Asian soccer struggles with off-field controversy

The motto of the Asian Football Confederation is ”The Future is

Asia.”

Yet a series of recent controversies indicate the game seems

unable to shake off its unhappy history of corruption, bribery and

political interference across the continent.

Asian soccer may be making great strides in some areas – luring

top quality players – but the problems off the pitch still slow

development, with Syria’s expulsion from the 2014 World Cup

qualifiers being yet another example.

In its second-round win over Tajikistan in July, Syria selected

George Mourad despite the fact that the player had represented

Sweden earlier in his career and was therefore ineligible.

The Syrian Football Association queried the decision and said

FIFA’s ban was politically motivated.

Political interference is endemic on multiple levels, according

to James Dorsey, a senior fellow at Nanyang Technological

University’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies and the

author of the blog, The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer.

”Soccer in West Asia, a region dominated by autocratic regimes,

constitutes both an image booster and a threat to governments,”

Dorsey told The Associated Press.

”As a result, political interference is part of the game.

Across the region countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar witness a

rapid turnover of coaches and trainers because they approach them

as a zero-sum game.

”Ironically, Syria – prior to the eruption of this year’s

anti-government protest – had actually witnessed a degree of

improved professionalism. But with professional matches suspended

because of the protests and a brutal government crackdown,

embattled president Bashar al Assad has regained a degree of

control.”

In recent years, FIFA has suspended the federations of Kuwait,

Iran, Yemen and Iraq for political interference in their national

soccer bodies.

Bahrain ran the risk of receiving a similar sentence earlier

this year, after established internationals Sayed Mohamed Adnan,

Alaa and Mohammed Hubail were imprisoned in April, accused of

taking part in anti-government demonstrations.

While they have since been released, charges have not been

dropped and they will not play in the third-round qualifier against

Qatar beginning on Sept. 2.

It is not just the national bodies that are in political

turmoil. Even the AFC itself is without a president after Mohammed

bin Hammam was banned from all soccer activities for life in July

by FIFA’s Ethics Committee after being found guilty of vote buying

during his failed bid to replace FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

The AFC has left the presidency open pending the outcome of bin

Hammam’s appeals – leaving Asia’s peak body without a leader at a

time it is being urged to make reforms to promote the game.

West Asia has struggled at times with incompetence and

interference, and Southeast Asia has had its own issues.

This year, elections to choose the head of the federations in

Thailand and Indonesia were suspended amid political infighting.

The head of the Indonesian FA Nurdin Halid, jailed for corruption

during his leadership, was finally prevented from running for a

third term.

In June, Djohar Arifin Husin was elected and two days into the

new regime, and just a week before the start of qualification for

the 2014 World Cup, national team coach Alfred Riedl was fired. The

former Austrian coach was told that his contract was invalid.

”I have since had no contact with the new federation,” said

Riedl, who believes he is a victim of the political rivalries

between Nurdin and his rivals. ”I have still not been paid and I

have sent all the details to FIFA.”

Corruption is a long-standing problem in the region. According

to Steve Darby, an English coach with experience in Malaysia,

Thailand and Singapore, a more professional outlook would help.

”There have been recent arrests in Malaysia but the problem is

deep-rooted,” said Darby. ”The basic first step is to pay on time

and in full, as debt, especially in poorer countries, is a major

contributor to match-fixing.”

Former English Premier League defender Zesh Rehman plays for

Thailand champion Muang Thong United and believes that Southeast

Asian soccer is getting its act together.

”There is always room for improvement,” Rehman told AP. ”But

the level of professionalism at Muang Thong is very good. Our club

is the benchmark for others in terms of fan base, marketing, and

the club in general as a brand. Countries like Japan and Korea are

what Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia should be aspiring

to emulate, it’s starting to happen.”

South Korea’s not exempt from off-field strife. The K-League,

Asia’s oldest and most successful national league in terms of

continental titles, this week imposed a lifetime ban on 40 soccer

players for their alleged involvement in match-fixing. The ban from

appearing in games and assuming any official soccer-related jobs

follows a similar punishment handed to 10 players in June. Seven

indicted soccer players-turned-gambling brokers have also been

banned.

Authorities are drawing up plans for a revised league with much

stricter operating criteria for clubs to meet from 2013.

Despite the problems around Asia, the general direction of the

continent is forward.

James Montague, author of ”When Friday Comes,” a book about

soccer and politics in the Middle East, believes that Syria didn’t

do its homework with Mourad but is optimistic about the future.

”The professionalism of the players in the region is actually

pretty good when you look at what they have to put up with: war,

political interference, ineptitude within federations, corruption

and poverty. When you look at somewhere like Palestine, where in

three years they have built a professional league, started a

women’s league and built their first home stadium, there is proof

that it is going in the right direction.”

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