11 May 2009(Mon)

May 8, 2009: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, May 8, 2009: If you thought the Chelsea-Barcelona match was full of incident and controversy, try attending an AFC Congress.

In Kuala Lumpur on Friday, the 23rd AFC Congress lasted six hours -- 90 minutes x 4 -- and it was gripping entertainment from the opening whistle.

With all the accusations of incompetence and conspiracies flying around, just like at Stamford Bridge, it was easy to forget that the main event, Agenda Item 11.1, was to elect a representative to the FIFA Executive Committee. It felt from start to finish like an election for the AFC presidency itself, such was the rewards and power at stake for the winner.

The result has been well-documented now, a 23-21 victory for the AFC president, Mohamed bin Hammam, over his challenger, Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa, president of the Bahrain FA. Two of the 46 member associations spoiled their ballot paper, meaning that only half of Asia supported Hammam, who has held the FIFA ExCo seat unopposed since 1996.

The Japanese were firmly in the camp of Shaikh Salman, as were the Koreans, and these two Asian heavyweights were among 28 football associations who attended an afternoon meeting of Shaikh Salman supporters the day before the Congress.

If all 28 voted for the Bahraini -- a keen Manchester United supporter, by the way -- then they would achieve their campaign slogan of “AFC -- Asia For Change”, but the signs were ominous in the early stages of the Congress when the Salman camp was defeated heavily in votes regarding financial matters.

These votes were conducted in the open, though, through voting delegates in the Congress hall, but the FIFA ExCo vote would be a secret ballot. Without being under pressure and under scrutiny from the Hammam camp, the football associations would be able to choose their FIFA ExCo member without fear of recrimination. This would be the big chance for change.

And, like Chelsea against Barca, they came very close but missed out by the narrowest of margins.

The build-up to the Congress revealed everything bad about football politics, from both sides, and after his victory Hammam said one of his tasks would be to repair bridges with Dr Chung Mong Joon after their much-publicised slanging match.

There is a lot of work to do to unite Asia, and although Hammam has vowed not to change his style of leadership, clearly he must be humbled by the experience.

Now let’s get back to football -- the global game that attracted the power brokers in the first place but which seems to be lost along the way.

ends