Controversy hits AFC award
Controversy hits AFC award
Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur
Manchester United's Park Ji-Sung and other European-based soccer stars have been barred from the Asian Player of the Year award because they cannot travel to Malaysia to pick up the trophy.
The Asian Football Confederation released its shortlist of three players for the award on Monday, but some of the hot tips to win were missing.
On the list were talismanic striker Sami Al Jaber from Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal and seasoned campaigner Maksim Shatskikh, an Uzbek who plies his trade with Dynamo Kiev.
Joining them is relative newcomer Hamad Al Montashari of Saudi Arabia, fresh from his successful AFC Champions League title- winning run with Al Ittihad.
But missing was South Korea's Park and Bayern Munich star Ali Karimi, who won last year. Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura and Bolton Wanderers' Hidetoshi Nakata were also notable absentees.
All were among the final 10.
The AFC said it had made its criteria clear at the outset, that if players cannot come to Kuala Lumpur for the ceremony on Nov. 30 they are out of the running.
"It is true that you will not be in the running for the award if you can't come to the ceremony," an AFC spokeswoman told AFP.
"The presence of the player is crucial in order to give value to the award ... As a governing body we listed the criteria that if they can't make it to the ceremony they won't be considered for the award."
Park has received rave reviews since his move from Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven to the English Premiership this year while Karimi has surprised many pundits since his close-season switch from Al-Ahli to Bayern.
Nakamura has been a big hit in Glasgow since this year's move from Serie A side Reggina, applauded for his defense-splitting passes and steady stream of crosses.
Park and Nakata are both in action for their respective clubs around the time of the ceremony.
The player of the year is chosen by national coaches from the AFC's 45 federations and AFC executive committee members.