THE head of soccer’s governing body for Asia has announced his bid for re-election and urged that election “rules and regulations must be respected.”

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa took office in 2013 to finish the term of former president Mohamed bin Hammam, who was banned for life from all soccer-related activities by world-governing body FIFA.

Sheikh Salman on Wednesday said he believed the AFC had built a positive reputation over the last five years and added: “As you know our elections are always based on the spirit of fair play. Like in football, the rules and regulations must be respected.”

The AFC elections will be held next April, with Sheikh Salman seeking his third term as president.

He completed Bin Hammam’s term and then was re-elected unopposed in 2015.

Sheikh Salman, a member of the Bahraini royal family and a FIFA vice president, will likely face a challenger from Saudi Arabia.

An expected challenger is Adel Ezzat, who resigned as Saudi soccer federation president last month to prepare a candidacy.

(SD-Agencies)