Football: ‘Stay out of bin Hammam probe’

AFC tells regional associations not to interfere in scandal.

KUALA LAMPUR: The acting head of Asian football has warned the continent’s 46 football associations not to ‘interfere’ in its probe into alleged wrongdoing by its scandal-tainted chief Mohamed bin Hammam.

The call, made in a statement issued by Asian Football Confederation interim president Zhang Jilong, comes as the AFC is probing fresh allegations of financial and other misconducts by bin Hammam.

“In this context, we would like to remind each member association once again of their obligation to comply with AFC regulations as well as of their duty of loyalty towards the AFC,” said the statement by Zhang. “From this obligation results a specific duty to fully cooperate in the context of this investigation and to refrain from any actions which might interfere.”

The AFC last month officially suspended bin Hammam for 30 days and launched a probe into unspecified suspicions of misconduct. Fifa subsequently hit the 63-year-old Qatari with a 90-day ban from football.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 8^th, 2012.