Manama: Sepp Blatter hailed Asia and showered praise on its leader for fighting corruption on Thursday as he made a final push for re-election as head of world football body Fifa.
Quoting Confucius in a meandering address, Blatter, 79, told the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) congress that Asia was the “most important continent” for Fifa.
“Asia is the biggest and most important continent in the world, and also it’s the most important for Fifa’s present and future,” Blatter told the meeting in Manama, Bahrain.
With his challengers Prince Ali Al Hussain, Michael van Praag and Luis Figo seated nearby, Blatter called for fair play in the looming Fifa presidential vote on May 29.
“Don’t forget we are in elections and in elections we have the same principles in respect of play, even if there’s no referee,” Blatter said. “We must ensure discipline, respect and fair play.”
Fifa’s second-biggest confederation after Africa is a key constituency for Blatter, who is widely expected to seal a fifth term despite a series of controversies.
Blatter enjoys strong support in Asia, led by increasingly powerful AFC president Shaikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, who was re-elected unopposed on Thursday.
The Bahraini “has shown a remarkable sense of organisation and diplomacy to bring back the boat of the Asian Football Confederation, that at a certain time has been in waters that are not so very clear and not so very clean,” Blatter said.
Shaikh Salman took over the AFC in 2013, after his Qatari predecessor Mohammad Bin Hammam was banned from football over claims of bribery and financial wrongdoing.
Blatter praised Asia’s development in football, calling it vindication for Fifa’s policies and handouts that have helped secure him strong backing in the region.
“[Chinese philosopher] Confucius said, if you want to help your friend or your brother, don’t give him a fish but teach him how to get fish,” Blatter said.
“This is the policy of our development programme. There is money available [but] I don’t want to speak about money today.”
Asia is the last of the confederations to hold a congress before the Fifa vote and is a stronghold of Blatter support, along with 54-member Africa.
