Four in the running to head AFC

Four officials -- three from the Middle East and one from Thailand -- have been nominated to run for president of the Asian Football Confederation replacing the scandal-hit former boss.

Worawi Makudi of Thailand, Hafez Ibrahim al-Medlej of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa of Bahrain and Yousuf al-Serkal of the United Arab Emirates will all be vying for the top post.

Their main task will be to clean up Asian football's top governing body after its former president, Mohamed bin Hammam of Qatar, stepped down amid allegations of corruption, which he has denied.

AFC's current caretaker chief Zhang Jilong of China shocked football fans last week when an official close to him revealed he would not be running for president in the elections due in early May.