Velappan says push to unseat AFC boss Hammam

[greenlion]

Chinese media reported CFA will officially stand by the side of Velappan & KFA.

the Chinese media questioned for what happened in last 7 years, Chinese Officiers lost their jods in AFC departements, China always draws in harder groups in AFC tournaments and WCQ, always use Arab referees in important matchs of Team China and CSL clubs etc. recently, the two PKs in ACQ matches between Syria & China is also mentioned.

People on our side. 

Velappan says push to unseat AFC boss Hammam

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090218/sp_soccer_afp/fblasiaafckorhammam_20090218071912

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Mohammed Bin Hammam has lost the support of many member nations and a campaign is under way to oust him, according to a former official.

Peter Velappan, who served as AFC secretary-general for three decades, said Bin Hammam's "authoritarian and dictatorial" style had alienated some of the 46 members across Asia and the Middle East.

"Arab countries led by Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are against him. Many Arab countries would like to see a change. There is a strong momentum to push Hammam out," he told AFP.

Velappan said that under Bin Hammam's seven-year presidency the major Asian footballing nations China, Japan and Korea had been marginalised, while the 10-nation Southeast Asian bloc had become divided.

And he said that Bahrain's Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa had a good chance of snatching Bin Hammam's seat on FIFA's executive committee when the AFC holds its congress in May.

Bin Hammam has reportedly said that the loss of his FIFA post would trigger his resignation as head of the AFC.

In recent months he has come under fire for pushing a controversial plan to shift the AFC headquarters from Malaysia, triggering criticism from figures including FIFA vice president Chung Mong-Joon of South Korea.

South Korea's football body Tuesday demanded an apology from the AFC boss, saying that in a television interview he insulted Korea Football Association (KFA) chief Cho Jung-Yeon by saying he was ready to "cut Cho's head off."

Bin Hammam has since described his quote regarding Cho as a "harmless and widely used Arabic metaphor" meaning an attempt to thwart someone's progress.

Velappan seized on the comments, saying it was not the language of a "cultured leader" and that Shaikh Salman in comparison was an "educated and cultured personality" who was well respected across the globe.

 

[greenlion]

Shaikh Salman supportors:

EAFF: EAFF congress made a official vote for which one to support, 8 members voted for Salman, only North Korea abstain.
China, Japan,South Korea, Macau, Hongkong, Chinese Taipei, Mongolia, Guam
ASEAN: Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia
West Asia: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Syria
Central & South asia: Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=627569&sec=global&campaign=rss&source=soccernet&&cc=4716

AFC hands backing to Al Khalifa for FIFA role

March 13, 2009

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."

 

[Jesus]

I think he will take some pushing, and even though he said he would resign if not keeping his seat, i would not bet on it

 

[Redline]

What would it mean for us if he gets ousted?