FAM conducts national elections with 11 votes!

The FAM conducted its first ever elections with a mere eleven (11) clubs, 9.00am this morning at the Social Education Center in Male'. The AFC and FIFA were present.

Ex-national players, Dhonbiley Ahmed Haleem, Ahmed Shaahid (Saabe) and I with a number of Atoll as well as Male' based clubs are lobbying to get VOTING RIGHTS for over 60 FIFA recognised clubs in the country. Over 80 clubs participate in FAM organised competitions annually.

We went to the Congress venue this morning and appealed to all 11 voters to discontinue this discriminatory practice and join our lobby to get voting rights for all member clubs. Unfortunately none of the eleven clubs were willing to consider this for the time being.

We feel the reason for this reluctance is a lack of UNDERSTANDING of the issues at stake and intense FEAR. Our clubs have been abused by a state system that have restricted civil society development through a 1982 law. This law was overturned in 2003. It appears 4 years is not enough to calm the nerves of these clubs. Our media suffers from the same condition as the clubs. Years of media restriction have not developed journalists, especially sports journalists with the knowledge and appreciation for sport and it's specific nature.

The intimidation was very apparant. When we turned up at the venu, there was significant police presence, some in rather "sporting" gear! We also enjoyed the presence of a few "boys" who had a reputation for manipulating public opinion through intimidation. We were warned by one of the candidates (who probably sent the "boys") that we will also be arrested if we protested this morning. Therefore corruption and intimidation is the norm rather than the exception.

It is however been very perplexing that the FIFA and the AFC sent officials to oversee this elections that were conducted in violation of not only Maldivian laws of association, but FIFA Statutes as well. We have yet to see how this case holds up in Maldivian courts and International Court of Arbitration for Sports in Geneva.

New Radiant's Azim and Hiyalee Mohamed Rasheed from Valencia managed the majority of these 11 votes to win the Presidency and Vice Presidency respectively.