PFF Elections on hold as FIFA pushes for constitutional overhaul

In a bid to break the impasse created between FIFA and newly-elected Pakistan Football Federation’s (PFF) Congress, after the latter rejected the proposed amendments in the PFF statutes, Normalization Committee has started its mission to convince Congress members to approve the proposed amendments in order to pave way for holding the PFF’s elections.

Insiders told Nuktathat NC will be able to succeed in its mission to convince the required number of Congress members needed to vote for the necessary amendments in the 2014 PFF Constitution.

Congress in its Extraordinary meeting held virtually on January 24 with the officials of FIFA and AFC rejected the proposed amendments in the Constitution which complicated the situation.

Congress is the supreme legislative body and without its approval FIFA cannot go for necessary amendments.

Sources toldNuktathat there is a huge pressure on Normalization Committee and it is using all its links to convince Congress members to go for the necessary amendments which FIFA and AFC deem as direly needed at this stage before holding the PFF elections.

Sources said that some influential football stakeholders have also started backing NC and they will soon engage in a dialogue with Congress members in the federating units, Islamabad and departments to convince them that their move to reject the necessary amendments is too dangerous for Pakistan football.

If Congress fails to reconsider its decision, then anything may happen and Pakistan also may face suspension.

Sources said that even a former FIFA Development Officer also plans to play his role and convince Congress to approve the proposed amendments.

In January 24 Extraordinary Congress meeting, Congress initially rejected amendments in six statutes and approved the amendments in six but it was told by FIFA that it would either have to approve the entire amendments or disapprove them. And Congress rejected them in totality.

FIFA wants to make the PFF’s presidency eligibility criteria wide open in a bid to ensure more interested people could contest for the top seat. But the newly-elected Congress wants to restrict this to the 36 Executive Committee members of all the four federating units and Islamabad Football Association (IFA).

This correspondent has learnt that Congress’s top people have also started working to obstruct any move from NC to break the Congress.

NC is also under pressure as it has promised with FIFA and AFC that it would ensure Congress approve the required amendments as soon as possible.

NC’s mandate is going to expire on February 15 and it will definitely need a further extension if the impasse is broken.

If deadlock continues then anything may happen and FIFA may also take some stiff steps.

Legally Congress is the supreme legislative body and it cannot be forced for making any amendment in the Constitution.

FIFA seems to go against its own previous stance which it had shown in a letter it wrote to the PFF on June 28, 2019.

“The newly-elected PFF Executive Committee would then be asked with revising the statutes of PFF, jointly with FIFA and AFC, within one year of its election in order to bring them in line with the requirements of FIFA and the AFC.”

NC’s chairman Haroon Malik’s letter to Congress members on Wednesday conveying them the feedback from FIFA and the AFC following the rejection of the proposed amendments created a stir in Pakistan football community which direly wants the PFF elections at any cost.

“FIFA and AFC have opined in the strongest terms that while the Congress members want to be part of the FIFA family they don’t wish to align with the spirit and principles of FIFA and the AFC and the newly-elected Congress members have created a deadlock,” NC’s letter, duly signed by its president Haroon Malik, said.

“During numerous discussions, both virtual and physical, FIFA have been unwavering on the need for constitutional amendments for the future of Pakistan football and for the standing within the global football community,” it said.

“They also noted that FIFA’s commitment to compliance is no-negotiable. With the Congress members rejecting the proposed amendments there seems to be no viable pathway forward to resolve the electoral process or any other front including sporting development and participation,” the letter said.

“To resolve the impasse I will set up a series of meetings with each of you and through dialogue I hope that we can move forward in the spirit of football and for the betterment of our sport and all its constituents.”