Blatter Denies Supporting Al Serkal for AFC Role

FIFA President Sepp Blatter has denied he is supporting Yousuf Al Serkal for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) presidency.

Al Serkal, who is the head of UAE Football Association, was quoted as saying he had Blatter’s support ahead of the election in Kuala Lumpur.

“I was looking for his blessing, and I definitely felt that I have it,” Al Serkal told media in Dubai. “My discussion with him was very open, and I left FIFA with much more comfort then when I entered.”

FIFA have now released a statement denying Al Serkal’s quotes. The statement said: “Contrary to what has been reported in the media, the FIFA president, in accordance with his full commitment towards the neutrality of his function as well as the autonomy of the confederations to manage their own business, has at no time provided his backing to any of the candidates for the upcoming election to the AFC Presidency.”

Al-Serkal is against Bahrain’s Sheikh Salman Bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, Saudi Arabia’s Hafez Ibrahim Al Medlejand and Thailand’s FIFA vice-president Worawi Makudi to replace Mohamed Bin Hammam.

Bin Hammam was set a life ban from FIFA in December after allegations of corruption that involved AFC funds.