AFC plans soccer summit

AFC plans soccer summit

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): The president of the Asian Football
Confederation plans a special summit of world soccer leaders to
resolve a growing row with FIFA president Joao Havelange.

Sultan Ahmad Shah said yesterday he wanted a meeting of the
heads of the five continental federations to end a dispute over
Havelange's appointments that threatens to undermine the
authority of the international governing body.

Havelange has angered the European and Asian federations with
his nominations to the FIFA standing committees that run
international soccer. Many of the officials were not supported by
the continental federations.

Ahmad said he had lodged a formal complaint with Havelange and
received an "unsatisfactory" reply. He said he had proposed a
summit of federation leaders at the Intercontinental
Championships in Riyadh next month.

Ahmad told an AFC executive meeting in Kuala Lumpur that the
Asian body had 23 of its members on the various committees but
that two who were not recommended had also been appointed.

He said he was "concerned" by Havelange's action which, he
said, "undermines the credibility of the AFC."

Lennart Johansson, president of the European governing body,
UEFA, warned last week that his organization may pull out of FIFA
over the appointments. Press reports have said the North American
federation, CONCACAF, was also angry.