KUALA LUMPUR • Asia's football body yesterday urged Fifa to rule whether its candidates can stand for election to the world organisation's top decision-making body, following a walkout over the issue last year.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said Fifa's decision on the candidates was already overdue, after their names were submitted early this month.

"The AFC had submitted names on Feb 3, 2017, for the Fifa eligibility checks which were to be completed within 21 days," an AFC executive committee statement stated.

"However, the executive committee noted by today's meeting Fifa had not completed the integrity checks and reiterated that clarification from Fifa was needed."

In September, an AFC extraordinary congress in Goa was scrapped after 20 minutes in protest at Fifa barring a candidate from elections to the Fifa Council.

Members voted 42-1 against adopting the congress' agenda, calling a halt to the meeting.

Various delegates said that the agenda was rejected because a senior official from Qatar had been blocked from standing.

Last month, four candidates - China's Zhang Jian, South Korean Chung Mong Gyu, Kuwaiti Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah and Filipino Mariano Araneto Jr - were chosen to contest three places.

Australian Moya Dodd, Bangladeshi Mahfuza Akhter, North Korean Han Un Gyong and Palestinian Susan Alshalabi have also been proposed for a women-only position on the Council.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE