The first Congress of the Maldives FA was a secretive affair. It was held under cover as thousands of Maldivians poured onto the streets to celebrate this first truly international success. This Congress will go down as one of the most shady affairs in this country's sport history. It is both remarkable and ironic that a mere 20% of the 90 member strong association was taken for a ride under cover of the ecstatic frenzy of winning the SAFF Championship on 14 June in Colombo.
The Congress was held on the morning of 16 June in Male' at the Nalahiyaa Hotel. Club officials had to rushed back from Colombo the night before. The sordid affair was attended by the Secretary General of the Asian Football Confederation. We were told that out of 90 active member clubs, only 28 clubs were eligible to vote. A mere 18 attended.
Unlawful beginnings
The Football Association of Maldives was registered in 1983 under a new law of association passed the previous year. The existence of a national association facilitated the Maldives to join the world body FIFA and thus play internationally. What the world did not know was, that Maldives FA was an association based on a model similar to those of North Korea and Burma.
These national associations were never meant to be elected. The law enabled the country's autocratic president Gayoom to use the Maldives FA as a political tool. While this was taboo in international sport, President Gayoom believed otherwise. He appoints people of his choosing to head these associations. The IOC and FIFA seems to understand difficulties small time Dictators have with civil society. In the 80s, world sports bodies were more than happy to see even a rubber stamp association, as long as they added to their global membership.
Times have changed. Maldives however remained stagnant. Gayoom’s autocratic reign of 30 years guaranteed that this country kept the lid sealed firmly on civil society. The FA was therefore never elected. The phenomenal commercialization of world football in the meantime has forced the FIFA to “go legal”.
FIFA goes legal
FIFA’s initiative to activate an Associations committee in 2005 coincided with the eruption of an unprecedented reform movement in the Maldives. The FIFA Associations committee was mandated with the job of identifying and enabling the transition of legally defunct member associations in line with 21st century global reality. It did not take long for the FIFA to identify the FAM as a sick brethren. The Maldives FA was curtly ordered to hold elections around the middle of last year.
The culprit, Minister of Sports Deen immediately launched into full democratic mode and unilaterally mandated the National Sports Council to oversee “free and fair” elections! FIFA cried foul accusing “government interference”. The subsequent FIFA Interim Committee chairman was however a member of this council!
FIFA Interference
The FIFA official in the guise of the AFC Secretary General was the first to arrive on the scene. He had an innocent story to tell. The good Dato’ was oblivious to the fact that our Law of Association was amended in 2003. Under this law, the Home Ministry had a mandate to ensure all civil society organizations including the Maldives FA comply with the new provisions under a transition clause. The law allowed twelve months for this transition. The new law had no qualms with the FIFA Statutes. He seemed unaware that, some two years after the legal deadline, a civil court in 2006 had already ordered the Home Ministry to get on with it!
Executive inteference by Gayoom's Home Ministers continued to drag the legal process against the force of the Law. The present Defence Minister Ismail Shafeeu headed the Home Ministry at the time the Law of Association was passed. He failed to even start the process mandated to him by this new Law. Hon Thasmeen Ali who replaced Hon Shafeeu, (now the Atolls Minister) ignored the court order and deliberately blocked the FA elections. Now our favourite Hon Kamaluddin is warming the Home Ministers seat as he allows Gayoom's cronies to steal the FA from its grassroots.
The Dato’s story was that, apparently as is the case in Yemen, all Maldivian clubs were state controlled. He could not have been further from the truth. Sports clubs are among the the few democratic institutions that have survived years of autocratic dominence of national life by successive Presidents.
Based on this conveniently ill informed assumption, he justifies the appointment of certain “individuals” of someone’s choosing, to an Interim Transition Committee. The five member normalization committee which FIFA was claimed to have endorsed were not members of football clubs. Local Football bosses in cohorts with international football officials have taken full advantage of both the Maldives reform efforts and the cover of the national team's success to tighten their grip on the games administration. None of the FIFA Associations Committee meetings have seen the Maldives on their agenda!
We are unsure how well this goes down with Article 17 of the FIFA Statutes which is adamant that only members should be involved in sorting such mess. One wonders what the Law of the Land has to say to this arrogant intrusion into domestic affairs.
So what are we left with?
