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FIFA has approved the proposed changes to Australian football made by the Congress Review Working Group (CRWG), simultaneously paving the way for the sweeping reforms to come into effect and pushing the FFA closer to being suspended by world football’s governing body.
Australian football reporter Ray Gatt is reporting the extensive changes recommended by the CRWG have been green-lighted by FIFA, meaning they will now be put to a vote at the FFA’s extraordinary general meeting on September 7.
FIFA secretary general Fatima Samoura sent a letter on Wednesday night to FFA chairman Steven Lowy informing him of the global body’s support for sweeping changes recommended by the eight-member congress review working group (CRWG).
And here is the official letter pic.twitter.com/csCjd0EpEw
— Ray Gatt (@Gatty54) August 22, 2018
It effectively sounds the death knell for Lowy’s leadership of the sport, after he announced last week that he would not seek re-election as chairman if the reforms were passed.
The changes, the most notable of which involves an overhaul of the congress voting structure, have been opposed by the FFA and Lowy, and it is not clear whether they will be passed next month.
Eight of the ten congress votes will need to be cast in favour of the reforms if they are to be adopted. Two of the voting member associations are believed to be backing Lowy’s opposition to the proposals, while another two are undecided.
If CRWG recommendations are not adopted at the EGM next month, the most likely course of action will be for FIFA to suspend the FFA. Such an intervention from FIFA would put Australia’s place at next year’s Asian Cup – a competition they will enter as defending champions – under serious doubt, while also impacting the Matildas’ 2019 World Cup campaign.
FIFA has already proven itself willing to intervene in domestic governing bodies, taking temporary control of the Uruguayan Football Association earlier this week and installing a normalisation committee to run the sport in the South American country for the next six months.
With AAP.
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