Michael Probst/Associated Press
Soccer officials from FIFA’s largest soccer confederation have gathered this week in Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, to elect a new president. The balloting will take place at the end of a long day of speeches, motions and reports, but at least the setting — the luxurious Shangri-La Hotel — promises to be comfortable.
Before the vote is held, the incumbent, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa of Bahrain, will make a speech outlining his qualifications. His opponent will not.
That is because, as usual, there is no opponent.
For the third time in less than a year — the fourth will come in June — one of soccer’s largest and most powerful governing bodies will rubber-stamp the election of its leader in a one-candidate election.