Sports

AMMAN — The local basketball agenda is on a short break as Orthodoxi host the 18th West Asian Clubs Championship from February 17-22 in the zonal qualifiers for the Asian Champions Cup.

Lebanon’s Riyadi and Champville, Iran’s Petroshemi and Azad, and Iraq’s Shurta will join their host as former champs Syria’s Wihdeh and Yemen’s Sana’s declined this year. 

The West Asian Clubs Championship, organised by the West Asian Basketball Association, stipulates that the top three teams, provided they represent different countries, qualify to the Asian Basketball Confederation’s (ABC) Champions Cup.  Zain were the only Jordanian team to win the Champions Cup in 2006.

In the last edition, in 2014, then Jordan Basketball League champs Applied Science University (ASU) finished third while Jordan’s other representative, Ittihad Schools, bowed out of the quarters. Iran’s Mahram beat compatriot Petroshemi to win the title for the fourth time. Mahram, ASU and Iraq’s Kahraba moved to the ABC Asian Champions Cup. ASU won the league four times in their record title the last being in 2013 and 2014. Both ASU and Ititihad have quit the game over differences with the Jordan Basketball Federation and players dispersed over the rest of clubs.

Locally, the season started with Orthodoxi winning the Jordan Cup and aiming to retain the league title which they won for the record 23rd time last year

The West Asian Clubs Championship has been dominated by Lebanese and Iranian team since it started in 1998. Orthodoxi were the only Jordanian team to win the title in 1999. Jordanian runners-up to the title were Jazira (currently Riyadi’s team) in 1998, Orthodoxi in 2001 and 2002, Arena in 2003 and Zain in 2009.

WABA record

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane reckons Cristiano Ronaldo is on top form as the Portuguese looks to increase his Champions League goals tally when they visit AS Roma in the first leg of their last-16 tie on Wednesday.

Ronaldo is the competition’s leading marksman this season with 11 goals, a record for the group phase.

Zidane, a Champions League winner playing for Real in 2002, said Ronaldo was on top of his game after the Portuguese scored twice in Saturday’s 4-2 Liga win over Athletic Bilbao.

“Cristiano is very important on the wing because when he attacks one-on-one he’s very good... he’s very hard to defend against,” Zidane added before the game at the Stadio Olimpico. “That’s how we scored the first goal [against Athletic].”

Left back Marcelo has recovered faster than expected from a shoulder injury that forced him to miss Saturday’s home game, was back in training on Monday and named in the match squad.

“We have to be especially wary of the speed of [Roma’s] players because that could hurt us,” Real striker Karim Benzema was quoted as saying in Mundo Deportivo.

“They’re going to play to win because it’s a very important game for them at home. We must win too because we know that to qualify the key is the first leg... If we’re at our best we’ll win.”

Isco looks certain to play in central midfield with Zidane saying he gave Mateo Kovacic a game against Athletic to rest the Spaniard, who has been a regular alongside Toni Kroos and Luka Modric under the Frenchman.

The match pits two recently appointed coaches against each other after Zidane and Luciano Spalletti took charge last month.

Spalletti returned for a second spell at Roma, who are on a run of four wins in Serie A, to replace Rudi Garcia.

Spalletti will have been pleased to see striker Edin Dzeko end his three-month scoring drought with a goal in Roma’s 3-1 win at Carpi on Friday, although the man Real must especially guard against is winger Mohamed Salah, who also netted.

Garcia’s tenure effectively ended with the 6-1 drubbing by Barcelona at the Nou Camp in the Champions League group stage, a result they will want to put firmly behind them on Wednesday.

Confidence helper

VfL Wolfsburg are hoping a morale-boosting Bundesliga win that ended a poor run of results will help their confidence for the Champions League last 16 first-leg game at Gent on Wednesday.

Last year’s German league runners-up and Cup winners are eighth in the standings after a 2-0 victory over Ingolstadt on Saturday, their first win in eight Bundesliga games.

“We have to accept the criticism directed against us,” Wolfsburg left back Marcel Schaefer said.

“The past weeks have not been as all of us had imagined them. That is why it was important to win against Ingolstadt as it was also a sign that we are prepared to fight over 90 minutes as a team.”

The victory over the Bavarian club will be key for Wolfsburg’s confidence as they find themselves in uncharted territory in Europe, according to coach Dieter Hecking.

“What is important is that we have now snapped our bad run,” Hecking said. “We have won and that is what matters. This win can do a lot for us in the future.”

Wolfsburg did not get past the group stage in their only other Champions League appearance in 2009.

Gent, in the Champions League for the first time after being crowned Belgian champions in 2015, were the surprise runners-up in Group H, beating Valencia and Zenit St Petersburg at home as well as Olympique Lyonnais away.

They became the first Belgian side to reach the round of 16 in the Champions League since Anderlecht 15 years ago.

Gent’s recent results in the Belgian league, however, have been disappointing after finishing the first half of the season on top.

Club Bruges have caught up, beating Gent twice in quick succession, in the Cup and the league.

Gent also needed 85 minutes to struggle past bottom side Mouscron on Friday with a powerful strike by Mbark Boussoufa, who is not on their Champions League squad, and another goal from Danijel Milicevic.

Boussoufa is on loan from Lokomotiv Moscow but because of doubts over his fitness the Morocco international was not included in the Champions League squad, a decision manager Hein Vanhaezebrouck now regrets.

“Boussoufa is much better physically and mentally than I was told. It’s a shame about that list, I admit that,” he said.

TORONTO — The moment Kobe Bryant will savour most from his final All-Star weekend was one the world never saw.

There were plenty of highlights to cherish, actually. The way his daughters beamed when they got to meet and take a picture with Stephen Curry after the game. A conversation with Michael Jordan. Getting sought out by Magic Johnson for a talk about legacy. Private chats with teammates in the locker room, which he enjoyed tremendously.

But the quintessential one to Bryant came in the wee hours of Sunday morning inside a rented-out restaurant, where he was the guest of honour at a celebration arranged by Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade.

Bryant was publicly serenaded all weekend, and having 20,000 fans chant his name left him beaming. Having three long-time rivals quietly pay tribute meant even more.

“It was really special,” Bryant told The Associated Press on Sunday night after scoring 10 points in his last All-Star appearance, a 196-173 win for the West over the East.

“Those are the things you don’t get a chance to hear when you’re competing against each other. To hear those stories now, you have such a deep sense of appreciation and such a brotherhood from all the years of competing against each other. It just felt good.”

They gave him some silly gifts. They presented him with a giant bottle of wine, a 1996 vintage in a nod to his rookie season. And they told Bryant what he meant to their lives.

The dinner was secret, super-exclusive, invitation only. It’s something the trio started doing last season at All-Star weekend, calling the gathering the Gentleman’s Supper Club. This year, the group wanted Bryant to be tied into it somehow.

So after All-Star Saturday festivities ended, the group headed out to the party that mattered most to them. Dinner was a fish dish, and it wasn’t served until after 2am. The wine and spirits were flowing long before that, and for a little while afterward as well. By the time everything had wound down, sunrise wasn’t far away.

But to those who were there, it was most memorable.

“Respect,” Wade said. “That’s what it was. It was about respect, ours for him and the respect he’s given us. I just wanted to tell him that his respect meant a lot, means a lot, to my career. I went down a list of moments, gave people insight on Kobe and the way he thinks. It was just appreciation, man. His drive, his competitiveness, it helped me early in my career because I wanted to be on his level.”

Bryant hasn’t always had the tightest relationships with NBA peers. He’s never been the sort that needs tonnes of friends, and his competitive juices sometimes kept him from allowing himself to get close with too many people. But now that his career is winding down, many close to Bryant are seeing some changes.

He has thoroughly enjoyed the tributes he’s received in every city the Lakers have visited since his retirement announcement. He made his peace long ago with Los Angeles not being in position right now to compete for the postseason.

“This is amazing,” Bryant said at the restaurant, glass in hand. “I’m not the most social person, so to get this from you guys means absolutely everything to me.”

