Asian football’s governing body on Thursday said it planned to hold leadership elections next year after a long period of uncertainty following the suspension of its president over bribery claims.
China’s Zhang Jilong, who has been interim president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) since Mohamed bin Hammam’s ban from football activities last year, appeared to indicate he would stand for the post full-time when he promised “a new era of transparency”.
“Under my caretaker leadership, I promised a new vision for AFC. I committed myself to a new era of transparency and I am confident that with your support I will be able to deliver this objective,” he said in a statement.
However, the AFC added that the presidential vote, at a congress due by the end of April, would only go ahead “subject to the recommendations and advice of the AFC legal committee by mid-January”.
Elections would be aimed at sweeping away a turbulent period since bin Hammam was banned from football for life by FIFA in June last year over claims he bribed delegates for votes during his bid to win the world body’s presidency.
In July this year, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned the ban due to a lack of evidence, but stopped short of exonerating him. The Qatari is now under a temporary ban as the AFC probes alleged financial irregularities.