AFC extends suspension of former president

Kuala Lumpur, Aug 19 (IANS) The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced Sunday the extension of suspension against Mohamed Bin Hammam, amid corruption charges against its former president.

The Asian football governing body said the chairman of the AFC Disciplinary Committee, Lim Kia Tong, extended the provisional suspension of Mohamed Bin Hammam by 20 days, . Bin Hammam was banned from taking part in football activities for 30 days last month, after an outside audit found that he was involved in possible corruption during his tenure as AFC president. The 63-year-old Qatari had been banned by FIFA, the world football governing body, after he was held guilty of trying to buy votes by bribery during the FIFA presidential race last year. Although he won an appeal against FIFA`s decision in Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Switzerland last month, AFC has since announced that the suspension remains valid. Zhang Jilong, who took over AFC presidency after Bin Hammam was banned by FIFA, has written to AFC`s 46 member associations seeking their full cooperation in the investigation. IANS