Wade gave him a customised robe and some other clothes bearing his logo — along with a one-year subscription to Netflix, because Bryant is about to have a lot of time on his hands. Paul gave him a bunch of presents that he said would properly prepare Bryant for retirement, such as dental adhesive, reading glasses, compression socks and a cane. Anthony offered a magnum of Gaja Barbaresco, Italian wine for the player who grew up in Italy and says much like vino itself he got better with age.

But there was also a serious tone, as Bryant nodded during his speech towards his wife, Vanessa.

“The thing that I’ll miss is matching up with you guys,” Bryant told Wade, Anthony and Paul. “Vanessa will tell you: I’ll be in the bed for hours — hours, man — not sleeping, watching film on you guys because you are driving me [expletive] crazy.”

He can start sleeping soon, if he isn’t already.

The last All-Star Game is in the books. The NBA journey is almost over. He may have participated in his last practice on Saturday. The legendary ride has 27 games left, at the most. And before he left Toronto for a quick family vacation before the season resumes later this week, Bryant took one final moment to reflect.

“It has hit me,” Bryant said. “I feel very thankful. I feel very thankful. It’s not an exciting thing. It’s not a sad thing. It’s just, I feel very thankful to be able to have had the career I’ve had.”

PARIS/LISBON — Paris St Germain would be odds-on certainties to easily beat Chelsea and take a big step towards the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday, if statistics and domestic form decided matches.

But there is far more to it than that which is why Chelsea, enduring one of their worst seasons in years but showing signs of improvement, will visit the runaway Ligue 1 leaders optimistic they can avenge last season’s round of 16 defeat.

PSG were on a 16-match winning streak in all competitions before a partly reserve side were held to a goalless draw by vistors Lille in Ligue 1 on Saturday.

Talismanic striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, key midfielder Thiago Motta and captain and centre back Thiago Silva were all rested and although PSG did not win they still stretched their unbeaten league run to 35 games.

Midfielder Marco Verratti returned after a two-week injury lay-off, replacing Javier Pastore at halftime, but manager Laurent Blanc said the Italian would not start against Chelsea.

“It’s too risky. Everything goes faster in a Champions League game. If you play, you risk getting injured again,” said Blanc, who is likely to field Adrien Rabiot in midfield alongside Blaise Matuidi and Thiago Motta.

PSG have been knocked out in the quarter-finals of the last three Champions Leagues but hope the addition of Angel Di Maria, who has been an inspiration since he joined from Manchester United last summer, will help them go further this time.

PSG favourites

Although Chelsea eliminated PSG in the last eight on away goals two seasons ago, the Parisians got their revenge last term when they knocked the London side out.

Chelsea’s interim boss Guus Hiddink said last week he thought PSG were favourites, but the outcome is not a foregone conclusion.

Unlike PSG, Chelsea’s domestic form has been patchy but it has improved since Hiddink replaced the sacked Jose Mourinho in mid-December.

Saturday’s 5-1 win over Newcastle United was their best in the Premier League this term and stretched their unbeaten league run to 10 matches.

However, they are still only 12th in the table, 20 points behind leaders Leicester City.

Saturday’s win could prove costly, though, with a hamstring injury making it doubtful John Terry can play.

Hiddink said: “We have just two days to recover and it is something to think about in the future as two days of recovery is not enough.”

Terry’s fellow central defender Kurt Zouma was ruled out for six months after injuring his anterior cruciate ligament against Manchester United last week.

No hindrance

Zenit St Petersburg will be playing their first competitive game for two months when they visit Benfica on Tuesday but are confident Russian football’s winter hibernation could be a help rather than a hindrance.

The Champions League last 16 first leg at the Stadium of Light will also be something of a reunion for Benfica, who face three of their former players, plus an old rival in visiting coach Andre Villas-Boas.

Russian champions Zenit, lying a modest sixth this season, have not played since they lost 2-1 to Ghent in their final group stage outing on December 9 and have spent the winter break in Qatar, Portugal and Spain.

