AFC must avoid return to turmoil — Salman

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Shaikh Salman Bin Khalifa warned against a return to “turmoil and instability” yesterday as he launched his bid to retain his position at the helm of the continent’s governing body.

Shaikh Salman, who is seeking a third term in office, was first elected AFC president in 2013 to complete the term of disgraced former president Mohammad Bin Hammam.

Bin Hammam was banned for life by Fifa, the game’s governing body, in 2011 and the AFC was led by interim president Zhang Jilong until Shaikh Salman’s successful election.

The Bahraini was reelected to his post in 2015 and is seeking another term in office when the confederation’s elections are held on April 6 next year.

“We all remember only too well the problems of the past, that period of turmoil and instability,” he told the AFC congress on Wednesday.

“No one wants to return to that image of the AFC and I’m determined we shall not. We also need to protect the AFC and the member associations from unwanted third party interference.

Hopes boosted

Shaikh Salman’s hopes of retaining his position were boosted when the congress passed an amendment to rules governing the election process allowing candidates to be nominated by member associations other than their home federation. Former Saudi Arabia Football Federation President Adel Ezzat publicly stated his intention to stand against Shaikh Salman last year.

Shaikh Salman also pledged his support to the re-election campaign of Fifa president Gianni Infantino.