FIFA likely to convince PFF congress over constitutional amendments

It is highly expected that FIFA will be able to convince the newly-elected PFF Congress to approve the proposed constitutional amendments draft, which it had previously rejected, at the February 27 PFF Extraordinary Congress meeting to be held at Lahore.

After deep-rooted interaction with several sources in the PFF Congress it was felt that this supreme legislative forum of Pakistan football will not be able to show any sort of tough resistance to the delegation of FIFA and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) which will also attend this meeting physically.

According to well-placed sources AFC’s Purushottam Kattel, Vahid Kardany and Kirindeliyana Arachchilage and FIFA’s Rolf Tanner are set to attend this meeting at the Punjab’s capital.

A sort of disunity was felt among the Congress members and this may damage its interests. And this divide may help FIFA to get its job done and to get its proposed amendments in the PFF 2014 Constitution approved.

Congress in its January 24 Extraordinary meeting conducted virtually had rejected all the proposed amendments.

The Article 38, which defines the eligibility criteria for the PFF presidency, and 11 other statutes are under the radar of FIFA to amend. FIFA, specifically, wants to make wide open the eligibility criteria for the PFF’s president. And Congress does not want to do this. But Congress seems to go on the backfoot as FIFA used its pressure to suspend Pakistan after its proposed amendments in the PFF 2014 Constitution were rejected.

“I don’t think Congress will do anything,” a Congress source told Nukta.

“There is no leadership in our ranks and this is the main thing which can make the amendments easier for FIFA to get approved,” the source said

However still there are just a few Congress members who want to discuss this matter in the February 27 meeting.

“It should be deeply discussed. I have learnt that FIFA have told its related people dealing with the matter to at least listen to the PFF Congress and know about its grievances and let’s see what happens in the meeting,” a source said.

Congress feels if any such amendments are done, especially relating to the eligibility criteria for the PFF president, then it’s repercussions will be dangerous.

“Bringing three women Congress members directly is also controversial and we also want to discuss on this issue,” the source said.

Meanwhile a senior member of the PFF Normalization Committee was confident that the proposed amendments will be approved.

“Yes, we are confident as overwhelming majority of the PFF Congress has understood that the required amendments in the PFF Constitution will help Pakistan to move in the right direction,” NC member told Nukta.

It was also learnt that before the Congress meeting a sort of informal discussion of Congress members with the FIFA and AFC delegation will also be managed so that an understanding is developed before the formal meeting.

FIFA and AFC delegation will arrive in Lahore on February 26.

FIFA have already taken a stiff stance by suspending Pakistan and say that suspension will only be lifted when Congress will approve the proposed amendments.

This will be the third extraordinary congress meeting in three months.

The first had been held on November 19 at Lahore which was postponed after representatives of few departments forced their way into the meeting. Their congress membership had been suspended by NC. However, their case was then referred to the PFF’s disciplinary committee which heard it and restored membership of four departments barring PIA which did not pursue its case.