FIFA Delays Football Federation Australia Intervention

FIFA's "planned intervention into the governance of Australian football has been delayed," with Football Federation Australia's Nov. 30 "deadline to sort out its affairs creeping closer," according to Emma Kemp of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. A joint delegation of FIFA and Asian Football Confederation representatives was set to arrive in Australia in late July to "mend the rift between divided stakeholders and end their impasse on a new, more democratic congress demanded by FIFA." If the congress is not in place by the November deadline, FIFA will "disband the FFA board" and remove Chair Steven Lowy. FFA CEO David Gallop said, "We're working to get a resolution that means we don't get to that stage. We're still looking to finalize the date but it's likely to be in early August" (SMH, 7/17).