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).
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.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
I said "Lowy has already resigned as chairman taking effect in a couple of months . . . " He has resigned as chairman by declaring he won't stand for re-election. They have to wait till the next elections in November to replace him, he can't just walk out, but he has made it very clear he will no longer be chairman. Lets see how the CRWG take over and if they dissolve the FFA and create their own body. Maybe call themselves Soccer Australia and change the name of the A-League to the National Soccer League, has a nice ring to it.
Nemesis
Guest
Yeah. big surprise a politician doesn't live up to my expectations. You and your AFL pals really are petty, miserable people. Go coward punch someone.
Nemesis
Guest
Lowy has not resigned as Chairman. All he said was he won't be standing for elections again if the CRWG Recommendations are adopted. Steven Lowy is still the Chairman of FFA & all the Board Members are still in office.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
Lowy has already resigned as chairman taking effect in a couple of months and the new board can appoint a new CEO if it wants and remove Gallop. I hope its change for the better and I'm prepared to give the new congress a fair go, but that's not a lot of time to set up a new structure and administration and appoint new staff with the A-League set to kick off in October and preparations underway for the ladies World Cup and the Asian Cup imminent. They must have a very high appetite for risk.
Paul
Guest
I hope that Gallop walks out as well
Lionheart
Guest
That's how I see it too Stevo, well said.
AR
Guest
I recall when “Nemesis” not only clapped the appointment of Steven Lowy, but attacked anyone who dared question his legitimacy or credentials. How’s that looking?
Rob
Guest
You mean not qualify the world cup for 32 years.
Vin
Guest
This is the next step in the evolution of Australian football , seeing clubs make a profit not a loss, less spending on the Socceroos and seeing results happen on merit and skill of the players rather than wasting money on extras we don’t need. The lowys took advantage of their positions like they owned it. Will be refreshing not seeing them with their kids in the Socceroos dressing rooms after the game. They weren’t humble at all in their positions, just entitled
MQ
Guest
Such insight, but where was it when the Lowy clan was committing the most scandalous example of nepotism ever witnessed in the history of Australian sport? Where was your outrage at that point? Wny were you supportive of father handing the reigns to son to keep the control of soccer in this country within the family?
Stevo
Roar Rookie
A-league owners bled a couple of hundred million $ in the first 10 years of the HAL so that we had a professional league to enjoy. And all the while the FFA was reluctant to give the owners more say in the running of the league. Increasing their representation in Congress recognises their substantial contribution to the game. A vibrant competitive HAL creates positives all the way down the food chain.
Football is Life
Guest
Gentlemen I by ave to agree with the statement regarding the difficulty in any one party taking control. The CRWG have designed their outcomes to ensure a more democratic process and i have to ask the question, if the professional game prospers thdn wont more kids be into supporting gheir A-League club therefore more money comes into football and the game gets stronger?
Nemesis
Guest
"I think I see what (Rob is) saying, that it’s a return to the clubs in the top tier controlling the whole sport. There is some truth to that" Utter rubbish. Another ALT-Fact. The CRWG Report will give the Professional Game - at the very most - 41% of the Congress vote & the State Feds will have 58% of the vote. To suggest the clubs will control the vote is such nonsense I have to wonder if people understand basic arithmetic.
vin
Guest
yeah NSL 2.0 Rob, we might get the next golden generation back and win a game at the world cup.
MQ
Guest
Rob I think I see what you're saying, that it's a return to the clubs in the top tier controlling the whole sport. There is some truth to that, although one could argue that the game is better positioned now with a fully professional league and reasonable revenues from broadcasting (most of which will now end up in the pockets of the clubs). Also, the other key difference is that you now have some heavy hitters running clubs, all of which are privately owned (which brings with it pros and cons).
MQ
Guest
BrainsTrust The professional game needs two state feds to side with it to control the board. You can argue that either way, that it's proof that no one stakeholder group can control the board, or you can argue it has paved the way for the professional game to control the board (since the two largest states, which have the majority of the professional clubs now and into the future, have already shown a leaning that way).
Nemesis
Guest
You obviously don't understand the concept of democracy, nor the concepts of passing motions based on simple majority & special majority?
Nemesis
Guest
Care to explain what you mean by this, or is it just an intellectually vacuous comment you thought might go unchallenged?
Rob
Guest
Welcome NSL V 2.0
BrainsTrust
Guest
This has got to be the biggest joke history to call giving 30% of the vote to A-league club owners a democratic move. The professional side of the game will now try to gain control through subverting the states and then the feasting can begin.