Japan calls for AFC election amid crisis
Source: Agencies |
July 27, 2011, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
JAPAN Football Association President Junji Ogura has called on the Asian Football Confederation to hold a presidential election despite a plea from Mohamed bin Hammam urging continental members to be patient while he appeals his life ban for alleged bribery.
The call came as Prince Ali al-Hussein of Jordan said that while bin Hammam had the right to appeal, the process should not be allowed to drag on.
China's Zhang Jilong has been the interim AFC president since bin Hammam was suspended last month.
FIFA imposed a life ban on bin Hammam at the weekend, only months after he helped his native Qatar win the right to host the 2022 World Cup.
But bin Hammam says he has no intention of quitting as AFC president and will appeal his ban to both FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The AFC executive committee will meet on Friday to discuss the issue.
Bin Hammam "has been banned for life so I think an election needs to be held," Ogura said in Tokyo yesterday.
Bin Hammam denies giving cash to Caribbean officials in exchange for supporting his bid to become FIFA president and contends that the allegations were made because he was a threat to Sepp Blatter's re-election.
"He doesn't think he has done anything wrong and said he has no intention of quitting as AFC president and FIFA executive," Ogura said, referring to a letter he received from bin Hammam.
Ogura was the first head of a national federation to comment on the status of the AFC presidency and although Jordan's al-Hussein, who joined FIFA's executive last month, would not go as far, he said that bin Hammam should not drag the case out.
"Mr bin Hammam has the right to appeal and that is his own personal decision and we respect that," al-Hussein said in an email interview.
"However, it would be unacceptable for anyone to try and drag AFC and Asian football into any process through irresponsible action. I certainly will not accept that."
The call came as Prince Ali al-Hussein of Jordan said that while bin Hammam had the right to appeal, the process should not be allowed to drag on.
China's Zhang Jilong has been the interim AFC president since bin Hammam was suspended last month.
FIFA imposed a life ban on bin Hammam at the weekend, only months after he helped his native Qatar win the right to host the 2022 World Cup.
But bin Hammam says he has no intention of quitting as AFC president and will appeal his ban to both FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The AFC executive committee will meet on Friday to discuss the issue.
Bin Hammam "has been banned for life so I think an election needs to be held," Ogura said in Tokyo yesterday.
Bin Hammam denies giving cash to Caribbean officials in exchange for supporting his bid to become FIFA president and contends that the allegations were made because he was a threat to Sepp Blatter's re-election.
"He doesn't think he has done anything wrong and said he has no intention of quitting as AFC president and FIFA executive," Ogura said, referring to a letter he received from bin Hammam.
Ogura was the first head of a national federation to comment on the status of the AFC presidency and although Jordan's al-Hussein, who joined FIFA's executive last month, would not go as far, he said that bin Hammam should not drag the case out.
"Mr bin Hammam has the right to appeal and that is his own personal decision and we respect that," al-Hussein said in an email interview.
"However, it would be unacceptable for anyone to try and drag AFC and Asian football into any process through irresponsible action. I certainly will not accept that."
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