KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 (Reuters) – Qatar 2022 World Cup organiser Hassan Al Thawadi refused to be downbeat about his loss to Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa for a seat on FIFA’s executive committee, with another chance likely to be available soon.

The 34-year-old Qatari lawyer lost 28-18 in a head-to-head vote with the Bahraini, who also was elected Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president in an earlier ballot in Malaysia on Thursday.

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Asian soccer finally got rid of tainted former leader Mohamed Bin Hammam on Thursday, voting in the Qatari’s sworn enemy Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain as president in a move that strengthened the hand of FIFA head Sepp Blatter.

Controversial Sheikh Salman made a mockery of predictions that it would be a tight race by sweeping to a landslide victory against Worawi Makudi of Thailand and Yousuf Al Serkal of the United Arab Emirates, both Bin Hammam allies.

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Asian football finally got rid of tainted former leader Mohamed Bin Hammam on Thursday, voting in the Qatari’s sworn enemy Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain as president in a move that strengthened the hand of FIFA head Sepp Blatter.

Controversial Sheikh Salman made a mockery of predictions that it would be a tight race by sweeping to a landslide victory against Worawi Makudi of Thailand and Yousuf Al Serkal of the United Arab Emirates, both Bin Hammam allies.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 (Reuters) – Asian soccer finally got rid of tainted former leader Mohamed Bin Hammam on Thursday, voting in the Qatari’s sworn enemy Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain as president in a move that strengthened the hand of FIFA head Sepp Blatter.

Controversial Sheikh Salman made a mockery of predictions that it would be a tight race by sweeping to a landslide victory against Worawi Makudi of Thailand and Yousuf Al Serkal of the United Arab Emirates, both Bin Hammam allies.

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa barely had time to toast his landslide victory in the Asian Football Confederation’s presidential election on Thursday before he was again the target of accusations over human rights abuses in Bahrain.

Adept at ducking and deflecting questions during his election campaign about a bloody 2011 uprising, an emboldened Sheik Salman went on the offensive at his first news conference after winning the top job in Asian football.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 (Reuters) – Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa barely had time to toast his landslide victory in the Asian Football Confederation’s presidential election on Thursday before he was again the target of accusations over human rights abuses in Bahrain.

Adept at ducking and deflecting questions during his election campaign about a bloody 2011 uprising, an emboldened Sheik Salman went on the offensive at his first news conference after winning the top job in Asian soccer.

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – The Asian Football Confederation handed the reins of power to Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa on Thursday, electing the Bahraini as its new president and voting him on to FIFA’s all-powerful executive committee.

Sheikh Salman secured 33 of the 46 presidential votes available from AFC member associations in Malaysia, to beat Yousuf Al Serkal of the United Arab Emirates (six votes) and Thailand’s Worawi Makudi (seven votes) in a lop-sided election.

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa will run Asian soccer for the next two years after the Bahraini won a three-way election for the presidency of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Thursday.

Sheikh Salman secured 33 votes of the 46 available from the AFC’s member associations in Malaysia to beat Yousuf Al Serkal of the United Arab Emirates (six votes) and Thailand’s Worawi Makudi (seven votes).

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa will run Asian football for the next two years after the Bahraini won a three-way election for the presidency of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Thursday.

Sheikh Salman secured 33 votes of the 46 available from the AFC’s member associations in Malaysia to beat Yousuf Al Serkal of the United Arab Emirates (six votes) and Thailand’s Worawi Makudi (seven votes).

KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 (Reuters) – Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa will run Asian soccer for the next two years after the Bahraini won a three-way election for the presidency of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Thursday.

Sheikh Salman secured 33 votes of the 46 available from the AFC’s member associations in Malaysia to beat Yousuf Al Serkal of the United Arab Emirates (six votes) and Thailand’s Worawi Makudi (seven votes).