FIFA's executive committee rejected a move to limit the term of soccer's president to eight years.
Members voted 15-5 with one abstention Friday to throw out a proposal by Asian confederation president Mohamed bin Hammam, which would have taken effect for the election in May 2011. It was viewed as an opening challenge to Sepp Blatter, who was elected in 1998 and intends to run for a fourth term.
The vote indicated that Bin Hammam lacks sufficient support to mount a serious challenge.
``The situation can be different than it is today, in January 2011,'' Bin Hammam told The Associated Press.
A 60-year-old Qatari, Bin Hammam, has represented Asia on FIFA's executive committee since 1996. Aside from his own vote, Bin Hammam said he got support from his three Asian colleagues - Chung Mong-Joon of South Korea, who also has presidential ambitions; Japan's Junji Ogura; and Worawi Makudi of Thailand. He declined to identify the fifth backer.
Bin Hammam said he will not revive his proposal at the FIFA Congress, scheduled June 9-10 in Johannesburg ahead of the World Cup opener.
