On the eve of the FIFA Presidential election in Zurich the Asian voters gathered to hear from Shaikh Salman and FIFA Acting President Issa Hayatou. Both urged the 207 delegates to make the best choices for FIFA and world football.

Shaikh Salman, who received a rapturous reception from the representatives of the Asian Member Associations, promised that he would not compromise the principles that have helped restore stability and credibility to football in Asia.

He told the AFC Member Associations lunch: “As FIFA President I can promise you that I will not compromise the principles that have helped restore stability and unity to Asian football.

“I make no false promises.  I stand before you guaranteeing that FIFA will be run as a more professional and responsible body that can provide its members with financial security and certainty.

“FIFA will care for and nurture football whatever the size or ambitions of your association. FIFA will be run with development at its core; FIFA will have integrity, responsibility and accountability as its values; and professionalism will be FIFA’s bedrock.

“This is not a time to mortgage FIFA’s future for a few votes. This is a time, as the Acting FIFA President wrote to you this week, to set our great game back on the path to regaining credibility and confidence of all our stakeholders. We need to redefine, restructure and revitalise FIFA.”