FIFA presidential candidate Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa has emphatically denied involvement in investigating and prosecuting athletes during democracy protests in Bahrain in 2011.
Sheikh Salman, president of the Asian Football Confederation, joined the race to replace outgoing FIFA boss Sepp Blatter prior to the Monday deadline for submissions for candidacy.
However, the former head of the Bahrain Football Association has faced criticism from human rights groups since announcing his intention to stand.
The 49-year-old is a member of Bahrain s royal family, who have been regularly condemned over allegations of oppression of pro-democratic demonstrations and the use of torture.
An article in British newspaper The Guardian cited a 2011 Bahrain…