Luis Figo pulls out of FIFA presidential election race as Portugal legend pulls no punches with explosive statement

Luis Figo has withdrawn from the election for president of FIFA

Luis Figo is dropping out of the election for president of FIFA, saying the May 29 ballot is 'not a normal electoral act.'

The Portugal great and former FIFA world player of the year says in a statement sent to The Associated Press that he refuses to go along with an election process that is designed 'for the delivery of absolute power to one man' - indicating Sepp Blatter. 

Figo said during campaigning he encountered hypocrisy among federation presidents around the world, and that people who wanted to speak out had been silenced. He gave no names.

He said FIFA was 'living under a dictatorship' with Blatter, whose re-election is widely expected.

Figo's announcement came hours after another candidate, Dutch soccer federation president Michael van Praag, also withdrew. The Dutchman has given his backing to Prince Ali bin Al Hussein.

A statement from Van Praag's office said: 'After thorough deliberation and reflection with different involved parties and stakeholders.

'Michael van Praag decided to withdraw his candidacy to become the next FIFA president and to join forces with presidential candidate Prince Ali Al Hussein.'

                       LUIS FIGI EXPLOSIVE STATEMENT IN FULL   unning for president of FIFA resulted from a personal decision, taken after listening to many pertinent people in the realm of international soccer.

I sought out the support needed for me to stand, I formally presented my candidacy, and the reactions in the soccer world were so overwhelming - both in public and in private - that I was reassured that I had made the right decision.

The realm of a sport which gave me everything to become what I am, and to which I now offered to give something back, is hungry for change. FIFA needs change and I feel that the change is urgent.

Guided by that wish, by the formal support I collected, and by the incredible wave of support from soccer players, former players, coaches, referees and administrators, I imagined and presented a plan of action - my election manifesto for the FIFA presidency.

I traveled and met extraordinary people who, though they recognized the value of much that had been done, also concurred with the need for change, one that cleans up FIFA's reputation as an obscure organization that is so often viewed as a place of corruption.

But over the past few months I have not only witnessed that desire (for change), I have witnessed consecutive incidents, all over the world, that should shame anyone who desires soccer to be free, clean and democratic.

I have seen with my own eyes federation presidents who, after one day comparing FIFA leaders to the devil, then go on stage and compare those same people with Jesus Christ. Nobody told me about this. I saw it with my own eyes.

The candidates were prevented from addressing federations at congresses while one of the candidates always gave speeches on his own from the rostrum. There has not been a single public debate about each candidate's proposals.

Does anyone think it's normal that an election for one of the most relevant organizations on the planet can go ahead without a public debate? Does anyone think it's normal that one of the candidates doesn't even bother to present an election manifesto that can be voted on May 29? Shouldn't it be mandatory to present such a manifesto so that federation presidents know what they're voting for?

That would be normal, but this electoral process is anything but an election.