SEOUL, South Korea -- The influence of China in world soccer could increase on Tuesday if high-ranking Chinese official Zhang Jian is elected onto the FIFA Council in elections to be held in Goa, India.The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is holding an Extraordinary Congress to elect three representatives to FIFAs new decision-making body which has replaced the scandal-hit Executive Committee.The chances of Zhang, the vice-president and secretary general of the Chinese Football Association, increased on Sunday when one of the favorites, Saoud A. Aziz Al-Mohannadi of Qatar, was barred from running.In a statement, the AFC said FIFA has advised the AFC that, based on the report of the Investigatory Chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee, it has decided Mr Saoud A.Aziz Al-Mohannadi (Qatar) is not eligible to stand in the elections for the FIFA Council.Al Mohannadi has been charged by the Ethics Committee with refusing to co-operate with an inquiry. While details of specific accusations have yet to be released, FIFA has said it is not related to Qatars hosting of the 2022 World Cup.The ruling leaves Zhang running against Irans Ali Kafashian and Zainudin Nordin of Singapore for two of the three seats.Zhang has played a major role in the development of Chinese soccer and planning extensive reforms that aim to make the country, a traditional underachiever in soccer, a world power by 2050.This has come at the same time as the recent and massive surge of investment in the Chinese Super League on famous foreign players such as Hulk, Alex Teixeira and Jackson Martinez and coaches Luiz Felipe Scolari and Manuel Pellegrini.Zhng told South Korean media earlier this month that China also aims to host the World Cup.Although it is a case of the sooner the better, we will aim to do so at the right time, Zhang said. It seems that around 2030 or 2034 will provide a good opportunity for China.The third seat on the FIFA Council has been reserved for female candidates. Moya Dodd, a former Australian international and member of the now-defunct FIFA Executive Committee from 2013 to 2016, is running against Han Un Gyong of North Korea and Bangladeshs Mafuza Akhter.I am doing my best to persuade the 45 voting members of Asia that I can be strong and part of a united AFC team working in FIFA, Dodd told The Associated Press. It is important that Asia puts its strongest team forward in FIFA as there will be a lot of issues coming such as discussions about whether to expand to a 40-team World Cup.The three successful candidates will take their places on the 37-member FIFA Council alongside existing AFC members from Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia as well as President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain.Also ahead of the election, the AFC confirmed that South Koreas Chung Mong-gyu had succeeded Zhang Jilong of China as the East Zone AFC Vice-President.Zhang, who stepped down for health reasons, was the acting president of the AFC following the suspension of Mohammad Bin Hammam from football activities by the FIFA Ethics Committee in May 2011 as he ran for the post of FIFA President. Shaikh Salman was elected president in May 2013.Discount MLB Jerseys . LOUIS -- Valtteri Filppula assisted on three of Tampa Bays four goals, and the Lightning beat the St. Cheap MLB Jerseys Authentic . Team physician Dr. Steve Traina performed the surgery Friday. Robinson was injured in a spill underneath the Nuggets basket during the first quarter of Wednesday nights loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. https://www.mlbjerseyschina.us/ . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. MLB Jerseys Outlet . -- Sergey Tolchinksy scored his second goal of the game 3:56 into overtime as the Sault Ste. Clearance MLB Jerseys . First off, the fans ripped the Cubbies introduction of a fuzzy new kid-friendly mascot named "Clark".Quarterback Darell Garretson already has something that Oregon State lacked at the position at this point last season: Experience.The transfer from Utah State who sat out last season will lead the Beavers when they visit Minnesota on Thursday night. Dont expect him to be rattled under the lights on national television, coach Gary Andersen said.Hell be in the moment. He loves football. He loves the games. Thats what he works so hard for, Andersen said. And I think that -- I hope that -- it will be a calming feeling for some of the younger players who may be in the position to have a little more nerves than youd want them to have.Freshman Seth Collins, as well as redshirt freshmen Marcus McMaryion and Nick Mitchell, all saw time at starter for the Beavers last season. None of them had played a snap in a college game.Mitchell has since transferred. Collins announced that he was leaving, too, but then returned to Oregon State and will play at receiver this season. McMaryion remains, and looks to be Garretsons backup heading into this season.The Beavers finished 2-10 last season, not entirely unexpected after the teams overhaul in Andersens first year after Mike Riley departed for Nebraska.A year ago right now the quarterback situation was just so experienced that kids hadnt been in that spot, Andersen said. To have Darrell, the position hes in, where hes been in big games. Hes played in big venues on the road. Hes one of the quarterbacks who has gone in and beaten BYU at their stadium. Thats hard to do. Not a lot of QBs have success there.Garretson passed for 2,586 yards and 18 touchdowns in two seasons at Utah State before he transferred to Oregon State in June 2015.He was requiired to sit out a season under NCAA rules but that gave him time to study the Beavers offense that was installed under then-first-year coach Andersen.ddddddddddddThe redshirt year was hard, but I got to work on a lot of stuff, got to work on certain things you normally wouldnt be able to work on during the season. The year off was beneficial, for sure, he said at the start of fall camp.Garretson emerged in the Beavers spring game and Andersen named him the starter shortly thereafter, clearly defining his role going into fall camp.Its a good feeling to have a guy thats been in the moment, Andersen said. And like Ive said, theres nothing like reps. Theres nothing like game reps, theres nothing like practice reps to get you in a position to go. This team has definitely accepted him as the quarterback and their leader. Im excited to see him play. Hes produced pretty well when hes been in there and hell have high expectations of himself, no doubt.The Gophers went 5-7 last season before beating Central Michigan 21-14 in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit. Minnesota earned a bowl berth because there werent enough eligible FBS teams to fill the spots.That season was marked by the departure of coach Jerry Kill because of health reasons. Tracy Claeys, an assistant under Kill for 21 years, took over as head coach.Minnesota will be led by fifth-year senior quarterback Mitch Leidner, who threw for 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while running for six more scores last season -- despite struggling with a foot injury that required surgery following the bowl game. ' ' '