AFC to meet over Bin Hammam ban

The Asian Football Confederation must undertake presidential elections after Mohamed Bin Hammam’s life ban, Japan’s football chief said.

Japan Football Association president Junji Ogura said the ban issued to former AFC boss Bin Hammam meant a vote was required, despite the caretaker presidency falling the way of China’s Zhang Jilong.

Bin Hammam was banned for life for being implicated in corruption regarding the vote to decide which nation would host the 2022 FIFA World Cup – the event going the way of the then AFC president’s native Qatar.

“(Bin Hammam) has been banned for life so there is a need for elections to be held,” Ogura said.

Meanwhile, Bin Hammam is desperately maintaining his innocence, and is calling for the AFC to postpone any potential elections while he appeals his life ban.

Ogura said the disgraced Qatari had contacted him to inform him of his plan to retain his presidency of the AFC.

“He (Bin Hammam) said he doesn’t think he has done anything wrong and that he has no intention of quitting as either AFC President or FIFA executive,” Ogura said.

The AFC executive is scheduled to meet on Friday to discuss the future presidency.