A proposal put forward by Football Federation Victoria "just 24 hours before last week's fateful" Football Federation Australia annual general meeting could provide FFA Chair Steven Lowy with a "stay of execution from FIFA," according to Michael Lynch of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. With Lowy's key program of limited extension of the FFA Congress defeated, the expectation is FIFA will "sweep away" the chair and his board and "install a normalisation committee to control the game, at least in the short term." But a letter dated Nov. 29, signed by FFV Chair Kimon Taliadoros, a former Socceroo and the founder of the players' union, suggested the A-League clubs -- the "most staunch opponents of the Lowy-led board" -- failed to "act in good faith to find a consensus to end the conflict over the composition of a future FFA Congress." The letter urged the clubs and the players' union (another Lowy opponent) to demonstrate a "willingness and commitment" to reach a solution. Could Lowy -- who "did not rule out challenging the vote or taking the fight on to FIFA should the latter intervene and throw him and his board out – perhaps use this letter to argue for more time to reach consensus?" He "might be able to say to FIFA that one of the biggest groups who voted against him was not entirely comfortable doing so and still wanted more time to broker a solution" (SMH, 12/3).
POWER STRUGGLE: The AAP reported the Socceroos and Matildas will be "watching nervously for FIFA's next move amid the unlikely but alarming possibility Australian football's spiteful power struggle could affect their World Cup hopes." If Lowy challenges FIFA with legal action to "cling to his position," the worst-case scenario "could be disastrous." There is no precedent for the Socceroos to be stripped of their World Cup position, though such a move is "not impossible." Further putting Australia's 2018 World Cup spot in jeopardy are accusations the federal government "interfered with FFA's autonomy through lobbying, an issue on which FIFA is historically unforgiving." The allegations -- which the government denies -- went all the way to the Australian Senate last week and "carry risks for the Matildas' bid to host the 2023 Women's World Cup." Last month, Australian Federal Sports Minister Greg Hunt told a Women's Football Forum in Melbourne that "if FIFA were in administration of Australian sport, then we would not be successful. We know that, they have made it clear to us." Hunt also warned the government would withhold A$4M ($3M) in funding should FIFA "step in." On Thursday, Hunt's office said that "governance is a matter for the FFA and the sport" (AAP, 12/2).