“The long winter break is not a problem,” said their Portuguese coach Villas-Boas, who has faced Benfica three times in charge of Academica Coimbra and four-times with their arch-rivals Porto.

“We had enough games during our training camps. We made sure that we would approach the Benfica match in the best possible physical shape.

“We have prepared extensively for the Benfica match, and that is something of an advantage because we haven’t had any other opponents to worry about.”

The two sides also met at the same stage of the competition four years ago when Benfica won the second leg 2-0 for a 4-3 aggregate win, the last time the 1961 and 1962 European Cup winners reached the quarter-finals.

Axel Witsel was inspirational for Benfica in that match and clearly impressed Zenit as they splurged 40 million euros ($45 million) to buy him from their opponents at the end of that season.

Zenit midfielder Javi Garcia and defender Ezequiel Garay each spent three seasons at Benfica earlier in their careers.

Argentina defender Garay moved directly between the clubs in 2014 while Spaniard Garcia arrived at Zenit via Manchester City.

The trio have already faced their old club before, helping Zenit, who have never gone beyond the round of 16, complete a double over Benfica in the group stage of the 2014/15 competition.

Benfica, three points behind leaders Sporting in the Portuguese league, won 11 games in a row in all competitions before losing to arch-rivals Porto on Friday.

“We want to bounce back but it’s a different competition,” said Ruiz Vitoria, who has had a topsy-turvy time in his first season as Benfica coach.

“These players are proud and believe in what they are doing. We will be here again on Tuesday with the intention of winning.”

LONDON — After 10 months out injured, Danny Welbeck took barely 10 minutes on his return from surgery to score a precious goal for Arsenal.

The striker's header in the fifth minute of stoppage time secured a 2-1 victory over 10-man Leicester on Sunday, cutting the surprise Premier League frontrunner's lead over the London club to two points.

"It has been a bit of a rollercoaster for me, missing a lot of football ... it was difficult," Welbeck said. "To get that winning goal is a beautiful feeling."

Leicester was leading through Jamie Vardy's 45th-minute penalty at the Emirates Stadium when Danny Simpson received two yellow cards in the opening nine minutes of the second half.

Arsenal had failed to register a shot on target at that stage, but Arsene Wenger's substitutions delivered as intended as the hosts exploited their man advantage.

Theo Walcott equalised with 20 minutes to go and Welbeck, who replaced Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the 83rd minute, headed in Mesut Ozil's free kick on his return from left knee surgery.

"In the last two training sessions he was very strong," Wenger said. "Everyone is extremely happy for [Welbeck] because he has been out for 10 months which is an eternity for a player."

It ensured Arsenal became the first team to complete the double this season over Leicester, which have only lost three times in the league to gatecrash the elite after narrowly surviving relegation last year.

This loss punctures the cautious optimism building at Leicester that it could win the top prize in English football for the first time in their 132-year history.

But Leicester have still collected six points from a possible nine in the last two weeks, having beaten Liverpool and Manchester City.

And while top-four rivals Arsenal, Tottenham and City have European and FA Cup games over the next seven days, Leicester have two clear weeks until the league resumes.

Ranieri is giving his players a week off from the club to escape the freezing conditions and mounting expectation at home.

"I said to [the players], 'Don't worry. It's OK. You are top of the league with two points more,'" Ranieri said. "They go, I don't know where. Dubai? Wherever they want."

Ranieri's team had been fortunate to survive the opening 15 minutes unscathed in north London after the hosts made a dangerous start with two attempts in the opening two minutes, including Alexis Sanchez heading wide.

While Vardy and Riyad Mahrez have won plaudits for their lethal attacking contribution, goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has been integral to Leicester's title charge.

Schmeichel could, however, have looked reckless when he raced out his penalty area to halt Aaron Ramsey's advance. But the daring move succeeded and, in a rapid response, Marc Albrighton crossed to Vardy whose first effort of the game was a header saved by Petr Cech.

This unexpected title challenge has been forged on making the most of counterattacks, with Leicester having the third-worst possession statistics in the league.

N'Golo Kante was also wreaking havoc, unsettling Arsenal's defence. His curling shot five minutes before halftime was only kept out of the net by Cech's one-handed save.

