TOKYO : The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said on Tuesday it would refer Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin Hussein to its judicial bodies after he accused FIFA President Gianni Infantino of using an AFC congress for political purposes.
At the AFC’s extraordinary congress in Tokyo on Friday, confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa endorsed Infantino’s bid for re-election as FIFA president, saying Asia was united behind the football governing body’s chief.
The endorsement came three months after the AFC accused Infantino of a “fundamental breach of trust” over the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which involved selling a stake in FIFA tournaments.
Following the congress, Prince Ali alleged that delegates had not been allowed to speak, ask questions, debate or engage with the media, describing the final day of the event as “pure politics”.
The AFC rejected the allegations, saying neither Prince Ali nor representatives of any other member association had requested to speak during the proceedings.
“The AFC takes seriously the unsupported and entirely unsubstantiated allegations of coercion, threats or bribery. Such serious accusations must be supported by credible evidence and should not be made without a proper factual basis,” the confederation said in a statement.
“Accordingly, the AFC will refer the statements made by the President of the Jordan Football Association, including the allegations raised, to the relevant AFC judicial bodies for their consideration and any further action deemed appropriate in accordance with the AFC Statutes and applicable regulations.”
Prince Ali, a former FIFA vice-president, launched a public attack on Infantino in August, accusing him of “blackmail” and alleging that FIFA had offered to help address Jordan’s problems in exchange for his endorsement.
Infantino has been seeking re-election as FIFA president, with the AFC’s backing marking a significant show of support from the Asian confederation ahead of the vote.
