Alex Soosay back in AFC

As published in Mailsport today



By Haresh Deol
haresh@mmail.com.my

PETALING JAYA — Former Asian Football Confederation (AFC) generalsecretary Datuk Alex Soosay is back with the regional body as a consultant — barely a year after he was suspended and later quit following the controversial “tamper or hide” video expose by Malay Mail 11 months ago.

It is understood Alex was handed a two-year contract and attended his first meeting as a consultant at AFC House in Bukit Jalil last Thursday.  AFC, in confirming Alex’s appointment, had in a statement said: “Asian football is benefiting tremendously from Datuk Alex Soosay’s unrivalled expertise and experience of the world game in his role as a consultant to the AFC.

“He has the ability to contribute significantly on specific projects in which he has detailed knowledge such as the extension of the new building and the AFC Asian Cup.

“Datuk Alex has the full support of the AFC president, general-secretary and management in this role which will help the future development of the AFC as it strives to become the world’s leading football confederation.”

Alex was embroiled in a controversy after he allegedly attempted to “tamper or hide” documents during the 2012 internal audit that was triggered by claims of corrupt practices by then president Mohammad Hammam, as revealed by Malay Mail on April 25, last year.

The video shows then AFC fi nancial director Bryan Kuan Wee Hoong speaking to Fifa investigator Michael John Pride alleging Alex telling him to “protect me” before asking “can you tamper or hide documents which relate to me?”. The video was recorded on July 26, 2012 — three days after Wee Hoong met Alex at the latter’s office at AFC House. AFC suspended Alex on May 14 last year after obtaining a copy of the video from Malay Mail as the regional body carried out an internal investigation.

The former Negri Sembilan footballer quit AFC on June 17. On Sept 25, AFC closed investigations “due to the inability to obtain any additional or corroborating evidence to substantiate the claims made in the video.”

Alex’s deputy Datuk Windsor Paul John was appointed general-secretary during an executive committee meeting in New Delhi on Nov 27.

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