We are now left with a set of Statutes endorsed by a mere 20 percent of members. In this country of 300,000, a third of all football clubs are squashed on the 1.5 square kilometer primate capital of Male' which carries over 100,000 population. The majority of clubs is island based and enjoys a democratic existence compared to the government favored Capital City lads. As tradition would have it, the island lads have been spared the inconvenience of democracy. The saying goes that all islanders (rural population) are lighter by 5 grams, a sarcastic reference to their intellect. The message is that the entrenched minority can still call the shots. Nice one Dato’!
But hold on! Our premier football website http://www.maldivesoccer.com/ displays a telling photo of this secretive and rushed congress. Mauroof Ahmed, our greatest goalkeeper is seen happily holding a YES sign. Mauroof is a budding football man worthy of the upcoming Presidency of the Maldives FA. Seeing such icons taken for a ride by callous football officials to legitimize their corrupt practices makes one wonder if we have been stripped of not five but 10 grams of brain tissue!
While our leading football officials dance to a more sinister tune, the question of who was responsible for damaging the country's innocent football community will definitely be addressed in time to come. Claiming ignorance will not be an excuse.
The good news is that the political space created by weakening Gayoom's grip on national sport associations was enough to win us our first SAFF Gold. Imagine what we could do when the man is gone for good.
I wonder what the Island lads will have to say to President Gayoom who on the one hand have totally sidelined them while promising to take the SAFF Cup to every one of the 200 inhabited islands of the over 1300 hundred islands that make up this island nation. This could be the begining of a very different type of competition among politicians. Football is the BALL.
For the time being Ashfag and co. are left holding the Cup!
Sincere congratulations again to our National Heros.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Male' awash with RED as Team Maldives come home
The Boys are back. WELCOME Team Maldives
An unprecedented crowd cheered the Maldives National Football Team home at Jumhooree Maidhan this afternoon. The team paraded Male' streets followed by flotillas of pickup trucks over a kilometer long. They made their way to the National Stadium where the formal welcome ended.
Maldivians came out on the streets yet again in full force RED. As I write the celebrations continue into the night with almost everyone you see, waving a national flag, be it walking, on a scooter, in cars or in pickup trucks. Streets were lined with whole families in Red waiting to see the Team and an opportunity to kiss the Cup.
I guess it is a sign of the times that no one took much notice of President Gayoom's efforts to politisize the event. Gayoom got himself interviewed again by one of his crony TV anchors on the live coverage of the welcoming event today. He had already given an interview two days ago at the final match in Colombo. It is apalling that not a single player nor the coach have been allowed to say a word to our jubilant public.
An unprecedented crowd cheered the Maldives National Football Team home at Jumhooree Maidhan this afternoon. The team paraded Male' streets followed by flotillas of pickup trucks over a kilometer long. They made their way to the National Stadium where the formal welcome ended.
Maldivians came out on the streets yet again in full force RED. As I write the celebrations continue into the night with almost everyone you see, waving a national flag, be it walking, on a scooter, in cars or in pickup trucks. Streets were lined with whole families in Red waiting to see the Team and an opportunity to kiss the Cup.
I guess it is a sign of the times that no one took much notice of President Gayoom's efforts to politisize the event. Gayoom got himself interviewed again by one of his crony TV anchors on the live coverage of the welcoming event today. He had already given an interview two days ago at the final match in Colombo. It is apalling that not a single player nor the coach have been allowed to say a word to our jubilant public.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Maldives win the SAFF Championship 2008 for the first time
CONGRATULATIONS Team Maldives.
Maldives lifts the SAFF Cup for the first time and with it, our first Football Gold.
We have participated in six of the seven editions of this premier equivalent of the South Asia's EURO. The SAFF Championships was launched 15 years ago in Lahore in 1993.
Maldives have played in two elusive finals over these 15 years. Today was our third final. We lost to India 5-1 in 1997 (Kathmandhu). In 2003 we lost again. This time it was to Bangladesh on penalties in Dhaka. The score, 1(5) : 1(3). India have lifted the Cup four times (1993, 1997, 1999 and 2005). Sri Lanka (1995) and Bangladesh (2003) have won one each. Maldives joins the rank today as the fourth winner of this championship's short history.
