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FBL-AUS-FIFA-REFORMS
Australia football body adopts reforms after FIFA threat
SYDNEY, Oct 2, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Australia’s football governing body voted
for wide-ranging reforms Tuesday against the wishes of its outgoing chairman,
ending a long-running battle that saw FIFA threaten to take over the
federation.
Football Federation Australia’s 10-member Congress — nine state and
territory associations, and one A-League representative — voted 8-2 in
favour of constitutional changes, narrowly securing the required 75 percent.
An expanded new congress, which is expected to include the A-League clubs,
the footballers’ association and a women’s council, will convene at a later
date to elect fresh directors for the board.
World body FIFA has been pushing the FFA to adopt a more democratic
governance model, with the expansion backed by the domestic A-League clubs
and the players’ federation.
The reforms mean that Australia can defend their men’s Asian Cup title in
January, and the Matildas can play next year’s Women’s World Cup, without any
concerns over the FFA’s status under FIFA.
But FFA chairman Steven Lowy, the son of Westfield shopping-mall tycoon and
former long-time FFA boss Frank Lowy, said the move could compromise the
body’s independence, warning that a “red line” had been crossed.
“Clearly the FFA board is extremely disappointed with the outcome of
today’s meeting,” said Lowy, who confirmed he will not seek re-election when
his term ends in November.
“We believe the loser today is the principle of independent governance.”
Lowy argued that giving clubs more power would hand their foreign owners
too much control of the game in Australia, at the expense of grassroots
football.
“Suffice to say, the game today has crossed a red line. From a corporate
governance model for football, to one with stakeholders with vested interests
(which) will compete for power and resources,” he added.
A working group is expected to discuss a new model for the A-League, whose
teams — which generate much of the sport’s revenue in Australia — as well
as the body representing players, had wanted more say in the running of the
FFA.
If the recommendations had not been adopted at Tuesday’s special general
meeting in Sydney, FIFA could have established a normalisation committee to
take over the FFA.
More than half of the A-League’s 10 clubs have foreign ownership including
Melbourne City, who are owned by Abu Dhabi’s Chinese-invested City Football
Group.
Other foreign-owned clubs include the Newcastle Jets, who were bought by a
Chinese businessman in 2016, and Adelaide United, who were sold to a Dutch
and Chinese consortium this year.
BSS/AFP/MR/1155 hrs