Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa poses for a picture after the AFC presidential election yesterday. RIGHT: FIFA president Sepp Blatter (left) congratulates the newly-elected AFC president Sheikh Salman.
BY RIZWAN REHMAT
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Bahrain’s Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa yesterday was elected president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) against his two rivals who failed to reach double digits.
The 43-year-old Bahraini football chief emerged as a landslide winner with 33 votes out of a possible 46 while rivals Thailand’s Worawai Makudi (seven votes) and UAE’s Yusuf Al Sarkel (six votes) could barely create a ripple with the AFC members.
Earlier on Wednesday evening, outsider Hafez Al Medlej of Saudi Arabia unsurprisingly withdrew after failing to win full support of the West Asian region.
Sheikh Salman now officially replaces Qatar’s Mohammed bin Hammam as the president of AFC for the next two years. The 62-year-old Qatari, who was elected for his fourth term in 2009, was disqualified as AFC chief on allegations of vote buying in 2011.
The Bahraini receives the AFC baton from care-taker president China’s Zhang Jilong who was occupying the top AFC seat for the last two years.
With FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA boss Michel Platini in attendance, Sheikh Salman emerged winner in the first round of voting during the AFC Extraordinary Congress meeting held at Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
With celebratory cheers reverberating in the election hallway, Sheikh Salman was quick to vow a fresh start for the scandal-hit body.
“It’s a new day for AFC. I am delighted and humbled with the overwhelming support I have got from the AFC family,” Sheikh Salman said in his first press briefing as the AFC chief.
“I thank the members who voted for me and I hope to win the trust who did not vote for me,” the Bahraini added.
“My main task is to unite Asia and the work starts now. We have many targets to meet in the next two years,” Sheikh Salman said while taking questions in Arabic and English.
“I feel I have enough time to push for reforms that are needed at AFC. I am being realistic when I say that. If we have good understanding among our members, then we can get many things done.
“I agree a lot of the issues have to be resolved,” Sheikh Salman said without elaborating. “Hopefully we can get the job done,” he added.
“We want a good relationship with FIFA, just like the way other confederations have (with the world body),” he said.
“I think the 33 votes today have set an example and this number gives a clear message that Asia wants to unite as football family,” he said.
“We need our voice to be heard not just in Asia but worldwide,” Sheikh Salman insisted.
FIFA president Blatter was the first one to congratulate Sheikh Salman on his lop-sided win. The Swiss also warned Sheikh Salman of the challenges that lay ahead.
“I congratulate Sheikh Salman for his brilliant election to the presidency of the Asian Football Confederation,” Blatter later said in a statement. “One of the key missions he will have to ensure is that unity prevails within the AFC.
“United, as well as solidarity, are absolute key and necessary pillars for any institution to build solid plans and structures for its future,” Blatter added in the statement.
Blatter urged Sheikh Salman to keep stats in mind when dealing with football matters in Asia.
“With two thirds of the world population, Asia clearly plays a huge role in the international community. But it certainly has not yet reached its full potential,” Blatter said.
“AFC shall unite all its energies to continue to strengthen the growth of the game in Asia,” the FIFA president added.
Sheikh Salman said it was wrong to assume that most of AFC’s leadership came from the Middle East.
“I would say we are one family. I would like us to be recognised as Asians,” Sheikh Salman said.
“Yes, we (the presidents) come from different backgrounds but we all have to be considered as members of the same family,” he added.
The new AFC president admitted that match-fixing was damaging the image of the sport in Asia.
“Yes, it’s a disease and it is spreading fast. We will have to have a zero-tolerance policy towards match-fixing,” Sheikh Salman said.
“This can only be done with the support and backing from all members of AFC,” he added.
When asked about his alleged role in suppressing the freedom movement in Bahrain, Sheikh Salman shot back at the question by saying: “I can answer that question. I will say where is the proof? If you have proof then bring it forward.”
A disappointed Al Serkal promised to work with Sheikh Salman for the good of Asian football.
“I will have to work with him and he will have to work with me,” he said as he walked out of the hall to blinding camera flash bulbs. “I’m not going to be a cause or a reason to create friction between my country or any other country.
“My job, my role, is to bring people together, that is the spirit of sports, the spirit of football,” Serkal said.
Qatar’s Hassan Al Thawadi - who later lost to Sheikh Salman in the race to get a seat on the FIFA Executive Committee - said AFC needed to work together for a ‘bright future’.
“I have congratulated Sheikh Salman on his win on both accounts,” Al Thawadi said.
“If you look at Asia’s size, Asia’s potential, there’s plenty to be done.
“All Asia’s representatives on various committees have a responsibility,” he added.
“There’s so much of potential in this continent. We got to work together to make things happen,” Al Thawadi said in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
THE PENINSULA
