By Paul Nicholson
March 9 – The call from interim FIFA president Issa Hayatou last week following the election of Gianni Infantino as the new president was for the whole of FIFA to unite behind him in impletenting the reforms and a bold and positive new future.
With Infantino emotionally accepting his new position as the head of the organisation which he had been a bitter and aggressive critic of, came congratulations and pledges of support from member associations worldwide. It appears one of the first was from his beaten rival Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
Salman said that he had visited Infantino on his first day in office in Zurich and that the meeting had been positive. “I have known the new FIFA President for many years and I offered him my support in the years ahead,” said Salman.
That support has been re-iterated in a statement from the AFC following a series of executive committee meetings this week, saying: “The AFC Executive Committee congratulates you on your success in the FIFA Presidential election, and now that the election is over we all wish to show our unity and support as you work for the benefit of FIFA and the global game.
“The AFC recognises that these have been difficult times for FIFA, but now, united as one family, we believe that you can produce a brighter future for the game which is close to so many people’s heart on this continent.”
The statement goes on to say that the AFC is “committed to the development of football, not only in this region but also worldwide, and have consistently shown their support for the reform of FIFA which we believe is an important starting point in bringing about the needed change in fortunes.
“We now reiterate that you can always rely on Asia’s support as you take on the duties and challenges of being FIFA President during the next three years.”
The AFC executive committee which was staunchly and publicy supportive of its president in the election race – both in Doha and Zurich – also welcomed Salman back to his duties as AFC president.
For his part Salman, who looked relieved once the election was over, expressed his thanks to his AFC colleagues for their support and his happiness to be back at the AFC. “Our objective now has to be a united Asia – One Asia, One Goal – and I am delighted to be back among my colleagues,” said Salman.
The election was at times a divisive process but it certainly raised the profile of Asia as participating political force on the world football stage through the candidacies of Salman and Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein of Jordan. There will undoubtedly be some healing to be done within the region but as one observer commented, “the return of Salman to the AFC leaves that confederation in a considerably stronger position than UEFA which has neither a general secretary or a president”.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1714336546labto1714336546ofdlr1714336546owedi1714336546sni@n1714336546osloh1714336546cin.l1714336546uap1714336546