Haveeru reported 20,000 national flags were bought up by fans in Male' alone on match day. Maldives Colombo High Commission reported selling 4000 tickets to Maldivian fans for the finals. Ashfag (Dhagandey) was chosen Best Player. Fazeel (Oppo) was the highest scorer.
This was a championship that broke records in more ways than one. An unprecedented "home crowd" decended on Colombo for the finals. Security concers were heightened by the presence of a rather unwanted President Gayoom. These concers were however brushed aside by fans who were focused on nothing short of GOLD. Our dynamic fans however went largely unnoticed by the organisers. Sri Lanka won the Fair Play Award. Bhutan virtually ditched a mighty India in the Male' semi-finals last week and went home with their heads high ...naughty...but with no award!
The capital Male' erupted in a frenzy of RED. Team jerseys, flags, balloons and hordes of fans came out for an outing like they had never come out before. The finals were watched on large screens across scores of narrow streets. Male' traffic was diverted to the 5.3 km ring road that runs round the capital. Yes, that's how big we are, but we hit GOLD regardless. The results is testament to how the size of a country may not matter in modern football.
Celebrations continued late into the night with groups of teens, families and friends dancing on moving pickups. Songs blared to the wave of thousands of national flags. Scooters followed in long processions around the ring road. There was screaming and more screaming. We have never seen Maldivians in party mode on this scale! Sunday have been declared a public holiday.
It was in the 87th minute, a mere 3 minutes before full time that Mukthar (2Kilo) bagged GOLD.
Maldives lifts the SAFF Cup for the first time and with it, our first Football Gold.
We have participated in six of the seven editions of this premier equivalent of the South Asia's EURO. The SAFF Championships was launched 15 years ago in Lahore in 1993.
Maldives have played in two elusive finals over these 15 years. Today was our third final. We lost to India 5-1 in 1997 (Kathmandhu). In 2003 we lost again. This time it was to Bangladesh on penalties in Dhaka. The score, 1(5) : 1(3). India have lifted the Cup four times (1993, 1997, 1999 and 2005). Sri Lanka (1995) and Bangladesh (2003) have won one each. Maldives joins the rank today as the fourth winner of this championship's short history.
Haveeru reported 20,000 national flags were bought up by fans in Male' alone on match day. Maldives Colombo High Commission reported selling 4000 tickets to Maldivian fans for the finals. Ashfag (Dhagandey) was chosen Best Player. Fazeel (Oppo) was the highest scorer.
This was a championship that broke records in more ways than one. An unprecedented "home crowd" decended on Colombo for the finals. Security concers were heightened by the presence of a rather unwanted President Gayoom. These concers were however brushed aside by fans who were focused on nothing short of GOLD. Our dynamic fans however went largely unnoticed by the organisers. Sri Lanka won the Fair Play Award. Bhutan virtually ditched a mighty India in the Male' semi-finals last week and went home with their heads high ...naughty...but with no award!
The capital Male' erupted in a frenzy of RED. Team jerseys, flags, balloons and hordes of fans came out for an outing like they had never come out before. The finals were watched on large screens across scores of narrow streets. Male' traffic was diverted to the 5.3 km ring road that runs round the capital. Yes, that's how big we are, but we hit GOLD regardless. The results is testament to how the size of a country may not matter in modern football.
Celebrations continued late into the night with groups of teens, families and friends dancing on moving pickups. Songs blared to the wave of thousands of national flags. Scooters followed in long processions around the ring road. There was screaming and more screaming. We have never seen Maldivians in party mode on this scale! Sunday have been declared a public holiday.
It was in the 87th minute, a mere 3 minutes before full time that Mukthar (2Kilo) bagged GOLD.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Maldives proudly in the finals of the SAFF Championships 2008
Wednesday's semi-finals in Colombo and Male' have confirmed Maldives and India as the finalists of the 2008 SAFF Championships.
In Male', India scraped through against Bhutan with a last minute goal in extra time. In Colombo Maldives beat a tough Sri Lankan home side by a goal. The Sri Lankans played good football on the pitch.
It was however a different ball game at the managers meeting.
The hosts forced Maldives players to change their traditional RED jersey in the semi-finals simply because the Sri Lankan goalkeeper wished to wear Red. Sri Lanka team wore their traditional yellow. So there was no need to change our jersey colour. The Sri Lanka keeper could have changed to say Black for all we care. Sadly, our officials are seasoned "yes men". They could have given the nod to this ridiculous suggestion more as a conditioned reflex than intelligent thought. Maldives played in BLUE! Fans who travelled all the way to Colombo wore RED.
Local media reports the lighting at Sugathadhasa was short of required intensity. Some claimed the intensity was 600 lux short. One wonders if the Sri Lankan FA and the AFC have thought of rating this match as provided under Articles 15 and 27 of the FIFA Safety Guidelines. This would have given fans more confidence in the light of the tense security situation in Colombo all week. In spite of such pressures and misgivings, the Players delivered the goods with a win. There were no security hitches at the semi-finals. We therfore have let all this pass as an "oversight"!
The Maldives team's campaign for the SAFF Cup 2008 is "....this time it's ours".
True to the theme, the Maldives Team was backed by an unprecedented "home crowd" at Sugathadhasa last night. This Colombo finals is appearing to be more a home game for the Maldives as over 3000 fans are set to decorate the Colombo stadium in RED.
I also believe "this time it's ours". Good luck fellas.
In Male', India scraped through against Bhutan with a last minute goal in extra time. In Colombo Maldives beat a tough Sri Lankan home side by a goal. The Sri Lankans played good football on the pitch.
It was however a different ball game at the managers meeting.
The hosts forced Maldives players to change their traditional RED jersey in the semi-finals simply because the Sri Lankan goalkeeper wished to wear Red. Sri Lanka team wore their traditional yellow. So there was no need to change our jersey colour. The Sri Lanka keeper could have changed to say Black for all we care. Sadly, our officials are seasoned "yes men". They could have given the nod to this ridiculous suggestion more as a conditioned reflex than intelligent thought. Maldives played in BLUE! Fans who travelled all the way to Colombo wore RED.
Local media reports the lighting at Sugathadhasa was short of required intensity. Some claimed the intensity was 600 lux short. One wonders if the Sri Lankan FA and the AFC have thought of rating this match as provided under Articles 15 and 27 of the FIFA Safety Guidelines. This would have given fans more confidence in the light of the tense security situation in Colombo all week. In spite of such pressures and misgivings, the Players delivered the goods with a win. There were no security hitches at the semi-finals. We therfore have let all this pass as an "oversight"!
The Maldives team's campaign for the SAFF Cup 2008 is "....this time it's ours".
True to the theme, the Maldives Team was backed by an unprecedented "home crowd" at Sugathadhasa last night. This Colombo finals is appearing to be more a home game for the Maldives as over 3000 fans are set to decorate the Colombo stadium in RED.
I also believe "this time it's ours". Good luck fellas.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
India edge past Maldives
Ooops, we did not quite make it last night. The Indian coach had a few tricks up his sleeve. He dropped 7 players from the first 11 and ensured a stiff defence after the early goal. Maldives played well, but obviously not quite well enough for a win. The Indian goalkeeper was outstanding and saved the day. We were clueless on how to beat the Indian defence.
Well, that's that! The Maldives team are now confronted with the problem of poor lighting in Colombo and increased tensening of the security situation there. Interim Coimmittee Chairman Shahir assured me that he has submitted an official query into the matter already. I also ran into Mr. Ganesh Thapa at the Nepal/Pakistan match yesterday. He gave me a rather muted response to the light issue. His logic was that he was here in Male' and how would he know what the problem is in Colombo! Intelligent as it sounded, when pressed, he was of the opinion that nothing could be done about it.
Such insights are common from regional football bosses. I remember an incident when an AFC Official got the Maldives to play a final of the SAFF Championships against India without a rest day. That also happened to be in Nepal. Local press reported Ganesh Thapa's praise of our ability to host such events. He is reported to have gone so far as to say that the SAFF have been pressing for a competition here for a long time.
Well, that's that! The Maldives team are now confronted with the problem of poor lighting in Colombo and increased tensening of the security situation there. Interim Coimmittee Chairman Shahir assured me that he has submitted an official query into the matter already. I also ran into Mr. Ganesh Thapa at the Nepal/Pakistan match yesterday. He gave me a rather muted response to the light issue. His logic was that he was here in Male' and how would he know what the problem is in Colombo! Intelligent as it sounded, when pressed, he was of the opinion that nothing could be done about it.
Such insights are common from regional football bosses. I remember an incident when an AFC Official got the Maldives to play a final of the SAFF Championships against India without a rest day. That also happened to be in Nepal. Local press reported Ganesh Thapa's praise of our ability to host such events. He is reported to have gone so far as to say that the SAFF have been pressing for a competition here for a long time.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Micro-states in International Sport - Maldives leading...India following close
A predominant perception among sports officials is that small countries and especially countries with short histories of sport have less chance to make it in International Sport. The Maldives is however proving otherwise within the South Asia region, at least, in Football.
The National Football Team’s performance at the ongoing SAFF Competition from 3 to 14 June hosted jointly by Sri Lanka and the Maldives is proving this theory wrong again.
Maldives is set to throw another punch above its WEIGHT against India at the national Stadium in Male’ Saturday 7 June.
Maldives, India, Pakistan and Nepal are playing in the Male’ Group while Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan are fighting it out in the Colombo Group.
The finals are scheduled for next Saturday in Colombo. Each capital gets a semi-final with the home team staying put if it tops the group. Can the Maldives get their semi-final match at home?
In the last two days of play, Maldives beat Pakistan and Nepal with an aggregate of 7 goals, conceding one to Nepal. India has beaten Nepal and Pakistan with an aggregate of 6 goals, conceding a goal to Pakistan. Maldives is leading with a goal as we take the field against India. If we win we can expect to see the second team from the Colombo group arriving Male’ to fight us on our home turf. Wouldn’t that be a treat for Maldives fans?
After Friday evening's play, the Colombo Group is looking tense. Afghanistan, who are back in football since 2003 may find a place in the semis if they beat Bhutan tomorrow. Friday’s match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will be a do or die match.
Fans expect a WIN Saturday night
Beating Sri Lanka was a novelty in the 80s. The 90s saw fans requiring we beat India. The expectation was that we have to be comfortable against Bangladesh. We dominated in the Bangladesh finals in 2003 but eventually lost on penalties. The National Team is therefore almost a decade behind public expectation.
The Maldives National Football Team is the national DREAM TEAM.
India, have over a centuries’ experience with football, twice as long as the Maldives. India, like the Maldives practice a “selective approach” on internalization of sport. That is to peg support for sports on their performance internationally. Similarities in sport policy between us two neighbours end here. India is a democracy. Maldives is a dictatorship.
India has encouraged public sector involvement in sport while Maldives have not. Dictator Gayoom’s government has adopted a centralized approach, some thirty years out of step with the times. Thus the FIFA suspension! Dictator Gayoom,like all other dictators has used sport as a political tool.
The Gayoom dictatorship has a 25% import duty slapped on sports goods while India has exempted sports from such burdens. India in fact gives tax breaks for commercial partners. While Indian leaders may leave sport alone, dictator Gayoom will not. The dictator always camps at the Stadium should there be an international match with a good crowd. This year he has even printed a jersey with his name and numbered it ONE!
It is therefore amazing how that the Maldives National Football Team maintain this edge. If we had Gayoom off our backs, I believe we would already have beaten India in the 90s. The fact however is that with or without the burden of Gayoom’s dictatorship, the Maldives DREAM TEAM seems totally UNSTOPPABLE. Good luck.
The National Football Team’s performance at the ongoing SAFF Competition from 3 to 14 June hosted jointly by Sri Lanka and the Maldives is proving this theory wrong again.
Maldives is set to throw another punch above its WEIGHT against India at the national Stadium in Male’ Saturday 7 June.
Maldives, India, Pakistan and Nepal are playing in the Male’ Group while Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan are fighting it out in the Colombo Group.
The finals are scheduled for next Saturday in Colombo. Each capital gets a semi-final with the home team staying put if it tops the group. Can the Maldives get their semi-final match at home?
In the last two days of play, Maldives beat Pakistan and Nepal with an aggregate of 7 goals, conceding one to Nepal. India has beaten Nepal and Pakistan with an aggregate of 6 goals, conceding a goal to Pakistan. Maldives is leading with a goal as we take the field against India. If we win we can expect to see the second team from the Colombo group arriving Male’ to fight us on our home turf. Wouldn’t that be a treat for Maldives fans?
