Zhang Jilong has warned Asia's football associations not to interfere in its probe into alleged wrongdoing by its scandal-tainted chief Mohamed Bin Hammam.
Zhang Jilong has warned Asia's football associations not to interfere in its probe into alleged wrongdoing by its scandal-tainted chief Mohamed Bin Hammam.
AFC interim president Jilong made the statement as the AFC probes new allegations of financial and other misconduct by Bin Hammam.
"In this context, we would like to remind each member association once again of their obligation to comply with AFC Regulations as well as of their duty of loyalty towards AFC," said the statement by Zhang.
"From this obligation results a specific duty to fully cooperate in the context of this investigation and to refrain from any actions which might interfere."
The AFC last month officially suspended Bin Hammam for 30 days and launched an investigation into unspecified suspicions of misconduct. FIFA subsequently hit the 63-year-old Qatari with a 90-day ban from football.
The new investigation is just the latest in a series of blows to Bin Hammam-s credibility,\ the former head of Asian football has fought to clear his name of separate charges that he tried to buy FIFA delegate votes in campaigning to unseat long-standing president Sepp Blatter in a leadership election last year.
The scandal earned him a FIFA life ban from football and he was provisionally replaced after nine years as president of Asia's football governing body.
The FIFA ban was overturned last month by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.