Sheikh Salman’s robust response.
The head of Asian football reminds his fellow Arab royal about loyalty and keeping the peace.
This letter was sent to me anonymously, but I have verified it.
Five days after being accused of representing Asian football federations without consultation, Sheikh Salman Bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa has responded.
It was Sheikh Hamad, the head of Qatar’s Football Association, who claimed that Sheikh Salman had taken the AFC’s name in vain and presumed to speak for its members when he signed a joint ‘open letter to the football family’
The message: you’re doing what you accuse Gianni Infantino of doing.
In his own letter, also circulated around Asian member associations, Sheikh Salman summarises the Fifa Forward Enterprise project and its secrecy that might bring Infantino’s house of cards down.
He points out the lack of meaningful consultation with Fifa’s Members and the “significant erosion of trust that resulted from the handling of the Fifa proposal.”
Then he goes on the attack, describing Sheikh Hamad’s complaint as a convenient conflation “to support a false premise.
“The AFC Mas (member associations) … are committed to observing the principles of loyalty and integrity,” he says.
“At a time when continental solidarity is paramount, your current stance and actions in questioning the legitimate authority of the AFC President serve only to disrupt the unity of Asian football,” he continues.
Then a lengthy and robust defence that can be summarised as ‘I’m the President of the AFC, it’s my job.’
“I categorically reject any suggestion that my participation in the joint statement acceded my authority or that the AFC erred in participating in it.
“On the contrary, as President of the AFC, I have both the authority and responsibility to act decisively to safeguard the AFC and Asian football’s position when matters of fundamental importance to the … interests of Asian football arise.
“As you will recall, I was duly elected without opposition … at the AFC congress in 2023.
“That mandate necessarily includes the ability to speak and act on behalf of the institution on matters falling within the AFC’s responsibilities without requiring a member by member vote or poll in respect of every individual statement or action.
“Such a requirement would be impractical … and fundamentally contrary to the purpose of representative leadership, and it would ultimately result in the complete paralysis of the AFC’s daily … operations.”
And then some devasting whataboutery of his own.
“I and passed AFC Presidents have on numerous occasions … issued statements and declarations on matters of significance to Asia … without … seeking the QFA’s approval,” he points out.
“Notably, the QFA has historically been a direct, unilateral beneficiary … such as when I stepped forward to issue high level continental declarations to aggressively defend Qatar’s Fifa World Cup hosting rights against intense global political pressure without any member by member consensus process.
“I do not recall the QFA previously raising any procedural objection when the establish protocol served its immediate interests.
“I therefore find it difficult to reconcile the sudden and selective criticism contained in the QFA letter.”
Whether ‘the Asian football family’ is reading these emails with a pot of popcorn at their elbows or deleting them on sight, I cannot say.