After Friday evening's play, the Colombo Group is looking tense. Afghanistan, who are back in football since 2003 may find a place in the semis if they beat Bhutan tomorrow. Friday’s match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will be a do or die match.
Fans expect a WIN Saturday night
Beating Sri Lanka was a novelty in the 80s. The 90s saw fans requiring we beat India. The expectation was that we have to be comfortable against Bangladesh. We dominated in the Bangladesh finals in 2003 but eventually lost on penalties. The National Team is therefore almost a decade behind public expectation.
The Maldives National Football Team is the national DREAM TEAM.
India, have over a centuries’ experience with football, twice as long as the Maldives. India, like the Maldives practice a “selective approach” on internalization of sport. That is to peg support for sports on their performance internationally. Similarities in sport policy between us two neighbours end here. India is a democracy. Maldives is a dictatorship.
India has encouraged public sector involvement in sport while Maldives have not. Dictator Gayoom’s government has adopted a centralized approach, some thirty years out of step with the times. Thus the FIFA suspension! Dictator Gayoom,like all other dictators has used sport as a political tool.
The Gayoom dictatorship has a 25% import duty slapped on sports goods while India has exempted sports from such burdens. India in fact gives tax breaks for commercial partners. While Indian leaders may leave sport alone, dictator Gayoom will not. The dictator always camps at the Stadium should there be an international match with a good crowd. This year he has even printed a jersey with his name and numbered it ONE!
It is therefore amazing how that the Maldives National Football Team maintain this edge. If we had Gayoom off our backs, I believe we would already have beaten India in the 90s. The fact however is that with or without the burden of Gayoom’s dictatorship, the Maldives DREAM TEAM seems totally UNSTOPPABLE. Good luck.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Maldives will take India very seriously in SAFF 2008 Male' Group
After last night's comfortable win, we are looking at our matches against Nepal this Thursday and India on Saturday. We will definitely not discount Nepal as a pushover. Superior aerobic endurance due to high altitude training is a factor our tacticians will address. India have to be taken still more seriously.
Our wonderful habit of punching above our weight in this regional competition have surprised, if not irritated "better" teams. But we must remember India have started moving!
Hiring English coach Houghouton is a departure from their previous strategy of relying on local coaches and at times cheap foreign coaches. Zee TV's recent interest in the Indian League and billionair Sunil Bharti Mittal interest in football coupled with the FIFA and AFC initiatives are loud and clear sign of progress. Already Indian officials are publicly stating that loosing to the Maldives will be a big blow for them. This is a sign of the pressure and anxiety that will build up for Thursday's match.
Loosing Position: While we happily celebrate our team's first win, member clubs must be mindful of the fact that they have had to start from a loosing position. Our National Team bears the brunt of a FIFA appointed interim committee that have unilaterally decided to field the Maldives National Team in this regional championship. The Maldives FA is however under "suspension" for not holding elections. This was 7 months ago last November.
It is a terrible calamity that the FIFA blindly descended on an unsuspecting Maldives FA and replaced government appointees with FIFA appointees citing government inteference. FIFA have however allowed this Interim Committee to happily go about their business without consulting member clubs as FIFA had previously accused the government appointees of doing. The FIFA had "sacked" these government appointees and replaced the FA with their own appointees. These FIFA appointees are apparantly not representatives of member clubs! The FIFA Official, AFC Secretary General opined, MOST football clubs in this country were "government controlled" as it was the case in Yemen. The strange twist is that this could not be further from the truth. Have the Dato' been taken for a ride?
Atoll based football clubs were the only democratic institution the government dared not meddle with. Thus the justification for selecting "individuals" rather than club representatives as per FIFA Statutes. While this may not have caught the ear of the average youth who grow up under President Gayoom's dictatorship, FIFA must responsibly understand it's implications with respect to international norms of democratic governence.
Democratic Governence: FIFA claims to subscribe to democratic governence through their Statutes and more pro-actively through their Associations Committee chaired by Geoff Thompson of the UK. The committee have met more than once since the Maldives FA's suspension 7 months ago. Surprisingly, our case have not featured in the committee's agenda at FIFA. The Maldives FA, in the meantime have been downgraded to the status of a mere "observer" at the recent FIFA Congress in Sydney, Australia.
