Exclusive: by Osasu Obayiuwana
March 13 – FIFA president Sepp Blatter has told InsideWorldFootball, in an exclusive interview, that he was “surprised” by the decision of China’s Zhang Zilong, to withdraw from the race for the presidency of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
“I was surprised that he withdrew, because he told me that he would not go away (remain in the race)… I told him to consult his sports minister and my colleague in the IOC and he told me that he will stand,” Blatter told this reporter in Marrakech, Morocco, where he recently attended the CAF congress.
“But he suddenly phoned me and said that he will no longer contest. He told me that he will explain the reasons to me in person, as he did not want to do so on the phone.”
“I am surprised that he has abandoned this position, as I think that he has done a good job, because it was not so easy to go into the office, even in an acting capacity, after the departure of the former president.”
Informed FIFA voices have told InsideWorldFootball that Zhang’s sudden withdrawal could only have been on the direct orders of China’s government.
Acknowledging the tumultuous political situation that has followed the exit of Bin Hammam, who was banned by FIFA for unethical conduct, Blatter said that restoring a unity of purpose was key to healing the divisions in the fractious Asian confederation.
“[Asia] needs to be united. I am not sure that will happen at the forthcoming congress, as the president is only elected for two years.”
“This is likely at the big elective congress in 2015, when other members of the [FIFA] executive committee [from Asia] are at the end of their mandate…”
“In the meantime, they will also adapt their statutes, where it will be stated, clearly, that the president of the AFC will now be a member of the FIFA executive committee.”
UAE’s Yousuf Al Serkal, Bahrain’s football supremo Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa and Saudi Arabia’s Hafez Ibrahim Al Medlej are all vying for the top job.
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