BAHRAIN’S Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, president of Asian Football Confederation, a Fifa vice-president and front runner to succeed Sepp Blatter as Fifa president, has said he is not surprised at the latest arrests to rock football’s governing body, and fears they may not be the last.
Shaikh Salman added that he would introduce reforms if he wins February’s presidential election.
Shaikh Salman also denied allegations that he was complicit in the torture of footballers in his home country, and backed Qatar to stage the 2022 World Cup while speaking to Sky News 24 hours after two of his fellow vice-presidents were arrested in Zurich as part of an investigation that began six months ago into what US authorities have called “rampant, brazen corruption” by senior football officials.
“After the incidents last May I was expecting more to come, but it is mainly Concacaf and Conmebol (the South and Central American groups) it’s mainly a matter of those two confederations,” he is quoted to have said in a report on the Sky News website.
“You never know who is going to come next or what is going to happen, we know the investigation is going on. Let’s see what happens.”
Shaikh Salman said if elected he would introduce integrity checks for Fifa executive committee members, and work with the authorities.
“If I am president and I get any information from a government source about anyone in Fifa I will take the decision right away. But we need the support of government. Fifa is not capable of doing the intelligence work and getting the information.”
Shaikh Salman, who has suggested he will not take a salary, said he backed near-neighbour Qatar to stage the 2022 World Cup unless fresh evidence of wrongdoing is found.
“I will support the bid unless there is any credible evidence that can stand in a court of law. Fifa has done that for four years and still there is nothing that can stand in a court.”
He also said he was unconcerned about the revelation of state-sponsored doping in Russian athletics less than three years before it stages a World Cup that could be his first as president.
“In football we do not have many doping cases compared to other sports like athletics, it is a tiny percentage. I am confident the Russian organising committee will deal with any issues.”
Shaikh Salman, who missed the last World Cup final because it clashed with Ramadan, said he would attend in Russia if he wins the election.
“If I am elected I suppose I will have to,” he said.