"China to be become a serious football power" says Fifa presidential candidate Sheikh Salman
Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa is seen by many as the favourite to be elected president of football's governing body at the elections on February 26. He answered questions from the South China Morning Post about his campaign by email
How can Fifa possibly be redeemed? Surely we should scrap it and start again?
How do you answer accusations that having a president accused of human rights abuses is hardly the image Fifa should want to project?
In China, president Xi Jinping has declared that the country must become a soccer superpower. How could you help the country achieve those goals as president?
As AFC president I have taken a number of steps to support China’s football development. First and foremost, it is China itself who needs to dedicate itself to grassroots programmes, without which there can never be sustainable development. The AFC is actively contributing to that in many ways and through numbers of initiatives.
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Many see the World soon Cup going to China. But given the controversy over 2018 and 2022 re workers / human rights abuses etc, would you want more bad headlines along the same lines if it went to China?
What would a China World Cup mean for the global game?
It would certainly add to the enthusiasm in the whole of Asia and showcase our sport in a region where two-thirds of the world population live.
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How important is China to world football?
Having been AFC chief, how would you ensure Asia is at the forefront of world football under his leadership at Fifa?
Pretty much the same way as I have over the past two, soon three years. We have made massive strides in all areas and our focus on development is bar none. No child can become a doctor if he or she doesn’t study hard at primary and secondary school, then university. It is the same with football: a career starts at age six when gifted youngsters are encouraged to excel. That is why under-15 and similar national and international tournaments are critical. And that is why school football and junior level football development are the key.
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What concrete steps would you take to ensure Fifa becomes a model of transparency and good governance?
In my campaign platform, I make it quite clear that we must rid ourselves of all bad apples who have caused so many problems for the organisation. In my view, it is not the organisation as such that is the problem. It is individuals who are driven by greed who are. We must exercise control over the flow of funds and separate money from the game as much as possible. That is why I want to introduce a new entity that has but one focus: generate income for “Football Fifa”, similar to the concept that has proven to be so successful at Uefa, where “Business Fifa” focuses on sponsorships and marketing, while “Football Fifa” can focus on the game.