A proposed move of the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) headquarters from the east to the western fringe of the region is polarizing opinion in the diverse continent.
The AFC has been based in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur since 1965, but on July 29 the region’s top official, Mohamed Bin Hammam, invited bids from member associations interested in becoming home to the governing body.
Only Qatar — Bin Hammam’s home nation — the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Singapore expressed definite interest in challenging Malaysia as host, the AFC said. With some members of the confederation already uneasy about the perceived growing power of West Asia in continental soccer politics, debate in the next months is set to intensify.
PHOTO: AFP
Former AFC general secretary Peter Velappan, a veteran Malaysian administrator, criticized the move in an open letter sent to the AFC’s annual congress in Shanghai, China this month. He had earlier called any move “foolish.”
“I would respectfully request the potential bidders to withdraw their bids if they are seriously committed to safeguarding the stability and future of Asian football,” Velappan wrote. “The history and culture of Asian football should not be subject to an auction to the highest bidder.”
Bin Hammam, a FIFA executive committee member and aspirant for soccer’s top job, has dismissed Velappan’s criticism and told the AFC’s Web site that Malaysia has first right of refusal and that the AFC simply wants to formalize relations with the government in the host country.
“We need terms and conditions we can agree upon and which both parties can commit to,” Bin Hammam said. “That is the reason we are looking at shifting our headquarters.”
In a statement on the AFC’s Web site late on Friday, Bin Hammam said he was reiterating his belief that he would like to keep the AFC Headquarters at its current location in Malaysia.
“However, it is important that there is a formal agreement between AFC and the host government that provides AFC with certain benefits recognizing its role as a major sports governing body,” the statement said.
The oil-rich Gulf nations appear more willing to accept the demands made by the AFC, a list which reportedly includes interest-free loans, tax breaks and diplomatic status for top officials.
The International Cricket Council — which moved from Marylebone in London — is one global sports organization that has moved to Dubai for the tax breaks.
Malaysia cannot match the incentives.
“We don’t want to bid because the demands of the AFC are too extreme,” Azzuddin Ahmad, general secretary of Football Association Malaysia (FAM) said. “We can’t explain why the AFC wants to move, they have been here for 44 years and everything has been going well.”
Reports in Malaysia’s domestic media claim that the AFC’s demands are red herrings and that the organization decided to leave Kuala Lumpur as early as 2004 in order to further Bin Hammam’s political ambitions by moving closer to Europe and the headquarters of FIFA.
In 2006, permanent local employees at AFC House were put on three-year contracts that will end on Dec. 31, next year.
Qatar Football Association general secretary Sauod Al Mohannadi has put the case forward for Doha.
“We succeeded in organizing some of the world’s biggest sports events previously and I don’t see why we can’t pull this off. We are a small country, but we believe in our chance,” he said.
Doha hosted the 2006 Asian Games and entered an ambitious bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics before dropping out of the race. It will host the 2011 Asian Cup soccer championships.
Moving the headquarters won’t be easy. South Korea, the most successful of the Asian nations in terms of World Cup appearances, has already expressed doubts about the need to move the AFC. Its powerful neighbors in the Far East, such as China and Japan, have been silent so far, but are thought to be against the idea along with the southeast Asian bloc.
“To approve the move, the AFC will need to get two-thirds of the vote when the member associations hold a congress next June,” Ahmad said. “From what we gather and have been told, they will not be able to succeed.”
Carlos Alcaraz on Monday powered into the French Open second round with a resounding win to start his title defense, while world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and three-time defending women’s champion Iga Swiatek also progressed at Roland Garros. Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz struck 31 winners in a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri and is to face Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan in round two. Alcaraz is now on an eight-match winning streak at the French Open and also took Olympic silver at Roland Garros last year, losing the final to Novak Djokovic. “The first round is never
TIGHT FINISH: Napoli only needed to do the same as or better than Inter, who won their game against Como 2-0 on the same day, leaving Napoli with a one-point lead The two players who Antonio Conte wanted more than any others secured Napoli their second Serie A title in three years on Friday. Scott McTominay scored with an acrobatic bicycle kick before halftime and Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead with a solo goal after the break in the decisive 2-0 home win over Cagliari. Conte became the first coach to win the Italian championship with three different teams. “Everyone contributed to this — but the coach most of all,” Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo said. “Napoli needed him to get back on top. He’s phenomenal.” Comparing it to his three Serie A titles won
The journey of Taiwan’s badminton mixed doubles duo Ye Hong-wei and Nicole Chan at the Malaysia Masters in Kuala Lumpur came to an end in the semi-finals yesterday after they suffered a 2-0 loss to China’s Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping. Ye, 25, and Chan, 20, teamed up last year and are currently ranked No. 23 in the world. The Taiwanese shuttlers took on China’s second seeds in the mixed doubles event, but proved no match for Feng and Huang, losing the match 10-21, 7-21. In the first half of the first game, the pairings were neck and neck at 6-7 until Ye
SSC Napoli coach Antonio Conte has dragged the team back from disaster and restored them to the top of Italian Serie A, but his future at the Scudetto winners is in doubt even after a triumphant season. The fiery 55-year-old has exceeded preseason expectations and bolstered his reputation as a serial winner by guiding Napoli to their fourth Scudetto, and second in three seasons. However, he might well be on his way in the summer after just one season at the helm as his charged relationship with Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has simmered throughout the campaign. Conte has said
RSS