By Andrew Warshaw
February 10 – Qatar’s 2022 World Cup chief organiser Hassan al-Thawadi, who failed in 2013 to win a seat on FIFA’s executive committee, has decided not to stand again.
But the Gulf state will still make another bid for a position of power both at FIFA and within their own Asian continent
Qatar Football Association vice-president Saud Al Mohannadi, who has long been rumoured to be interested in running, has announced plans to go for both a FIFA exco place and to become one of the Asian Football Confederation’s vice presidents.
Al Thawadi put up a strong fight before being beaten 28-18 in a head-to-head vote with Bahrain’s Salman Bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa, who was also elected AFC President to become the most powerful official in Asian football.
Since then Qatar has been anxious to secure a voice at FIFA’s top table to give it a vital platform from which to bang drum in terms of the World Cup, the dates for which are expected to be confirmed by FIFA next month.
On its website the QFA said Al Mohannadi had “enjoyed decades of association with football in various capacities” and had completed his application before Wednesday’s deadline though there is some confusion as to when the deadline actually is since it was originally believed to be the end of this month.
In any event the vote will take place at the AFC Congress on April 30 and it is expected that around six candidates will battle for the three vacant FIFA exco seats among Asia’s quota of four.
The last Qatari to hold a prominent role in the AFC was Mohamed bin Hammam, infamously expelled from world football after two separate scandals. With his clean image, Al Mohannadi is regarded as the perfect candidate to protect Qatar’s interests on the global stage.
Thailand’s Worawi Makudi is expected to run again while fresh contenders are likely to include Japan Football Association vice-president Kozo Tashima, South Korea’s Chung Mong-Gyu and Malaysian Football Federation president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.
Al-Thawadi, however, won’t be among them, preferring to concentrate on organising the World Cup. Neither will Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan who is focussing on his bid for the FIFA presidency.
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