The opener came just before half time with Kante down on the field. Play was allowed to continue, with Vardy cutting in from the right towards goal before Monreal stuck a boot out to block him. Vardy sent Cech wrong way from the spot to make it 19 goals in 26 games for the league's top scorer.

"We are staying up," Leicester fans responded ironically. The target for the season was survival. Never has a Premier League team exceeded expectations so spectacularly but Leicester's title dreams took a knock after the break.

Simpson was booked for bringing down Sanchez in the 49th minute and shown a second yellow card five minutes later for hauling down Giroud.

Ranieri's response was to sacrifice Mahrez, who was replaced by defender Marcin Wasilewski.

"It was a mental test for us," Wenger said. "We took all the risks to win it."

Walcott replaced Francis Coquelin and restored parity in the 70th minute. Hector Bellerin's cross from right was deftly headed down by Giroud into the path of the unmarked Walcott, who steered the ball into the net.

Giroud came close to snatching the winner himself several times before Welbeck found the net.

Leicester, though, remain in front of an Arsenal side looking to end a 12-year title drought.

"Our fans are dreaming. I think a lot of you [reporters] are dreaming because also for you it's good if Leicester win the title," Ranieri said. "I have a dream but I don't tell you what I dream."

AMMAN  — The Jordan Cup semis conclude on Monday as teams battle to reach the final match of the second event of the season.

Ahli upstaged titleholders Faisali 1-0 in Leg 1 and will aim to continue their impressive form and reach the final. A long-time veteran and founder of the game in Jordan, Ahli were relegated to Division 1 in 2004 for the first time in their history. They were back among the Pro League clubs in 2014, finished 5th in 2015 and now the team are leading the Premier League after they beat Faisali and Shabab Urdun 2-1 last week and seem in position to aim for the title as well.

In the other semifinal, two-time winners Shabab Urdun will seek to beat Jazira as they did 1-0 in Leg 1 of the semis. 

After the elimination of leading contenders Wihdat, Ramtha, and Baqa’a in the Round of 16, now Ahli, Shabab Urdun, Cup title-holders Faisali and Jazira remain in the race for the title. In the quarters,  Shabab Urdun beat Hussein 3-1, Faisali beat Kufrsoum 3-0, Ahli ousted Turra 2-0 and Jazira overcame That Ras 3-2. In Leg 1, Hussein tied Shabab Urdun 1-1, Jazira beat That Ras 3-0, Faisali beat Kufrsoum 1-0 and Ahli defeated Turra 3-0. 

Four Division 1 teams — Turra, Bala’ama, Arabi and Sheikh Hussein — were eliminated in the preliminary knockout round, where reigning Jordan Cup champs Faisali ousted Sarih, Ahli upstaged Wihdat, Turra upset Ramtha, Jazira beat Asala, Hussein eliminated Baqa’a 3, That Ras ousted Arabi, Kufrsoum beat Sheikh and Shabab Urdun defeated Bala’ama.

Faisali have already secured one title beating league and Super Cup title-holders Wihdat 1-0 to clinch the 33rd Super Cup. League champs in the past two editions, Wihdat only have the league title in contention after being eliminated from the Jordan Cup as well. 

Jordan Cup record 
(Runner- up in parenthesis)

DEAD SEA — Mohammed Tayseer on Friday was crowned champion of the first round of the Speed Test Championship held at the Service Park at the Dead Sea with the participation of 52 drivers.

Tayseer clocked 1m25.67s, followed by Gaith Wraikat (1m28.63s) and Abed Shikakhwa (1m29.17s.)

The event which was labelled a successful start for the new season by fans saw Tayseer defending his 2015 title by clocking 1m28.63s in the first run.

“It was a very exciting start and very challenging. I managed to register a good time in the first run and move smoothly to the last and decisive third run,” Tayseer told The Jordan Times.

“The event witnessed excellent drivers who have years of experience, and this is the level that forces you to focus more and do your best,” he added.

Lina Hadidi, who registered 1m37.20s in the first run failed to reach the third run and settled for the Women’s Cup.

