Jordan FA chief says AFC Congress ‘pure politics’ at behest of Infantino | Football

Prince Ali bin Hussein mentioned no person was allowed to talk, query, debate or speak with the media on the AFC Congress.

The head of Jordan’s Football Association (JFA), Prince Ali bin Hussein, has accused FIFA President Gianni Infantino of hijacking the Asian Football Confederation Congress for political functions forward of his re-election bid for a fourth time period.

At the AFC’s extraordinary congress in Tokyo on Friday, its president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa endorsed Infantino’s bid for re-election as FIFA president.

Months after the confederation accused Infantino of a “elementary breach of belief” over the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, Sheikh Salman informed the congress that Asia was now united behind Infantino.

But JFA’s Prince Ali, who has been a vocal critic of FIFA’s management, painted a starkly completely different image of occasions in Tokyo.

“Having come again from Tokyo the place the AFC Congress occurred, the primary two days had been about soccer, which all of us serve. The final day was pure politics on the behest of Gianni Infantino,” Prince Ali wrote on X.

“There had been studies that Asia has a united place on the subject of electing the subsequent FIFA President. In truth, no person was allowed to talk, query, debate or speak with the media.

“Lack of transparency results in lack of accountability. No quantity of coercion, threats or bribes must be allowed.”

Prince Ali didn’t elaborate on his assertion.

Al Jazeera reached out to FIFA and the AFC for a remark however had not obtained a response on the time of publication.

Infantino additionally addressed the AFC Congress, giving Sheikh Salman his backing for one more time period.

In August, Prince Ali launched a public attack on Infantino, accusing him of “blackmail” and saying FIFA had supplied to assist resolve the dominion’s issues in alternate for his endorsement.

Two days later, Prince Ali confirmed Jordan’s gamers and workers had obtained excellent reward cash for his or her participation within the 2025 Arab Cup.

The affiliation had been ready since December for prize cash for reaching the Arab Cup remaining in Qatar.

On Saturday, Infantino laughed off questions about whether or not he had thought of resigning within the wake of the failed FFE proposal, pointing to what he described as overwhelming assist from member associations across the globe.

The Swiss-Italian administrator’s re-election prospects had been strengthened considerably after the AFC endorsement, leaving Europe more and more remoted and exposing the dearth of a challenger.