Inter Milan president Erick Thohir has revealed how he sought to step down from his position at the club in order to focus on his role as head of the Indonesian Olympic Committee for the Asian Games, but was told he is still a valued member at the San Siro.
The Indonesian businessman sold his majority stake in Inter to the Suning Group a year ago, but remained on as president.
He is finding it hard to fulfil the role as he would like, though, with other commitments preventing him from travelling to Milan, which is why he offered to step down.
"The [2018] Asian Games have forced me to leave all of my businesses apart from the roles of president of Antv and Inter," he told Indonesian newspaper Tempo. "I cannot walk out on the club because it is forbidden by the shareholders, but I was used to going to Milan once a month while I have not now been there since April.
"So at our last shareholders' meeting, I offered to leave Inter, but they told me that things were fine as they were. The CEO of Suning, Liu Jun, and Steven Zhang, the son of the owner, are in Milan every day for their business and they say that they need my opinion on Inter.
"I don't know if there will be any changes in the coming three to six months, but certainly my priority is the success of the Asian Games."
Thohir acquired control of Inter in 2013 when he bought a majority share from Massimo Moratti, but he relinquished control just two-and-a-half years later to the Suning Group.