Would-be Asian football president Yousuf Al Serkal promised to reveal all his allowances and introduce a "whistle-blower" programme to fight corruption as he released his election manifesto on Monday. The UAE football association chief, who is standing in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) leadership election next month, said greater openness and transparency was vital for the regional body.
"We are at a time when our stakeholders believe that leaders in the game are only in it for themselves - this must change," Al Serkal said in a press statement. "I want to see an AFC where football is the first and only topic on our agenda and that is why my campaign slogan is 'Football at Heart'."
Asia's football body will elect a new leader at a congress in Kuala Lumpur early next month, after former president Mohamed bin Hammam was accused of bribery in 2011 and finally stepped down from the post last year. Caretaker leader Zhang Jilong of China is set to step aside, with Al Serkal up against Hammam ally Worawi Makudi of Thailand, Bahrain's Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa and Saudi candidate Hafez Ibrahim Al Medlej.
Top of Al Serkal's campaign promises was to "reunite Asian football", and he also pledged to try to improve governance, balance professional and amateur football and distribute revenues more evenly. He also said he would decentralise AFC activities from its current base, AFC House in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, and "embrace the diversity of Asia" at the headquarters.
Al Serkal said he would introduce a "whistle-blower" programme to try to root out the corruption which has plagued Asian football at many levels, and would declare all his personal allowances and benefits. "If I am successful, I will lead the way to make the AFC much more transparent with improved governance in order that we regain the integrity of the game in Asia," he said.