The Sun-Herald

Asian Football's Silent War

Asia in April may not be a pleasant place.

With the latest World Cup qualifiers out of the way, the drama will take place off the pitch.

Australia, or specifically Football Federation Australia, will do it's best to stay well clear of the potential mayhem.

This is a good idea. Things are about to get very ugly.

The issue?

Is Asian Football Confederation President Mohamed Bin Hammam, a good friend of Australia, doomed? Possibly.

Peter Velappan, a former Asian Football Confederation administrator, has been making much noise lately for a man who has no official role in the sport.

"Official" being the key word here.

Velappan has been on the outside since Bin Hammam moved him on as Secretary General a few years ago after 30 years in the job.

In scenes eerily reminiscent of the shenanigans that clouded Australian football not so many years ago, Asia is about to get hot and spicy and no cookbooks will be (unfortunately) involved.

Velappan wants revenge. He wants Bin Hammam gone.

His wish has been boosted by the arrival on the scene of Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, a relatively young 43-year-old from Bahrain who is challenging Bin Hammam for his seat on FIFA's all-powerful Executive Committee (the same committee who decide where the World Cup will be held).

Bin Hammam has said that if does not retain his place on the Executive Committee he will quit as AFC President.

Bin Ebrahim claims to have the backing of Japan, South Korea, China, and Saudi Arabia. Not exactly regional minnows.

Australia is keeping quiet on its position but, considering Bin Hammam was the man most responsible for Australia's AFC membership, it is in an intriguing situation.

Add to the pot Bin Hammam's support of, and active role in, the re-election of Sepp Blatter as FIFA President.

Stir a little with Bin Hammam's own ambition to perhaps succeed Blatter as FIFA boss.

Sprinkle with a little suggestion that Bin Hammam is being advised by some of Blatter's best friends about how to see off challenges (expect Bin Hammam to perfectly time some public retaliation very soon).

High stakes? This is not family feud. Or is it?

Here comes vengeful Velappan with his view, apparently upset the Qatari has, among other things, considered shifting AFC's HQ from Kuala Lumpur.

"The Asian football family was very united with solidarity and harmony and wonderful friendship," Velappan told Kuwait-TV station Al Watan last month.

"Mr Mohamed Bin Hammam became president in 2002, and until 2006 he was a good president. But since then he has really divided Asia into so many different groups and has marginalized the important associations such as Japan, South Korea, China, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Malaysia.

"I left the AFC two years ago and I am very sad because we gave him a diamond plate, a wonderful Asian football family and new headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, and his first move was to insult Malaysia by proposing to remove the headquarters out of Kuala Lumpur.

"This is really outrageous because it is the home of Asian football and has contributed to Asian football for over 50 years.

"He is my friend, but he does not know the culture of Asian football and has imposed desert values. His policy is to divide and rule and the family has broken up into so many pieces."

Ouch.

The AFC will meet on May 8, in Kuala Lumpur.

Make a date.

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**** Update: An SBS TV colleague points out that FFA's Ben Buckley offered support for Bin Hammam in a recent interview with The World Game. Also check theworldgame.com.au for video of an interview with Bin Hammam. The plot thickens...