KARACHI, March 24: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Executive Committee, which met for the first time this year at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, took several key decisions including extensive changes to the AFC Player of the Year award.

China’s Zhang Jilong, AFC’s acting president in place of Mohammed bin Hammam who was banned for life in an election bribery scandal last year, told the members to gear up for a “very challenging year”, according to the AFC website.

The criterion for participation in AFC club competitions was also discussed with the committee approving the criteria for participation in the 2013 and 2014 editions.

The ruling effectively means that the Pakistan Premier League champions would have to contend with a slot in the AFC President’s Cup, the continent’s third-tier club competition, at least until 2015 as the Asian club calendar starts from January.

The biggest changes, though, were made to the Player of the Year award. The award has come under fire due to their requirement that the nominees have to be present at the award ceremony in November to be considered for the award.

The awards date will be reviewed and shifted as the European leagues in full swing in November and players like South Korea’s Park Ju-Sung (Manchester United) and Japan’s Keisuke Honda (CSKA Moscow), arguably Asia’s best players, have often been unable to attend.

Hence forth, the award will be divided into three categories: Best Asian Player in Asia, Best Asian Player in a Foreign Club, and Best Foreign Player in Asia.

Jilong and FIFA Vice-President Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein signed a Collaboration Agreement between AFC and the Asian Football Development Project (AFDP), a non-profit organisation that aims to provide effective needs based assistance to all Asian national and regional associations and affiliates in a fair and transparent manner.

The AFC, meanwhile, hailed the International Football Association Board (IFAB)’s unanimous endorsement of the use of headscarves in women’s matches with Jilong stating that women’s football is an important aspect of Asian football.

Pakistan Football Federation President Faisal Saleh Hayat was also in attendance at the meeting, said a PFF media release.