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KARACHI: It remains unclear what happens next. For now, there is no clarity over the future of the Pakistan Football Federation. More clarity is expected over the next week when global football body FIFA decides the course of action to hold the long-awaited elections of the PFF.
The path towards the holding of the elections would’ve been laid during the online meeting of the PFF Congress on Friday but the recently-elected members overwhelmingly rejected the amendments to the constitution that FIFA was pushing for.
FIFA had specifically wanted changes to the clauses regarding the eligibility of the PFF president, opening the elections to beyond just the members of the PFF Congress and officials. They were rejected 19-6 with 25 members present during the virtual meeting.
Those involved in the meeting told Dawn on the condition of anonymity that FIFA officials concluded the meeting stating that the “elections will now have to be held according to the 2014 constitution”.
That, in itself, has issues with FIFA having previously stated that it had to be “aligned with the requirements of FIFA and the FIFA Statutes”.
Whether that is the case after the Congress’ rejection of the amendments remains to be seen.
Among the country’s football circles, there was already talk that the mandate of the FIFA-appointed PFF Normalisation Committee, which was expiring on Feb 15, will have to be extended as the constitution allows the candidacy of the president valid only if he/she is proposed by two members of the Congress two months before the elections.
A source in the PFF NC told Dawn that there will be more clarity on the situation once FIFA holds a meeting with the officials of the NC in the coming days.
Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2025
