AFC chief promises increase in grants

KARACHI: The Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) President Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa has assured the chiefs of the federations of South Asia that their grants would be raised.

The AFC chief said this in a meeting with the presidents of federations of SAFF nations in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.The meeting was also attended by Pakistan Football Federation’s (PFF) president Faisal Saleh Hayat, who is also a member of the AFC Executive Committee.

“The AFC president briefed the SAFF presidents about the AFC president’s initiative programme which has benefitted SAFF Member Associations,” the PFF said on Wednesday in a press release. “Salman also confirmed that not only AFC has drastically reduced its financial debt but in the next few years its financial position will be stronger owing to its commercial rights policies. As such the grants to Member Associations would be doubled which would enable them to further develop and strengthen their domestic structure,” it added. Salman’s meeting with the chiefs of the SAFF region federations was held after the AFC ExCo meeting at the continental body’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

In the meeting Faisal also confirmed the participation of Pakistan’s national teams in all SAFF events. Meanwhile Faisal said: “We took up many matters of vital importance for football development in SAFF region. It was a fruitful discussion on common issues faced by the region’s football.

“It was also discussed how to enhance the level of mutual cooperation among the SAFF members” he said. The PFF said that the SAFF presidents unanimously expressed their support to Sheikh Salman in leading AFC to more success.

The SAFF Member Associations’ presidents also promised their support for football development in Pakistan. “We admire the valuable support given by the SAFF members in the difficult time we were in,” Faisal said.