Autocratic ways: This is a seriously disturbing case of the world body's autocratic ways. The FIFA went to great lengths to re-gain "nationality" for European teams at their recent Sydney Congress on 31 May. The was a breach of EU Law! Professional clubs were not happy.
FIFA actions through its appointees in the Interim Committee amount to an open declaration that the world body will dictate over Maldives clubs. The interim committee have, quoting FIFA instruction, already stipulated stiff conditions barring two thirds of member clubs from voting to ratify the new constitution. The clubs who passed this stiff criteria happens to be only a third of all member clubs. These are the clubs who have thrived on direct government handouts.
It was only last week that the FIFA threatned Iraq with suspension simply because the Iraqi cabinet dissolved the Iraq Olympic Committee.
The Maldives FA is under siege. FIFA is running the show. Unlike suspended associations, Maldives can not only play internationally, but can even host international competitions at the whim of the FIFA. This must be a worlds first!
Go for a WIN: Bizzare as it may appear, let us for a moment forget "FIFA inteference" and get down to winning the next two games. Good luck.
Our wonderful habit of punching above our weight in this regional competition have surprised, if not irritated "better" teams. But we must remember India have started moving!
Hiring English coach Houghouton is a departure from their previous strategy of relying on local coaches and at times cheap foreign coaches. Zee TV's recent interest in the Indian League and billionair Sunil Bharti Mittal interest in football coupled with the FIFA and AFC initiatives are loud and clear sign of progress. Already Indian officials are publicly stating that loosing to the Maldives will be a big blow for them. This is a sign of the pressure and anxiety that will build up for Thursday's match.
Loosing Position: While we happily celebrate our team's first win, member clubs must be mindful of the fact that they have had to start from a loosing position. Our National Team bears the brunt of a FIFA appointed interim committee that have unilaterally decided to field the Maldives National Team in this regional championship. The Maldives FA is however under "suspension" for not holding elections. This was 7 months ago last November.
It is a terrible calamity that the FIFA blindly descended on an unsuspecting Maldives FA and replaced government appointees with FIFA appointees citing government inteference. FIFA have however allowed this Interim Committee to happily go about their business without consulting member clubs as FIFA had previously accused the government appointees of doing. The FIFA had "sacked" these government appointees and replaced the FA with their own appointees. These FIFA appointees are apparantly not representatives of member clubs! The FIFA Official, AFC Secretary General opined, MOST football clubs in this country were "government controlled" as it was the case in Yemen. The strange twist is that this could not be further from the truth. Have the Dato' been taken for a ride?
Atoll based football clubs were the only democratic institution the government dared not meddle with. Thus the justification for selecting "individuals" rather than club representatives as per FIFA Statutes. While this may not have caught the ear of the average youth who grow up under President Gayoom's dictatorship, FIFA must responsibly understand it's implications with respect to international norms of democratic governence.
Democratic Governence: FIFA claims to subscribe to democratic governence through their Statutes and more pro-actively through their Associations Committee chaired by Geoff Thompson of the UK. The committee have met more than once since the Maldives FA's suspension 7 months ago. Surprisingly, our case have not featured in the committee's agenda at FIFA. The Maldives FA, in the meantime have been downgraded to the status of a mere "observer" at the recent FIFA Congress in Sydney, Australia.
Autocratic ways: This is a seriously disturbing case of the world body's autocratic ways. The FIFA went to great lengths to re-gain "nationality" for European teams at their recent Sydney Congress on 31 May. The was a breach of EU Law! Professional clubs were not happy.
FIFA actions through its appointees in the Interim Committee amount to an open declaration that the world body will dictate over Maldives clubs. The interim committee have, quoting FIFA instruction, already stipulated stiff conditions barring two thirds of member clubs from voting to ratify the new constitution. The clubs who passed this stiff criteria happens to be only a third of all member clubs. These are the clubs who have thrived on direct government handouts.
It was only last week that the FIFA threatned Iraq with suspension simply because the Iraqi cabinet dissolved the Iraq Olympic Committee.
The Maldives FA is under siege. FIFA is running the show. Unlike suspended associations, Maldives can not only play internationally, but can even host international competitions at the whim of the FIFA. This must be a worlds first!
Go for a WIN: Bizzare as it may appear, let us for a moment forget "FIFA inteference" and get down to winning the next two games. Good luck.
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