Arsenal players have a message for Sydney0:16
See what these Arsenal players have to say to Sydney. Featuring Per Mertesacker (Arsenal FC, Germany), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal FC, France) and Hector Bellerin (Arsenal FC, Spain).
FIFA has threatened to intervene if the Steven Lowy-led FFA can’t get its act together before a November 30 deadline.
FIFA has threatened to overthrow the Steven Lowy-chaired Football Federation Australia board if the infighting afflicting soccer is not resolved by November.
FFA is currently involved in a bitter dispute with the A-League clubs, state federations and the players association (PFA) in regards to the make-up of the congress which elects the FFA board.
In a dramatic turn of events, it was announced tonight that a joint FIFA and Asian Football Confederation delegation will come to Australia later this month to help break the deadlock that exists between the warring parties.
BOON FOR MELBOURNE: CITY GETS SOCCEROOS QUALIFIER
FIFA has threatened to intervene if the Steven Lowy-led FFA can’t get its act together before a November 30 deadline.Source:News Corp Australia
And in a statement issued by FFA, Lowy confirmed that FIFA has recommended a “normalisation committee” be implemented in place of the existing board if the standoff is not resolved by November.
The FIFA-led committee would take over the running of the game here until new board elections are organised.
“We look forward to working with FIFA and AFC representatives over the coming weeks,” Lowy said.
“FFA wants to see an expanded congress for Australia that reflects the way the game is evolving in this country, but also protects and promotes the interests of the whole of the game.
“Our congress members have differing views on how that should happen so we will continue to work with all parties to find a solution by the end of November.”
The 10-vote congress that elects the FFA board is the smallest of any nation in the world.
It currently consists of the nine state federations and one representative acting as the voice of the A-League clubs.
Lowy, right, pictured with Minister for Sport Greg Hunt, FFA CEO David Gallop and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the launch of Australia’s bid for the 2023 women’s World Cup. Picture: Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images
State bodies in Victoria and NSW had been sided with the A-League clubs and the PFA.
But after Victoria broke ranks last week FFA was able to propose to FIFA its preferred new 9-3-1 model — which means the current congress would have had added to it two more votes for A-League clubs and one for the PFA.
However, that model was flatly rejected by FIFA because it “does not reflect an appropriate representation of all stakeholders” in the game.
An FFA statement last night said: “… the Members Association Committee had advised that it would recommend the establishment of a so-called ‘normalisation committee’ to intervene directly if an acceptable expansion of the congress was not in place by November 30.”
The FIFA committee enforced such a measure in Argentina and Guinea last year.
Originally published as FIFA threatens to overthrow FFA
Sport | news.com.au — Australia’s #1 news site
