Araneta one of Asia’s reps in Fifa Council

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Football Federation (PFF) chief Nonong Araneta yesterday won a seat to International Football Federation (Fifa) Council as one of Asia’s representatives in the influential body.

Araneta, along with Zhang Jian of China, and Chung Mong Gyu of Korea Republic, were elected by acclamation by the Asian Football Confederation member associations during the AFC Congress in Bahrain.

Mahfuza Akhter Kiron of Bangladesh beat Moya Dood of Australia, Han Un Gyong of DPR Korea and Susan Shalabi Molano of Palestine for the lone female position up for grabs.

The 62-year-old Araneta’s election is expected give developing countries like the Philippines a voice in the Fifa Council, a non-executive, supervisory body that sets the vision for Fifa and global football.

Araneta and company will serve until 2019. They joined the AFC’s four existing members in the Fifa Council, namely AFC president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain, Kohzo Tashima of Japan and HRH Prince Abdullah Ibni Sultan Ahmad Shah of Malaysia.