LAI RE-ELECTED TO AFC COMMITTEE

PRESS RELEASE – Guam Football Association President Richard K. Lai was recently re-elected to the Asian Football Confederation Executive Committee for a third consecutive four-year term during the 26th AFC Ordinary Congress held in Bahrain Apr. 30.

“I am sincerely honored by the confidence my colleagues from member associations across Asia have in me through my re-election to AFC’s Executive Committee,” said Lai, president of GFA since 2001. “As president of GFA, it has always been my mission to provide countless opportunities for our youth in Guam through the sport of football, and through my roles in FIFA, AFC, and EAFF, I’ve worked in collaboration with other executives in Asia to create pathways not only for young players, coaches, referees, and administrators in Guam, but also across the continent – helping to grow the sport locally and in Asia.”

Guam Football Association’s delegation to the 26th Asian Football Confederation Ordinary Congress pose for a photo during the event in Bahrain Apr. 30. From left to right are: GFA Executive Committee member George Lai, GFA President Richard Lai, GFA Vice President Joseph Cepeda, and GFA General Secretary Tino San Gil. Richard Lai was elected to a third consecutive four-year term to AFC’s Executive Committee during the Congress. (courtesy photo)

Lai was first elected to the AFC Executive Committee in 2007, at the same time holding posts in AFC’s Futsal Committee and AFC’s Finance Committee. In 2011, Lai became chairman of both AFC’s Finance and Futsal Committees, as well as a member of AFC’s 2015 Asian Cup Organizing Committee, AFC’s AFAP Committee, and a co-op member of AFC’s Evaluation Committee.

In the East Asia region, Lai has held a seat in the East Asian Football Federation Executive Committee since 2002. The EAFF oversees football activity in 10 East Asian nations: Japan, Korea, China PR, DPR Korea, Guam, Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, Mongolia, Macau, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Lai also is the Chairman of the EAFF Finance Committee since 2004.

Between 2004 and 2011, Lai was part of FIFA’s Futsal Committee, and later was a member of FIFA’s Development Committee from 2011 to 2012. Currently, Lai is a member of FIFA’s Audit and Compliance Committee. FIFA’s Audit and Compliance Committee works to “ensure the completeness and reliability of financial accounting and reviews the external auditors’ report at the request of the Executive Committee, according to the FIFA Web site. Only one representative from each of the world’s confederations are elected into this committee during the FIFA Congress, with Lai as the representative from Asia.

Lai’s term in AFC’s Executive Committee will extend another four years to 2019. He joins Mariano V. Araneta, Jr. of the Philippines, Viphet Sihachakr of Laos, Francisco Kalbuadi Lay of Timor Leste, Mong Gyu Chung of Korea Republic, Sardor Rakhmatullaev of Uzbekistan, HE Mohamed Khaifan Matar Saeed Al Romaithi of the United Arab Emirates, Ahmed Eid S. Al Harbi of Saudi Arabia, Hachem Sayed Ali Haidar of Lebanon, Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat of Pakistan, and Mohamed Shaweed of Maldives. New to the election are five female Executive Committee members – one from each region of Asia: Moya Dodd of Australia (ASEAN), Han Un Gyong of DPR Korea (East), Zohra Mehri of Afghanistan (Central), Susan R.A. Shalabi of Palestine (West), and Mahfuza Akhter of Bangladesh (South).

In addition to AFC Executive Committee members, Executives also were elected during the AFC Congress. Current president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa retains his seat and will be joined by five Vice Presidents: Singapore’s Winston Lee Boon Aun, China P.R.’s Zhang Jilong, I.R. Iran’s Ali Kafashian Naeini, Qatar’s Saoud A. Aziz M A Al Mohannadi, and India’s Praful Manoharbhai Patel.

Japan’s Kohzo Tashima was elected as a member of FIFA’s Executive Committee, as well as Malaysia’s HRH Prince Abdullah Al-Haj Ibni Sulta Hj Ahmad Shah for a four-year term beginning this year. Kuwait’s HE Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al Ahmad Al Sabah was elected to an open position in FIFA’s Executive Committee until 2017, according to the AFC Web site.