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Asian boss must quit, says Velappan

SINGAPORE: Asian football president Mohamed Hammam should follow Fifa vice-chief Jack Warner and quit the sport after both were suspended over bribery claims, a former top official said yesterday.

Malaysiaā€™s Peter Velappan, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) general secretary for 30 years until 2007, said not only Mohamed but also Fifaā€™s entire executive committee should resign as the sport seeks to clean up its image.

ā€œI would suggest in the interests of Fifa and global football, the entire Fifa exco (executive committee) must resign and open up a new chapter for football for the future,ā€ Velappan said in Singapore.

ā€œIn the same way, for the future of Asian football, Mohamed should resign.ā€ Mohamed was not available for comment yesterday after Warnerā€™s surprise resignation from all international football posts, three weeks after he was suspended over vote-rigging claims.
Velappan supported Mohamed when he came to power in 2002 but the two later fell out. He predicted the Qatari ā€œwill followā€ Warner by stepping down, and said Asiaā€™s football leadership needed wholesale changes.

ā€œWe are not only at a crossroads but also in a crisis because now corruption has become part of the culture of football.

ā€œEverybody now comes into football for the greed of money.ā€ Chinaā€™s Zhang Jilong is the acting AFC president after Mohamed was barred while Fifa investigates the corruption claims. But Velappan said ā€œtwo or threeā€ candidates for the presidency might emerge if Mohamed could not clear his name.
ā€” AFP

Read more: NST

Comments

  1. Peter Vellapan, I think your call for Mohammad Hammam to resign and all on the board stinks. Unless proven guilty there is no need for him and his cronies to step down.

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