Mohamed Bin Hammam clung on to his seat on FIFA's executive committee by just two votes in an election Friday, with the narrow margin exposing deep divisions within the Asian Football Confederation.
After two ballots were deemed spoiled and inadmissible, the 46 nation Asian Football Confederation Congress voted 23 votes to 21 in favor of the AFC president against his Bahraini challenger Sheik Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa.
A bitterly fought election campaign exposed widespread dissatisfaction with the leadership style of Hammam, who came very close to being dumped from his 13-year tenure on FIFA's top body as well as the AFC presidency, which he promised to relinquish had he lost Friday's poll.
"You have really shown the world the meaning of democracy," Hammam said after the result was announced.
"It was really a close competition. To those who supported me, I promise I will do more than I have done," he said. "To those who didn't support me, I promise I will do more to gain your trust and confidence."
On the day of his 60th birthday, Hammam said: "The result of the election was the biggest gift today. The competition was very tough."
The voting was monitored and counted by FIFA observers, who ruled the two ballots invalid.
Sheikh Salman accepted Friday's outcome, with no dispute over the spoiled ballots, but said the narrow margin of victory put the president on notice to improve his performance.
"It's a very close call in a very democratic election," Sheikh Salman said. "I accept the decision. I believe it is a very clear signal to the AFC management to listen more closely to the voices of the smaller countries.
"The voting today sends a clear message that 21 countries are not happy with the management of AFC, and this is something that needs to be looked into.
"The president must work harder to regain the trust of these 21 countries. What he should do is sit down and listen to their grouses."
Hammam's win will be regarded as a major setback for FIFA vice president Chung Mong-joon of South Korea, the principal backer of Sheik Salman's election bid.
Chung and Hammam have a long history of animosity, which reached new levels of antipathy during the campaign. Both have been considered as possible future FIFA presidents. While Chung outranks Hammam within FIFA, the situation is reversed within the AFC.
In a long running verbal slanging match, Chung on Thursday accused Hammam as "acting like the head of a crime organization. It looks like Mr. Hammam is suffering from mental problems. I want to advise him to consider going to hospital."
That comment illustrated the aggression of the election campaign for the spot on FIFA's executive committee _ the body which chooses World Cup hosts _ as both camps accused the other of corruption and buying votes.
Another source of dispute in the campaign was Hammam's ultimately failed attempt to block the votes of five nations, despite FIFA objections.
Shortly before Friday's vote, Hammam reversed his decision to bar the Kuwait Football Association from taking part.
The about-face came after the Court of Arbitration for Sport late Thursday gave authority to the other 45 Asian football nations to decide Kuwait's voting rights. Hammam originally ruled Kuwait was ineligible to vote because its football association was being run by an interim body.
The KFA had strongly opposed Hammam in the election campaign, but its president Sheik Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah also accepted the outcome of the vote.
"I am happy that a message has been delivered through this general assembly, 23-21 is a very close number," he said.
"That means a big message for the president. The message is you have to do more. More cooperation (is needed) in Asia."
Prior to Friday's vote, Hammam aimed to placate opponents by dropping his contentious push to move the AFC headquarters from Malaysia to Qatar.
The fractious election campaign prompted FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Friday to plea for more co-operation in Asia.
"I appeal to the congress for the unity of the Asian family. Show the world that here culture is written in capital letter. Culture is respect ... Fair play," Blatter said. "I do not want to see a divided Asia. I want to see a unified, responsible and proud Asia."
Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy, one of the major powerbrokers in the region, was pleased with Hammam's victory.
"We welcome Mr. Bin Hammam's election," Lowy said. "It is important now that everyone in Asian football focuses on working together towards our shared goal _ which is to improve the professionalism and standing of football throughout the Asian region."
