SEOUL, South Korea -- The influence of China in world soccer could increase on Tuesday if high-ranking Chinese official Zhang Jian is elected onto the FIFA Council in elections to be held in Goa, India.The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is holding an Extraordinary Congress to elect three representatives to FIFAs new decision-making body which has replaced the scandal-hit Executive Committee.The chances of Zhang, the vice-president and secretary general of the Chinese Football Association, increased on Sunday when one of the favorites, Saoud A. Aziz Al-Mohannadi of Qatar, was barred from running.In a statement, the AFC said FIFA has advised the AFC that, based on the report of the Investigatory Chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee, it has decided Mr Saoud A.Aziz Al-Mohannadi (Qatar) is not eligible to stand in the elections for the FIFA Council.Al Mohannadi has been charged by the Ethics Committee with refusing to co-operate with an inquiry. While details of specific accusations have yet to be released, FIFA has said it is not related to Qatars hosting of the 2022 World Cup.The ruling leaves Zhang running against Irans Ali Kafashian and Zainudin Nordin of Singapore for two of the three seats.Zhang has played a major role in the development of Chinese soccer and planning extensive reforms that aim to make the country, a traditional underachiever in soccer, a world power by 2050.This has come at the same time as the recent and massive surge of investment in the Chinese Super League on famous foreign players such as Hulk, Alex Teixeira and Jackson Martinez and coaches Luiz Felipe Scolari and Manuel Pellegrini.Zhng told South Korean media earlier this month that China also aims to host the World Cup.Although it is a case of the sooner the better, we will aim to do so at the right time, Zhang said. It seems that around 2030 or 2034 will provide a good opportunity for China.The third seat on the FIFA Council has been reserved for female candidates. Moya Dodd, a former Australian international and member of the now-defunct FIFA Executive Committee from 2013 to 2016, is running against Han Un Gyong of North Korea and Bangladeshs Mafuza Akhter.I am doing my best to persuade the 45 voting members of Asia that I can be strong and part of a united AFC team working in FIFA, Dodd told The Associated Press. It is important that Asia puts its strongest team forward in FIFA as there will be a lot of issues coming such as discussions about whether to expand to a 40-team World Cup.The three successful candidates will take their places on the 37-member FIFA Council alongside existing AFC members from Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia as well as President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain.Also ahead of the election, the AFC confirmed that South Koreas Chung Mong-gyu had succeeded Zhang Jilong of China as the East Zone AFC Vice-President.Zhang, who stepped down for health reasons, was the acting president of the AFC following the suspension of Mohammad Bin Hammam from football activities by the FIFA Ethics Committee in May 2011 as he ran for the post of FIFA President. Shaikh Salman was elected president in May 2013. Wholesale Hydro Flask . 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Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. Hydro Flask Sale .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. South Africa consider the ball-tampering allegations against Faf du Plessis to be ridiculous, and a joke, and believe their stand-in captain has done absolutely nothing wrong. That was the message from the teams senior-most batsman Hashim Amla, who addressed the media at the MCG on Friday afternoon, accompanied by the entire South African squad and support staff, who were present to show solidarity.Du Plessis was among the group but stood in the background and was not put up to answer any questions. Instead Amla, the designated player for Fridays media opportunity, began in the unusual fashion of delivering a mini-speech to open proceedings.Good afternoon everybody. As you can see we have the full team here behind us, Amla said. The reason everybody is here is to stand together and to show solidarity to what has been something we actually thought was a joke. Its not April. But the allegations against Faf were really, for us, a ridiculous thing and as a team we are standing strong. For us it is basically a joke. The boys are here, standing strong.At the time, Amla was not aware that the ICC was reviewing footage of du Plessis shining the ball after licking his fingers when there appeared to be a sweet in his mouth. Is it?, Amla asked when told about the governing bodys investigation. Whether it is or not, weve done nothing wrong and Faf has done absolutely nothing wrong.Part of South Africas defence is that players often have something in their mouths on the field, Amla included. I chew bubblegum while I am fielding. Do you want me to brush my teeth after lunch every time I come out? he said. Youve got to be logical about this, common sense surely should prevail. If Ive got something in my mouth, guys are handing out red froggies at lunch time to give the kids, keep them hydrated, energise them and we are in the field for two hours. We eat nuts, biltong, that sort of thing. There was no malicious intent.Amla said he was unaware that sugary sweets have been used to shine one side of the ball in order to get reverse swing, as Marcus Trescothick wrote in his autobiography.dddddddddddd Is that a tactic? Amla asked. Is it proven or what? Thats something thats new to us. Ive had sweets in my mouth, bubblegum in my mouth, biltong, nuts, Im not sure what the big deal is. Are you sure it (an advantage) can be gained? We dont know. I can only speak for what my captain has done.Amla went as far as to say the reaction to the footage could be an attempted to discredit South Africas dominance in the series. To me and to a lot of people, it is sounding like sour sweets for people in their heads that weve played really good cricket and the timing of it is that its a bit weird too, he said.The visuals emerged the day after the Hobart Test, which South Africa won by an innings and 80 runs to take the series 2-0. Du Plessis had not been reported by the match officials and the ICC were only alerted to the alleged tampering through media reports and then chose to review it of their own volition.Amla maintained that the entire South African camp were convinced of du Plessis innocence. I am just trying to clear what we think is an absolutely wrongful allegation made on our captain. We are standing in solidarity to our captain who has done absolutely nothing wrong. Its pretty clear what we are trying to do you here. As I said, weve done nothing wrong. If there was any doubt whatsoever, you wouldnt have the full team here. Weve just basically done nothing wrong.Less than two hours after Amla spoke, du Plessis was formally charged and pleaded not guilty. South Africa are awaiting legal counsel before a date for the hearing can be decided so it is uncertain whether it will take place before the Adelaide Test next Thursday. If found guilty, du Plessis could face a suspension of one Test. ' ' '
