By Samindra Kunti
August 23 – World governing body FIFA has rubber-stamped sweeping governance reforms for the Australian game, which are expected to be approved at next month’s general meeting of Football Federation Australia (FFA). Last week, FFA chairman Steven Lowy announced that he’d resign from his position.
The reforms will overhaul the structure of the FFA as they call for a significant expansion to the FFA’s congress membership, empowering the clubs, and clearing the way for the A-League to become independent in time for the 2019-20 season.
FIFA secretary-general Fatma Samoura said the recommendations were “fully in line” with FIFA statutes and directed them to be adopted by FFA at an extraordinary general meeting as soon as possible in a letter to Lowy and other key stakeholders on Wednesday night, according to local media reports.
The FIFA endorsement is a scathing indictment for the Lowy regime, which has long stood accused by stakeholders of letting the local game slip into disarray in an increasingly tense standoff between FFA and the clubs over which direction Australian football should take and the disbursement of funds from increased broadcast deals. The club owners want a greater share of the money while the FFA wants to distribute the money throughout the game.
The ACT, NT, Northern NSW and Tasmania, four of the smallest state federations in the country, have indicated that that they may use their vote to block the reforms, but that may not suffice for the Lowy camp as lobbying is ongoing to erode his power base. In total, eight votes from the 10-member FFA congress are required to pass the reforms.
Victoria, South Australia, NSW and Western Australia, Queensland and the A-League clubs, who possess just one vote between them, are believed to be in favour of the reforms. FIFA, through Samoura’s letter, urged parties to come together, writing its administration “would reach out” to the different states to hear their grievances.
The vote could mark the end of a contentious few years in the corridors of power of the Australian game, but if the reforms were not to be passed FIFA could be forced to intervene by installing a normalisation committee.
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