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Asian federation still backs Blatter, wants elections Friday

May 27, 2015
Federal agents load a van with boxes and computers taken from the headquarters of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF,) Wednesday, May 27, 2015, in Miami Beach, Fla. Swiss prosecutors opened criminal proceedings into FIFA's awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, only hours after seven soccer officials were arrested Wednesday pending extradition to the U.S. in a separate probe of "rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted" corruption. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Federal agents load a van with boxes and computers taken from the headquarters of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF,) Wednesday, May 27, 2015, in Miami Beach, Fla. Swiss prosecutors opened criminal proceedings into FIFA’s awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, only hours after seven soccer officials were arrested Wednesday pending extradition to the U.S. in a separate probe of “rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted” corruption. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — The Asian Football Confederation says it still supports Sepp Blatter’s bid for another term as FIFA president, and opposes any move to delay Friday’s scheduled elections.

Soccer’s world governing body was thrown into turmoil Wednesday when senior office holders from the Americas were among officials arrested by Swiss police in a luxury Zurich hotel to face racketeering charges.

In a statement on its website, the AFC expressed its “disappointment and sadness” at Wednesday’s events but also said it “reiterates its decision taken at the AFC Congress in Sao Paulo in 2014…..to support FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter.”

The European federation UEFA had called for Friday’s elections in Zurich to be postponed due to the arrests and allegations, but the AFC said it was “opposing any delay.”