Veteran driver Ayman Najjar, who succeeded in joining the ten elite drivers for the third run could not break any records. 

Othman Naseef, Jordan Motorsport CEO expressed his satisfaction of the first event saying: “It was an excellent opener for this season and the participation by the drivers was great. The level of competition promises a very good season.”

And regarding women’s participation.

“We hope to have more female participation this season and we encourage them to join this sports and be part of one of the most challenging sports in the world.”

Women drivers such as a veteran driver Nancy Majali and new comers Hadidi and Marina Habaybeh have made a positive impact on auto sports in the Kingdom with their enthusiasm and dedication.

Four more speed Test will be held during this year’s Speed Test Championship.

AMMAN — Jordan’s Wihdat will now switch focus to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup after being eliminated from the preliminary round of the Asian Champions League (ACL) for the second consecutive year.

Observers have lauded Wihdat’s performance in their 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia’s Ittihad Jeddah. As Jordan Professional League champs, Wihdat were Jordan’s representative in the ACL — the premier Asian competition — last year as well and were knocked out in the preliminary round by former titleholders Kuwait’s Qadissieh. In 2014, Shabab Urdun were eliminated by Bahrain’s Al Hidd.

Failing to advance to the group stages of the ACL, Wihdat will now join Faisali in the AFC Cup this season with matches scheduled to kick off on February 23. Had Wihdat advanced past the ACL preliminary round, Jazira would have joined Faisali in the AFC Cup.

The AFC — the second-tier Asian club competition — has been won three times by Jordanian teams : Faisali won titles in 2005 and 2006, and Shabab Urdun won in 2007.

The upcoming 13th edition seems to bode well for Jordanian clubs to win back the title after record winning Kuwaiti teams were suspended by FIFA. Prize money includes $1 million for the champs, $500,000 for the runners-up, $40,000 for semifinalists, $25,000 for quarter-finalists and $15,000 for teams reaching the Round of 16.

Wihdat have been league champs for the past two seasons. This year their fortunes have turned around as they conceded the season opening 33rd Super Cup to rivals Faisali. After elimination from the Jordan Cup, they only have the league title in contention. As Leg 2 restarted last week and clubs kicked off their regional matches, Wihdat sought to revamp the team, signing new pros and hope to compete for local and regional titles.

In 2015, Jordanian teams were absent from advanced stages of Asian competitions as Wihdat and Jazira were knocked out of the AFC Cup Round of 16. While it was the first time for Jazira, who finished runner-up in the Jordan League and participated in the event after two-time AFC Cup champs and Faisali declined, Wihdat were hoping to advance and win the AFC Cup for the first time after taking part eight times.

AMMAN — Riyadi ended Round 2, Leg 1 matches atop the standings in the Jordan Basketball League in the battle for the soon-to-be- decided play-offs for the title.

Riyadi beat Awdeh 86-61 to score their third straight win in Round 2 after overcoming Round 1 unbeaten team Hurrieh 73-67 and Orthodoxi 73-65. Riyadi have now reversed their Round 1 form and need to keep their focus in Leg 2 of the competition to play for the title.

Orthodoxi also heated up the competition after signing new recruits like Sam Daghlas and managed to beat Hurrieh 78-58 after they beat Awdeh 86-82 last week.

Awdeh have lost their grip after they were the only team that managed to beat Round 1 leaders Hurrieh 65-61 earlier in Leg 1.

At the other end of the standings in the battle to avoid relegation Kufr Youba beat Jalil 69-67 to lead the bottom four standings, ahead of Jalil. Ghazzet Hashem beat Nashama 75-60 as the latter remained winless. The bottom two will be relegated to Division 1.

Hurrieh had finished Round 1 with an unbeaten record, while Orthodoxi were second after they beat Riyad. With teams like Applied Science University, Ittihad, Wihdat pulling out of the competition, Awdeh joined the top four. 

Following two legs of matches in the current Round 2, final standings from 1-4 will be decided to determine who advance to the final play-offs for the title.

