A three person delegation from FIFA, world football's governing body, and the Asian Football Confederation met several stakeholder groups in Sydney on Tuesday in the first of three days of meetings to help break the impasse over Football Federation Australia's failed attempts to expand its congress.
In their talks with groups representing referees, coaches, women's football, supporters, semi-professional clubs and male and professional players, the joint mission began to gain an unrestricted view of the root causes of each of Australian football's problems.
Two senior officials from FIFA, Nodar Akhalkatsi and Luca Nicola, joined by AFC's Ravi Kumar, sought to understand the grievances from each group, their roles in Australian football and, in particular, their concerns with the FFA and the state of Australian football. It was the first step towards establishing FIFA's road map for the future of Australian football governance and establishing how a congress review committee will work.
With officials from the FFA in the room, supporters representing fan groups of A-League clubs spoke candidly of being disengaged. A newly established group representing women's football, Women Onside, highlighted problems with gender balance in the governance of Australian football.
"They seemed very open to hear what we had to say, they say 'we're hear to listen'. Women Onside is not seeking a seat at the congress, we're here to advocate for more women represented and the women's game represented, neither of those are happening today," Women Onside's Catherine Ordway said.
Football Coaches Australia also produced their strategic plan.
"Both representatives from FIFA and AFC showed a detailed understanding of the current situation regarding coaches and were inquisitive about what needed to happen moving forward," FCA interim director Glenn Warry said.
When the joint mission met the Association of Australian Football Clubs, which represents clubs from the state leagues and is leading the push for a national second division in Australia, senior officials were understood to have been asked to leave the room. Three leaders from the AAFC met FIFA to push their case to be considered as a stakeholder in an expanded congress and the need for a second division of professional football below the A-League.
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"It was a very productive meeting with FIFA and the AFC for two hours. Again we clarified the position of the AAFC, in particular the importance of a second tier model – The Championship – but also the impact on the finances of the clubs, what it entails," AAFC chairman Rabieh Krayem said.
The players union, the PFA, were the last to meet with FIFA on Tuesday night.
It's understood the mission explained a resolution might not be finalised before the World Cup in June and normalisation – the process of removing the FFA board – remains a real option.
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SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
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