Jordan's Prince Ali calls for blocking Afghan candidates
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Asian soccer official Prince Ali of Jordan says candidates from Afghanistan should be barred from elections while implicated in their federation's "current crisis."
Afghan authorities are investigating allegations by women's national team players of sexual and physical abuse, and FIFA has suspended federation president Keramuudin Karim during its own investigation.
Though Prince Ali did not identify officials who are implicated, there is only one Afghan candidate in Asian Football Confederation elections on April 6.
Afghan federation secretary general Sayed Ali Reza Aghazada has no opponent for a four-year term representing central Asia on the AFC executive committee.
Prince Ali, a former FIFA vice president representing Asia, calls for an "indefinite extension" of a travel ban imposed by Afghanistan's Attorney General on soccer officials under investigation until their cases are finished.
