Blatter urges fair play in AFC polls

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has called for discipline and restraint in the battle for power within the Asian Football Confederation. "Football is a universal sport based on the fundamental principles of discipline and respect for opponents and the laws of the game... underpinned by the values of fair play and ethics," Blatter said in a statement on Thursday. "These principles and values must be applied not only on the field of play, but also in the administration and governance of football, particularly, in the area of sports politics,” he added. "And, of course, this includes elections to the governing bodies of football. "As president of FIFA, it is my duty to remind all members of the Asian football community of the importance of these values in the run-up to the election scheduled for May 8 for the vacant Asian seat on the FIFA executive committee," the head of the sport's world governing body explained. Blatter's remarks come as relations between Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Mohamed bin Hammam and his chief rival, Bahrain's Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, plummet. Bin Hammam has said he will step down as AFC chief if he loses the FIFA seat, despite the fact that his term does not expire until 2011. The victor will be determined at the AFC Congress in Kuala Lumpur on May 8.