ahmad

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New FIFA Executive Committee member Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah believes Sepp Blatter has done a great job for football

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been praised for doing "a great job" by one of the governing body's new top executives, writes Sky Sports News HQ's chief news reporter Bryan Swanson.

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah will join FIFA's all-powerful executive committee for two years on Friday, and described Blatter as "brave" following his speech in the opening ceremony of its annual congress.

Blatter refused to resign following a request from UEFA president Michel Platini, and promised to 'restore trust' in FIFA.

Kuwait's incoming FIFA executive believes Blatter is the 'best candidate' to beat Prince Ali of Jordan at the presidential election, but conceded it may take a second round of voting. 

"He's done a great job for football," Sheikh Ahmad told Sky Sports News HQ on the eve of the FIFA election. "Nobody can be perfect, 100 per cent. I think he is brave. Maybe he will lose some votes, but he didn't care, he was brave to be honest, to say the truth.

If you speak about Sepp (Blatter), you have to speak about the change of football. He has maintained and developed football. He funded a lot of football projects and made it more international.
Sheikh Ahmad

"I think the question should be, 'Blatter first round, or Blatter second round?' There is no other question. Maybe, after what's happened, it will be second round. If you speak about Sepp, you have to speak about the change of football. He has maintained and developed football. He funded a lot of football projects and made it more international."

Sheikh Ahmad has questioned why Britain is entitled to a FIFA vice-president position, reserved for one of the four British associations, and voted on by UEFA members.

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FA vice-chairman David Gill has said he will not become a FIFA executive if Blatter is re-elected for a fifth term. 

"We have to respect his opinion," said Sheikh Ahmad. "There is a chair for the UK. We have to say why (does the) UK have a chair for the vice-president? I think now we have to speak about fairness. The Egyptians, they say football started in Egypt thousands of years ago. The Chinese say football started in China, and they have evidence. Why are we keeping the same situation?

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Sepp Blatter has told FIFA's annual congress he had no way of monitoring 'a tiny minority' of officials accused of corruption

"I am a good friend of the UK. But if we want to be fair, we have to be fair in everything. England is a great country, a good friend, I love them, and I always like to be there in a second home."

Sheikh Ahmad, president of the Olympic Council of Asia, says he expects FIFA's reputation to 'recover' following the arrest of seven officials in dawn raids at the luxury Bar au Lac hotel in Zurich on Wednesday morning.

He questioned the timing of the arrests, over an FBI investigation into alleged corruption, and denied FIFA was in a 'crisis'.

"Never," he replied, sitting in the gardens of the same hotel where the arrests took place. "I think they can recover and get stronger. None of us support corruption. All of us want to have a clean environment. I know the human right; the person is innocent until proven (guilty). There is a case and we have to see."

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