Two-horse race to head FA board

The football community in the UAE is abuzz with speculation and expectations regarding the May 16 elections of a new FA Board of Directors with Yousuf Al Sarkal and Abdullah Hareb heading the list of candidates for the new office. Al Sarkal, the Vice-President of the AFC, was a former president of the UAE FA. He was one of the most successful chairpersons as he succeeded in mobilising financial resources for the FA by increasing the government's annual budget to Dh25 million and from marketing which enabled the association to plan for the future and prepare well for the national teams, referees and coaches. Al Sarkal was in office when the UAE won the Gulf Cup in 2007. A well-known figure in Asia, Al Sarkal won the vice-presidency of the continental body unopposed and is now running for the AFC presidency in the coming elections. He is in with a great chance of winning the top football seat in Asia, replacing his former boss and old friend Mohammad Bin Hammam, who is facing a life ban by Fifa. Al Sarkal is the Chairman of the FA Transitional Committee which was formed last year to replace the resigned board of directors headed by Mohammad Khalfan Al Rumaithi. Hareb is a former secretary-general of the FA during the 1980s and he boasts of the role his administration played in building the team that later, in 1990, reached the finals of the World Cup in Italy. Both candidates for the presidency seem confident of their chances. Five candidates Al Sarkal says: "Winning the presidency in my country will surely strengthen my position in the AFC elections." Hareb, on the other hand, said: "I am 100 per cent confident of my chances to win the elections. If Al Sarkal wins, I will be the first to congratulate him." There are five candidates for the vice-president's post. They are: Mohammad Thani Al Rumaithi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Jazira; Yousuf Hussain, a former UAE and Sharjah club defender who was nominated by Al Shaab club; Obaid Salem Al Shamsi, nominated by Hatta; Dr Saleem Al Shamsi, Masfoot club, and Ali Humaid Al Ali, the football commentator who was nominated by Al Arabi club. A total of 16 candidates are running for the membership of the board. The are Mohammad Mattar Ghorab, Al Ahli; Rashid Ali Al Za'abi, Al Wahda; Mohammad Abdul Aziz, Sharjah; Mohammad Omar Al Shammari, Ajman; Dr. Khalifa Obaid, Falaj Al Mu'alla club; Saeed Obaid, Al Dhaid; Mohammad Haji Khory, Al Dhafrah; Ganem Ahmad Ganem, Masafi; Nasir Al Yamahi, Fujairah; Abdul Wahab Ahmad, Al Ta'awon; Yousuf Mohammad Rasoul Khoury, Al Ain; Abdul Rahman Mohammad, Al Nasr; Abdullah Salem Al Kathiri, Bani Yas; Ali Abdullah, Emirates; Rashid Mohammad Al Nagbi, Al Khaleej, and Sultan Ahmad Al Za'abi, Al Jazira Al Hamra. The elections will be held in Abu Dhabi at the premises of the National Centre of Documentation and Research.