The top four teams will now start a 10-day break and resume Leg 2 on February 24 as Orthodoxi prepare to host the West Asian Clubs Championship from February 17-22 in which Lebanon’s Riyadi and Champville, Iran’s Petroshemi, Iraq’s Shurta and Syria’s Wihdeh will compete.

Apart from Riyadi and Orthodoxi, leading clubs abandoned the game this season leading to major changes in the league. Former champs Applied Science University and Ittihad disbanded their teams and quit the game over differences with the Jordan Basketball Federation which led to a sharp decline in the game locally and Jordan’s regional competitive chances.

FIFA presidential candidate HRH Prince Ali has questioned the role of election rival Sheikh Salman in not protecting Bahrain players who alleged abuses after pro-democracy protests in 2011, The Associated Press reported.

In the strongest statement yet on human rights ahead of the February 26 election, the prince dismissed the sheikh's consistent defence that national security issues are beyond the control of sports leaders.

"How are you then going to earn the respect of the entire world and players across the world, as well as FAs [football associations], if you couldn't even take care of your own?" Prince Ali told reporters on Thursday after a news conference near the United Nations office in Geneva.

Sheikh Salman has become front-runner in a FIFA campaign he began by strongly denying any part in helping to identify athletes who took part in Arab Spring protests five years ago.

Some Bahrain team players alleged they were tortured by government forces while detained for attending pro-democracy events.

Sheikh Salman was then president of the Bahrain Football Association, and has often said government issues are not the duty of sports leaders.

"Whatever is related to the political side and government side is not a concern of mine," the sheikh told the Associated Press in an interview in Paris on Tuesday. "We are people of football. They can ask me anything that is related to the game."

Prince Ali rejected that argument on Thursday, two weeks ahead of the five-man election.

"If a candidate was in a position before and simply says that, 'Those issues are to do with politics and therefore I cannot interfere?' No," the prince told a small group of reporters. "If you are not going to take care of your own players and if you are not going to stick up for them, that in itself is a problem."

In the earlier news conference, the prince replied to a question about human rights in Bahrain by saying the protection of players was a "simple, basic fact of the matter".

Still, Prince Ali acknowledged that a candidate's record on human rights was for the FIFA election committee to decide.

The three-member FIFA election panel approved Sheikh Salman's candidacy in November after weighing an analysis by the governing body's ethics committee.

"I give the benefit of the doubt to everyone," said Prince Ali.

‘FIFA politics’ 

Also on Thursday the prince said some national teams have been given unfavourable competition fixtures for failing to toe the political line inside football’s world governing body, according to Reuters.

Prince Ali described a climate of fear and reprisals inside the scandal-plagued organisation, whose outgoing boss Sepp Blatter was suspended in October and banned for eight years in December.

"Let me tell you what happens when you don't go with the recognised powers in FIFA," Prince Ali, who is head of Jordan's football association, told a news conference.

"Development projects mysteriously stall; tournament hosting bids are suddenly compromised or withdrawn; national teams start to mysteriously face less favourable fixtures or even referees.

"All of these are effective ways to punish member associations that fail to demonstrate political loyalty."

FIFA is mired in the worst crisis in its 111-year history, with corruption investigations under way in Switzerland and the United States. Several dozen people, including senior soccer officials, have been indicted.

Prince Ali is regarded as an outsider in the February 26 election to succeed Blatter, who has led FIFA since 1998. Swiss-Italian Gianni Infantino has won the backing of European soccer's governing body UEFA and South America's CONMEBOL, while Africa's confederation has backed Sheikh Salman.

Speaking later to Reuters Television, Prince Ali did not enlarge on the allegation that national teams had been given unfavourable fixtures, but he said the practice had extended to FIFA competitions.

"I'm referring to competitions and a lot of times it comes down to the [continental] confederations as well, and the way they approach games," he said.

"It's a common feeling within the footballing world and it's something that one has to really tackle and make sure there is no interference in terms of how things are planned."

Asked if the practice included World Cup qualifiers, he said: "I think sometimes it happens across the board."

FIFA could not immediately be reached for comment.