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The immediate future of football governance in Australia has been cast into disarray. The FFA’s proposed congress model was voted down at Thursday afternoon’s annual general meeting, paving the way for FIFA to take temporary control of the game in the country.
FFA chairman Steven Lowy’s last-ditch attempt to have his desired congress model approved fell through; seven of the ten voting members voted in favour of the resolution, just short of the 75 per cent majority required for any motion to pass.
Seven of the nine state federations voted in favour, but swing state Victoria stuck to its guns in opposition. As expected, the A-League clubs and NSW state federation also voted against the motion for FFA’s preferred congress model, one which is bitterly opposed by the players’ union.
Greg Griffin, the chairman of Adelaide United, spoke on behalf of the A-League’s clubs – one of the ten congress members – and said that Lowy had “lost the locker room.”
“The professional game voted against it, the two major states voted against it,” Griffin said.
“Once you lose the locker room in sport, it’s very difficult to get it back.
“I think it has to go to FIFA. It’s regrettable but that’s what it is.”
The matter will now be referred to FIFA, and football’s global governing body will decide whether to remove Lowy and the rest of the FFA board and install a normalising committee in their place.
Other sanctions, such as being removed from next year’s World Cup in Russia and expelled from bidding to host the 2023 Women’s World Cup, are also possible but thought to be unlikely.
In an explosive press conference following the AGM, Lowy hit out at those who voted against the reforms today, saying they “want to take the game to the bad old days.” It was a claim which was given short shrift by football fans.
Lowy is digging his heels in and going nowhere. https://t.co/B4B5iqMqRA
— Neil Sherwin (@neilsherwin) November 30, 2017
That is an embarrassing tweet and totally false.
— Shaun Mielekamp (@SMielekamp) November 30, 2017
They good old Bad Old Days Boogeyman
— Mark Boric (@MarkBoric) November 30, 2017
What a stupid statement
— Shaun Poposek (@shaunpoposek) November 30, 2017
Pathetic. So no chance of going out with some dignity then?
— Adam Howard (@adamOsaussies) November 30, 2017
Lowy said the FFA will now communicate with FIFA in an attempt to reform their congress.
“We will now talk to FIFA about what steps can now be taken to resolve this issue so that we have a larger, more representative congress,” Lowy said.
However, the chairman refused to confirm if he would accept FIFA’s decision on the FFA’s congress, and said he had taken legal advice on the matter.
Steven Lowy declines to say if he will abide by FIFA ruling, confirms he has taken legal advice. This is extraordinary stuff
— Tom Smithies (@SmithiesTele) November 30, 2017
Lowy was asked twice about whether he and his gang would respect FIFA's recommendations and adjudication. Both times he essentially said maybe ?
— Neil Sherwin (@neilsherwin) November 30, 2017
Lowy has refused to rule out legal action against FIFA should it decide to take over the Australian game
— Emma Kemp (@emmavkemp) November 30, 2017
It was five months ago that FIFA set the FFA a deadline of November 30 to expand their congress to bring it in line with the global governing body’s standards. FIFA had previously warned they would install a normalising committee if the FFA failed to reform their congress by the deadline.
Attention now turns to FIFA’s response to the FFA’s failed congress reform attempt. A timeline for that response is not known.
With AAP.