The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has revealed that it has invited an explanation from FIFA regarding its decision to refuse a request from presidential candidate Prince Ali for transparent voting booths at the upcoming election.
Prince Ali is one of five candidates bidding to replace outgoing president Sepp Blatter, who last year was suspended from all football-related activity for eight years over a payment made to UEFA president Michel Platini.
The Jordanian candidate saw his request for reassurances over the voting procedure turned down by world football's governing body, leading him to call for Friday's election to be postponed.
However, the case has now been taken to the CAS, which will deliver a verdict on the matter by Thursday morning.
"The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has registered an appeal and request for urgent provisional measures filed by HRH Prince Ali Al Hussein of Jordan against a decision taken by the FIFA ad-hoc electoral committee dated 15 February 2016 in which it declined to incorporate the use of transparent voting booths for the upcoming FIFA presidential election," read a statement.
"HRH Prince Ali Al Hussein seeks an order that FIFA be directed to use transparent voting booths, as well as independent scrutineers, in order to safeguard the integrity of the voting process and to ensure that the vote is conducted in secret. FIFA has been invited to file written observations in reply to Prince Ali's request.
"The request for provisional measures will be decided by CAS no later than the morning of Thursday 25 February 2016. In the meantime, the CAS will not comment on this pending matter."
Prince Ali is competing with Sheikh Salman, Gianni Infantino, Tokyo Sexwale and Jerome Champagne to succeed the long-serving Blatter.
Barney Corkhill
