Asian football chief skips re-election over mother's death
Asia's football chief and FIFA's second-in-command Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al Khalifa skipped his re-election to a fresh four year term on Saturday after the death of his mother.
The Bahraini royal, a recent target of human rights campaigners, was the notable absentee at the Asian Football Confederation Congress in Kuala Lumpur, where he was re-elected unopposed.
"This (death) is of course a big tragedy where words cannot help," FIFA president Gianni Infantino told delegates, leading them in a moment's silence.
"I can only ask you to stand up, to think on Salman, to give him a big hug and to tell him we are with him."
Infantino said Asia was showing unity and "stability" by re-electing Sheikh Salman, who sent a statement expressing his "heartfelt apologies" for his absence.
He pointed to a record, decade-long commercial deal struck last year, and said it would not have been possible without good governance and reforms to AFC competitions.
"Together, we will grow stronger. Together, Asian football will grow stronger," Sheikh Salman said.
The Bahraini now starts a new term lasting until 2023 which also renews his position as world body FIFA's senior vice-president under Infantino.
Lurid allegations have dogged the sheikh since he was first elected in 2013, replacing Qatari businessman Mohamed bin Hammam who was banned from football for life over corruption.
At the time, the former Bahrain FA chief refuted claims of involvement in Bahrain's crackdown on anti-government protests in 2011, which included the arrest and alleged torture of footballers.
He also came under fire over accusations that the Olympic Council of Asia, headed by Kuwaiti powerbroker Sheikh Ahmad al-Fatah al-Sabah, had been lobbying voters on his behalf.
This year, Sheikh Salman was criticised for staying silent about Bahraini refugee footballer Hakeem al-Araibi, who was arrested in Thailand and threatened with extradition to Bahrain. Araibi was eventually released following an international outcry.
Sheikh Salman was re-elected unopposed to a four-year term in 2015, but he looked set to face a challenge this time around when Qatar's Saoud al-Mohannadi and Mohammed Khalfan Al-Romaithi of UAE announced their candidacies.
However, Romaithi abruptly cancelled a lobbying tour and withdrew in late March -- about two weeks after launching his campaign -- and Mohannadi followed suit last week.