Brunei dominate AFC Executive Committee meeting

Kuala Lumpur: The AFC Executive Committee met on Friday here at AFC House with the members discussing efforts to avert FIFA’s threatened expulsion of the Brunei Football Association (BAFA), and the amendment of AFC’s statutes in June’s AFC Extraordinary Congress in South Africa.

FIFA recently warned that BAFA, which is currently under suspension, could be expelled altogether from the world body because it was de-registered by the government in 2008 and replaced with another association.

FIFA wants BAFA to be re-registered by the June FIFA Congress in South Africa.

Member Junji Ogura, of Japan, appealed to the AFC Executive Committee to help Brunei, saying: “It would be a pity for Asia if one of our members is expelled from football. It would be the first time for Asia. We have another two months (to avert it).”

AFC President Mohamed Bin Hammam said AFC had met many times with key Brunei officials in an effort to resolve the issue - but without success.

After much discussion among members, it was agreed that AFC would make another attempt to convince the Brunei authorities to comply with FIFA’s demands.

AFC Vice-President Manilal Fernando suggested appealing to FIFA to delay any decision on Brunei until AFC has exhausted all avenues to reinstate BAFA.


The afc.com