Category — FIFA News
Moves to oust embattled AFC president gains momentum
Moves to oust embattled Asian Football Confederation president Mohammed bin Hammam are gaining momentum with his key challenger insisting support for his “autocratic” rule is rapidly waning.
Bahrain’s Shaikh Salman Ebrahim Al Khalifa will pit himself against Bin Hammam for his FIFA executive committee seat on May 8 after several recent moves by the Qatari upset powerful factions of the regional football body.
“I know president Bin Hammam very well. We all supported him in the beginning but I think that vote of trust we gave him, I am very sorry to say, we have created a dictator,” Shaikh Salman said in comments emailed to AFP.
“He is not for all but for himself. We think there is a line that has been drawn and this line has been crossed. His autocratic decisions have divided Asian football.”
Asia has four seats on the FIFA executive committee – South Korea’s Chung Mong-Joon as vice president, Japan’s Junji Ogura from East Asia, Thailand’s Worawi Makudi from Southeast Asia, and Bin Hammam.
The Qatari’s is the only position up for election.
While Bin Hammam’s presidency of the AFC does not expire until 2011, he has indicated that if he loses his long-held FIFA seat then he will also quit as AFC chief.
Shaikh Salman claims not to be interested in the powerful AFC post, only the FIFA position.
“Whether he stays as AFC president or doesn’t stay does not matter to me,” he said. “I have no intention of running for AFC president.”
Several key Bin Hammam proposals have proved controversial.
They include his plan to move the AFC headquarters out of Malaysia, a proposed 12-year marketing deal with World Sport Group and amendments to the AFC statutes that would consolidate his power.
While the challenge is coming from Bahrain, it is crucially supported by other heavyweight members including Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia.
At a meeting last week, Salman said 19 of the AFC’s 46 affiliated football associations pledged their support for him and his campaign slogan, “AFC – Asia For Change”, leaving him just short of a majority.
Informed sources told AFP that in East Asia Shaikh Salman has the support of all the associations except China and North Korea, who remain loyal to Bin Hammam.
Australia is also in the Bin Hammam camp, as are most Central Asian nations except Turkmenistan.
A vote will be held at the AFC Congress on May 8 in Kuala Lumpur and what the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) decide could be crucial.
Bin Hammam has been busy visiting the ASEAN region to shore up support with sources close to the president saying he was confident of having the numbers, with just Malaysia and Cambodia against him.
However, a letter obtained by AFP, dated March 7, indicates the backing may not be as solid as he thinks.
Sent by ASEAN Football Federation president Seri Ahmad Rithauddeen to FIFA chief Sepp Blatter, it indicates potential discontent.
“The AFC, and in particular its leadership, should strictly follow the FIFA Code of Ethics which states that officials shall represent FIFA, the confederations, associations, leagues and clubs honestly, worthily, respectably, and with integrity,” the letter said.
“I urge you to strongly reiterate this message to the AFC, and in particular, to its leadership.”
Bin Hammam was due in Zurich Monday for FIFA meetings. – FIFA
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March 16, 2009 No Comments
Umit Ozat retires from Turkey National Team
Turkey defender Umit Ozat announced his retirement on Saturday, seven months after collapsing during a Bundesliga match for his club Cologne with an inflammation of the heart.
“I believe in destiny, my career is finished, but thanks to God, I am still alive,” said the emotional 32-year-old during a press conference.
The Cologne captain collapsed unconscious during a German league game on 29 August against Karlsruhe. He was later revived in hospital and was eventually diagnosed as having suffered with an inflamation of the heart muscles.
Ozat later travelled to the United States to consult specialists and was advised to retire rather than endanger his life by resuming his football career at a high-level.
I believe in destiny, my career is finished, but thanks to God, I am still alive.
“I’d like to thank the supporters and the people in charge of the club, it was a great honour to play for Cologne,” said the defender who won 41 caps for Turkey.
Ozat will join the coaching staff at Cologne and will help look after the club’s junior sides.
He joined Cologne in 2007 and was part of the team which finished third at the 2002 FIFA World CupTM having played most of his football for Turkish giants Fenerbache.
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March 15, 2009 No Comments
Mohammed Bin Hammam might loose AFC post
Asian Football Confederation president Mohammed Bin Hammam’s position on the FIFA executive committee could be in jeopardy after 19 AFC countries backed rival Shaikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa.
Bin Hammam’s tenure on the committee comes to an end in two months’ time, with Al Khalifa looking to replace the Qatari as one of the region’s four representatives.
More worryingly for Bin Hammam, the action will also be construed as a referendum on his six-and-a-half-year presidency of the AFC, with the rebel countries unhappy at the 59-year-old’s proposal of a 12-year marketing deal with World Sport Group as well as moving the AFC headquarters from their current home in Malaysia.
The decision to back Al Khalifa was taken following a series of meetings at the Olympic Council of Asia Sports Congress in Kuwait.
“We are happy to have the opportunity to meet in Kuwait here and come up with the decision,” said East Asian Football Federation secretary general Takeo Okada.
“We want to make the change because of the mismanagement at the AFC and hope our move can increase the prosperity and solidarity of the AFC.”
Al Khalifa launched a scathing attack on Bin Hammam’s AFC presidency.
“At the end of the day, people will judge you on what you did in the past, especially six years in office as president,” he said.
“He has had his time but if you don’t deliver then I think your time is up. So far, we have heard nothing new from his office in the past six years.”
The Bahraini added: “We have discussed a lot of things in a friendly atmosphere.
“The attendants confirmed their support for me in the next elections. They showed their clear intention to support me, while other countries confirmed their support but they didn’t attend the meeting.
“The officials in the meeting took the green light from their national associations. These officials showed their objections to the current decisions of the AFC, including the marketing plan until 2020 and the decision of moving the headquarters from Malaysia.”
Al Khalifa also promised to improve relations across the region if elected as well as pressing FIFA for more help to develop the game in the region.
“During Bin Hammam’s reign, we saw a lot of conflicts between the Asian countries and this affected the development of Asian football,” he continued.
“Therefore, I will try my best to clear all the borders between the Asian countries and support the national associations.
“The AFC is not getting a lot of support from FIFA like the other Confederations. As the AFC is not getting enough support, the national associations will not eventually get the necessary support for their continuity.” -FIFA
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March 13, 2009 No Comments
Yemen on the rise
Yemen’s recent rise in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking coincides with a promising start to the 2011 AFC Asian Cup campaign for the Gulf nation.
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March 5, 2009 No Comments
J-League season starts weekend
Japan’s domestic season commences this weekend and there is no shortage of clubs vying for domestic and continental supremacy.
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March 5, 2009 No Comments