Doha: Mohammad Bin Hammam, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president, has been asked to oppose Joseph Blatter in the Fifa presidential elections to be held later this year, according to media reports.
According to a report appearing in the Daily Digest of the Doha Stadium Plus here, the Qatari did not confirm his candidature but said he was asked to do so by some officials.
"Yes, I have been, but I don't think I am the only one," said Bin Hammam, who has been critical of Blatter ever since he was re-elected unopposed as AFC President on January 6.
Mooting a change in Fifa, Bin Hammam hinted that the President's tenure should be limited. "Blatter will, even if he is serious and so honest in his approach to fight corruption or to be more transparent, always be confronted by people who do not believe in his approach," the AFC chief said.
"That is why I think change is very much necessary. My frank opinion is that when first they seek the position, they were all honest, but the corruption started after that," he said.
"The more they want to stay in the position, the game is getting less important in their acts and their daily work. Their focus is always: How can I stay longer.
Corruption
"This is actually where the corruption in big organisations starts," said Bin Hammam.
"We are not talking only about Fifa, but let me say international organisations should have limited mandates. The Fifa president should have a maximum of eight to 12 years," he added. Meanwhile, Bin Hammam praised the way the ongoing 2011 Asian Cup was being organised here in Doha. "It's been an extremely well organised event by Qatar," he said.
"Although it is 12 years between now and 2022, it was a very good rehearsal for that competition."
This tournament has provided so many teams with such a good standard," he told The-AFC.com. "At least ten teams are a very good standard.
"Uzbekistan was not a surprise but they have produced a very good standard and we have Japan, Korea Republic and Australia, some of the best teams in Asia and they represented us at the World Cup.
"But Qatar played very well, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Syria. There are a lot of countries that played well."
Sporting spirit
"I think it's a good achievement for East Asia but I remain president of all of Asia. East and west for me are equal. A lot of west Asian teams provided very good football but at the end of the day we have to accept that football, and sport in general, is about winning and losing and we have to accept that in a sporting spirit," Bin Hammam said.
"For me, whoever plays in the final are the teams that are representing me."
