LISBON, AP:

LUIS Figo dropped out of the FIFA presidential election yesterday, calling soccer's governing body a dictatorship under Sepp Blatter.

The Portugal great and former FIFA world player of the year said in a statement that he refuses to go along with an election process that is designed "for the delivery of absolute power to one man", indicating Blatter, the current FIFA president.

Figo's announcement came hours after another candidate, Dutch soccer federation president Michael van Praag, also withdrew from the May 29 election. That leaves only Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan in the race against Blatter.

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

"I have seen with my own eyes federation presidents who after one day comparing FIFA leaders to the devil go on stage and compare those same people with Jesus Christ," Figo said.

dictatorship

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

Both Figo and van Praag had argued that FIFA had lost credibility amid corruption scandals and accusations of nepotism levelled at Blatter, who is aiming to extend his 17-year reign with a fifth term when the 209 national federations vote next week.

Blatter has pledges of support from most voters in five of FIFA's six continental confederations. Only UEFA is formally opposing Blatter and has supported all three opponents who were declared as candidates in January. Figo said he found "space for normal and democratic debate" in Europe.

Van Praag switched his support to FIFA vice-president Prince Ali, but Figo made no mention of making a similar move.