Football Australia Chair Chris Nikou was last night (AEDT) re-elected to serve on the Executive Committee of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for a further term of four years.
Nikou, together with Football Australia Chief Executive Officer James Johnson, were in Manama, Bahrain on Wednesday 1 February, to attend the 33rd AFC Congress where the quadrennial elections have taken place.
The AFC Congress, which is held annually and brings together the 47 Member Associations that comprise the AFC, included on the agenda elections for the position of AFC President and positions on the AFC Executive Committee (including the AFC Vice Presidents and Asia's representatives on the FIFA Council).
"I am honoured to have been re-elected for another four-year term and thank my colleagues across Asia for their support and trust that they have placed in me once again. I take the responsibility that comes with a position on the AFC Executive Committee very seriously and very much look forward to continuing to support the on-going development of our great game across the entire Asian football community," Nikou said.
"Since joining the AFC in 2006, Australia has worked closely with our fellow Member Associations in Asia. We have exchanged significant knowledge and expertise and collaborated strongly through our representation on various AFC committees. In doing so, we have added to the ongoing growth and development of Asian football and delivered a range of development programs across the Confederation.
"I am committed to continuing and increasing Australia's engagement with Asia through my position on the AFC Executive Committee, which also provides us with a platform to further strengthening our ties in the region.
"Equally important is that through the Executive Committee, we have an avenue to express Australia's views on different matters, hear from other Member Associations about what's important to them and cordially cooperate with the Asian football community to continue to drive the vision of the AFC forward - that Asia be the world's leading football confederation."
The AFC Executive Committee is responsible for implementing the AFC's statutes, the decisions of the AFC Congress, as well as ratifying decisions made by AFC's Standing Committees.
Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, the incumbent AFC President, was re-elected unopposed for a further four-year term as AFC President.
