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UAE's al-Serkal wants to lead Asian football Asian Football Confederation Vice President Yousuf al-Serkal has put himself forward to replace the suspended Mohammed Bin Hammam as head of the sport's top continental organisation
Bin Hammam remains nominally in charge of the AFC while he launches legal challenges against his lifetime ban from FIFA for allegedly trying to buy votes in his failed bid to replace Sepp Blatter as FIFA president. The AFC has delayed filling the presidency while the appeals continue, but United Arab Emirates official al-Serkal says he intends to run when the position is contested. “Now is the opportunity, following FIFA's decision not to allow Mohamed Bin Hammam to carry on his sporting duties, and for me to preside over the Asian confederation to help Asian football and bring more to the table, because I feel I have more to offer Asian football as a president,” al-Serkal told SNTV. The reputation of Asian football was tarnished by the charges against Bin Hammam and al-Serkal said the game must do more to stamp out corruption. “We have to be frank,” al-Serkal said. “Corruption, it's among players, it's among referees and it's among officials. So we need to take a stand against this, we have really to work hard and work harshly against those who are corrupt. We don't need them in our world of football.” The AFC is bound to call a fresh election for the presidency if Bin Hammam is unable to fulfil his duties for 12 months, meaning a poll would be due in May next year. The next regular AFC congress is not until 2013. China's Zhang Jilong has been acting AFC president since Bin Hammam was suspended in June.
