Blatter's 6+5 Rule favoured by Sydney Congress

Blatter's 6+5 rule sailed through todays FIFA Sydney Congress with 155 in favour and a mere 5 against. There were 40 abstentions. Wonder how our lads would have voted if they had got the opportunity!

The essence of the 6+5 rule is that FIFA is now in a position to start convincing top professional clubs to limit foreign players to 5 in club starting line-up by 2012. The apparant intention is to open up opportunities for local talent and promote national teams. This FIFA sanctioned 6+5 rule however contravenes EU law. Meanwhile, Platini, the new UEFA President assured the FIFA Congress that the UEFA supported the rule in principle. The UEFA however had a more favourable alternative up their sleeve.

The UEFA proposal of the "home-grown player" rule is widely believed to be a better compromise with EU Law and stand less chance of resistence from European associations. The "home-grown player" rule do not discriminate on nationality. Any player who has been developed by the club for the last 3 years and between age of 15 to 21 will be eligible. The UEFA rule while not flouting EU Law is also mindful of ensuring that professional football clubs do not abandon local training structures and rush madly about buying players. Clubs are encouraged to instead develop local talent.

The English FA President expressed his reservations on the future of the FIFA rule as passed by the Congress, pointing out that players should win a place on their national teams purely on performance and not nationality. The English FA appeared to favour the UEFA stand with the remark they were interested in finding a position that was in conformity with Law while accomodating the commercialisation and globalization of the EPL.

Blatter is to meet the President of the EU Parliament June 5 to "explore" this FIFA position with respect to EU Employment Law.

Iraqi FA at odds with FIFA... lessons for Maldives

Sports not only produce dramatic stories on the field. International sport administration this week is buzzing with speculation on weather the Iraqi World Cup qualifier with Australia scheduled for this Sunday 1st June in Brisbane, Australia will go ahead or not.

The Iraqi cabinet, earlier this week, suspended the Iraq Olympic Committee and by default, all affiliated national sport associations with it. The Iraqi FA have thus, theoretically being dissolved by government decree. International Sport Federations see such government interference in sport as undesirable "external interference".

The world football body, FIFA have demanded that the Iraq FA be reinstated by Thursday 29 May 2008, if it were to avoid a one year international suspension. The drama stems from the fact this suspension came on the eve of the Iraqi World Cup qualifier against Australia in Brisbane this Sunday. The Iraqi players are confused, while the Australian hosts are set to loose up to $3 million in gate receipts if the already sold out match do not go ahead comming Sunday as scheduled. Give a thought to the Australian players too! And all this on the eve of the FIFA Congress in Sydney, Australia.

The Maldives delegates at the FIFA Congress, Interim Committee members Shahir and Shah must be following these events closely, with the full knowledge that the Maldives sport establishment too is rife with such "external interference". Sports minister Deen have decreed that all "government sport associations" complete their elections by end of June with no mention of when the Maldives National Olympic Committee should hold its elections.

The Maldives NOC have been presided over by a government appointee since its foundation some 25 years ago. The reason for the exception is widely believed to be due to the close association the country's autocratic President Gayoom have with the NOC Chairman Zahir Naseer.

Shahir and Shah are lucky to avoid such spotlight. They are representing the Maldives FA at the FIFA Congress on an interim basis with FIFA blessings.

Basketball Association not fussy about the June deadline!

The Basketball Association of Maldives is also on the move. This is an association that have evolved more stably than most other associations. Basketball is in terms of player population behind the more popular Volleyball. However in terms of management, the players and appointed office bearers have stuck it out better than most other sports. The result is a more cohesive and organised group.

The association is working up to its election but not necessarily rushing to beat the end June deadline imposed by the Sports Ministry. It may be news for some to realise that Basketball is now played in both the North and South of the country, though not as broadbased as Football and Volleyball. The Association have been at odds with the Home Ministry with their proposal to create decentralised associations of the small pockets of this sport in rural Maldives.

Basketball is therefore, now, more interested in getting their national body constituted first, leaving to sort out the question of their players in rural Maldives later. The association hopes to get their constitution ratified towards the end of June and get their elections sorted out by August, well before Ramazan.

Maldives Carrom Association to hold elections

Interim committee chairman Ali Mahir confirms that the association will hold its general elections Wednesday 28 March 2008, 9.00pm at the Carrom Hall. The association was open to accept general membership with a Rf 100.00 fee till a 10.00pm deadline the day before elections.

The President, Vice president, Secretary General and Treasurer will be elected. Also, a six (6) member executive committee is open for elections. If this elections goes ahead as scheduled, this would be the first "Government controlled" association to be elected.

There are some 16 such associations including Football which have scheduled a Congress to ratify their Constitution next month on 16 June 2008. Cricket is another association that is headed towards an election in the near future with 14 June scheduled for an Extraordinary general meeting to ratify the constitution and June 28 for the elections.

First Congress, Extraordinary or otherwise!

The FAM have announced Mon 16 June 2008 as the date for their Extraordinary congress to ratify the association's first constitution.

The FIFA backed interim committee chairman reports that they have been able to muster only around 28 football clubs that met their requirement of uninterrupted participation in the association's competitions over the last 5 years.

This five year requirement is a tall order for island based clubs for whome getting a team in competition is more expensive than for the clubs based on the capital island of Male'. The irony is that over two thirds of the 90 or so active football clubs are based in small island communities in far flung atolls. They are the clubs that miss the boat by not being able to fullfill this five year requirement.

This leaves the upcomming congress in the hands of only a third of all football clubs. The two third majority is left out of the process.

It is unclear if it was the FIFA or the Interim committee members who decided on this five year requirement. For example clubs who made it to the final round of the recent atoll (zone) championships do not qualify.

This decision of the 5 year requirement is not likely to favour the FAM's future for the simple reason that it excludes the majority of football clubs in this country.