Al Khalifa and Zhang Jilong to run for AFC presidency

GOAL – KUALA LUMPUR, Bahrain Football Association president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and acting Asian Football Confederation (AFC) supremo Zhang Jilong have indicated they will both run to become the AFC head.

Jilong is currently acting in the role following Mohamed bin Hammam’s departure after he was handed a lifetime ban from football-related activities for trying to buy votes in the lead-up to last year’s Fifa Presidential race.

Bin Hammam has appealed to the Court for Arbitration of Sport (CAS) to reverse the decision but a date hasn’t been set for the hearing. The AFC must decide on a new leader on a full-time basis by the end of May and Al Khalifa and Jilong appear set to run.

Al Khalifa told El Dawry El Kas Channel: “I have great confidence in getting great support from many parties, I received during launching the electoral battle with Mohamed Bin Hammam.

“We have received promises of support by many Asian federations to give me her voice in the election, and I have to speak with Mohamed Bin Hammam, where he stressed his support for me and his blessing.”

Al Khalifa wouldn’t be drawn on discussing a potential rivalry with potential West Asian candidate Yousef Al Serkal, who hails from UAE.

Meanwhile, Jilong was quoted in the South China Morning Post as saying: “I am interested in becoming president permanently on the condition that I am recognised by all my friends and brothers on the executive committee, as well as the other 46 members’ association.

“We need to be one family, as brothers, for we are on one boat sailing towards the future. If I become president permanently, I wish to work for the solidarity and development of Asian football.”