FIFA Criticizes Congress Members Following PFF Ban

Following the FIFA suspension of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), the global football governing body has chastised the congress members of the body once more.

While suspending the PFF with immediate effect, the FIFA noted in a letter to Haroon Malik, the head of the PFF Normalisation Committee, its failure to enact constitutional changes judged essential to ensure free and democratic elections.

FIFA’s letter sharply criticises PFF Congress members for rejecting the proposed constitutional modifications, claiming that their position compromised the integrity of the federation’s voting system.

FIFA said in the letter, “The proposal submitted by most PFF Congress members to restrict eligibility criteria for the position of PFF President would significantly reduce the pool of candidates and would go against the spirit of the Bureau’s decision to ensure free and democratic elections.”

Based on FIFA letter, most PFF Congress members, on January 20, 2025, wrote to the normalisation committee rejecting the PFF Constitution version that FIFA and the AFC handed them on November 18, 2024.

(PFF Congress Members)

They (PFF Congress Members) maintained that the pertinent adjustments should be deliberated upon during the PFF Congress on January 24, 2025 and that just the present members of the PFF Congress should be qualified to run for the PFF President.

But on January 21, 2025 FIFA told the pertinent PFF Congress members that the agenda of such congress could not be changed and that only the previously proposed adjustments by the normalisation committee would be taken into consideration and voted upon.

FIFA also noted that Congressmen seemed reluctant to carry out changes necessary for open and fair elections.

“Despite FIFA and the AFC’s efforts to convey the need of these constitutional amendments, the Bureau highlighted that most members insist on lowering the eligibility criteria, jeopardising the fairness and integrity of the future PFF Executive Committee elections,” it said.

Geo News has seen the proposed amendments; the clause pertaining to the eligibility to contest the PFF presidency was advised to be changed as “A candidate for the office of the president PFF shall have played an active role in Football management at any level (e.g as an official within PFF, at provincial/regional level, district level or within a club) or as player for at least 2 of the previous 5 years before being proposed as candidate.”

The FIFA letter made clear that the PFF suspension was intended “to ensure that the normalisation process of the PFF is not seriously compromised.”

2019?

In 2019 FIFA had set up a Normalisation Committee to monitor PFF electoral process and governance changes. Notwithstanding several extensions, internal conflicts and outside events such the COVID-19 epidemic consistently delayed the work.

The Normalisation Committee planned an Extraordinary PFF Congress for January 24, 2025, to approve the amended constitution. Four days before the conference, however, most PFF Congress members turned down the suggested changes, arguing that only present Congress members should be qualified candidates for the PFF leadership.

The PFF Congress met virtually virtually on January 24, and 19 of 25 members voted against reforms supported by FIFA. This rejection finally resulted in FIFA deciding to suspend the PFF.

FIFA has made it very evident that the suspension will only be released should the PFF Congress ratify the constitution written in concert with FIFA and the AFC.

FIFA also announced an extension of the mandate of the Normalisation Committee until July 31, 2025, therefore guaranteeing administrative operations even with the suspension and so preventing a leadership vacuum.