By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
February 11 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has selected May 2 for the date of its highly anticipated extraordinary Congress that will elect a new leader in succession to Mohamed bin Hammam and herald what officials hope will be the start of a new era of trust and credibility.
Almost 18 months after bin Hammam was first suspended by FIFA over his role in the 2011 cash-for-votes scandal, the AFC will appoint his successor though, crucially, only until 2015 – when his term officially ends – rather than for four years.
Nominations for presidency will close on March 3, with Bahrain Football Association President Sheikh Salman and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Football Association head and AFC vice-president Yousuf Al-Serkal both expected to run, possibly along with present interim AFC president Zhang Jilong of China.
The Kuala Lumpur summit will also hold elections for a FIFA executive committee member position on a four-year term until 2017, a female AFC vice-president and two female AFC executive committee members to serve until 2015.
The AFC have been under the rule of Jilong ever since Bin Hammam was suspended during his failed bid to become FIFA president in July 2011, six months after he was sworn in unopposed for a third and final four-year term as head of the AFC.
The sorry episode dragged on and on as Bin Hammam battled to clear his name amid allegations that he tried to bribe Caribbean officials in the election race against Sepp Blatter.
Despite having an initial FIFA lifetime ban overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Bin Hammam finally resigned from all his positions in December after a fresh probe cited “repeated violations” of Fifa’s code of ethics.
The AFC, whose internal problems mirror those of FIFA, will be keen to put the bin Hammam episode behind them but could now face a fresh battle for power. Ever since bin Hammam, once the most powerful man in Asian football, was suspended, pro and anti factions have been engaging in a damaging war of words.
Many within the AFC hierarchy are still sympathetic towards bin Hammam and want to continue his legacy, while others are desperate for a fresh start.
Shortly after bin Hammam walked away, Asia’s Fifa vice-president Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan called for an end to disunity in the region and urged the various factions to bury their differences to set the AFC on a new path of reconciliation.
“It’s crucial now to start focussing our football institutions by executing the necessary reforms which would allow Asia to reach its full potential,” he told Insideworldfootball.
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