AFC president Mohamed Bin Hammam has been asked to oppose Blatter

The president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Mohamed Bin Hammam, confirmed on Monday that he has been asked to stand in the FIFA presidential elections later this year.

   The 61-year-old Qatari has been widely touted as a possible challenger to Joseph Blatter, who has already indicated that he would seek a fourth term in office of football's governing world body.

   In an interview with the German Press Agency dpa, Bin Hammam said that he did not want to confirm at this stage whether he would oppose Blatter.

   However, he confirmed that he had been asked by football officials to stand. "OK, you ask me. Yes, I have been, but I don't think I am the only one."

   Hammam, who was earlier this month elected unopposed for a third term in office as AFC president, said that it was necessary to have change in FIFA.

   He said the longer a person was in power, the more difficult it became to defend oneself against allegations of corruption.

"Blatter will, even if he is serious and so honest in his approach to fight corruption or to be more transparent, always be confronted by people who do not believe in his approach," he said.

   "That is why I think change is very much necessary."

   Hammam would like to see limitations on the number of years presidents could serve on international bodies, including FIFA.

   "My frank opinion is that when first they seek the position, they were all honest, but the corruption started after that," he said.

   "The more they want to stay in the position, the game is getting less important in their acts and their daily work. Their focus is always: How can I stay longer.

   "This is actually where the corruption in big organizations starts.

   "We are not talking only about FIFA, but let me say international organizations should have limited mandates. The FIFA president should have a maximum of eight to 12 years."

   Bin Hammam, who has been outspoken in his criticism of the manner in which a call was made to hold the 2022 World Cup to be moved to winter, repeated earlier statements saying that as far as he was concerned, the World Cup should be held in June/July, as planned.

   "If there are any changes they have to go through the proper channels, which are the national associations, clubs, the hosting nation, AFC and FIFA. This would be the proper way to change any decision. This has not been done so far," he said.

   "And please don't take me that I am supporting a January World Cup. I am sticking with my country's decision and the FIFA decision that this World Cup 2022 is going to be organized in July."

   The question around a winter World Cup was not only about Qatar 2022, he noted.

"Through the years, a lot of member organizations and especially the coaches, were complaining about the time of the World Cup as players arrive at the end of an exhausting season," he said.

   "It could be an idea, instead of playing the World Cup at the end of the season, let us play in the middle. So I do not believe this is purely an idea for Qatar 2022."

   He also dismissed a suggestion put forward by UEFA president Michel Platini that other Gulf states hold World Cup matches. Asked what he thought Platini would have said if he had suggested France give some matches in 1998 to Germany, he said: "I would never have proposed such a thing."

   He criticized those who questioned Qatar's capabilities of hosting the World Cup and hoped that they would be silenced after the Asian Cup.

   "Some of those people, who never visited Qatar in the first place, never knew what is in Qatar, I hope that they can see that Qatar is capable."