Nine zones must be represented in FAM congress: Save FAM

Save FAM has called for FAM [Football Association of Maldives]'s congress to be representative of all nine zones of the country, in accordance with the association's current constitution.

The call was made in a meeting between FAM, it's normalisation committee and Save FAM, which is a campaign advocating for reform within the Maldivian football scene.

During the meeting, FAM's former secretary general, now a representative of Save FAM, Shah Ismail, said FAM's 2016 constitution requires 44 delegates to be present in the congress.

However, the congress held in July 2020 amended the Dhivehi [Maldivian language] copy of the constitution and removed the provision on the establishment of interest groups.

Shah pointed out that although the Dhivehi copy was amended, the constitution valid in the eyes of FIFA would still be the English version.

“Article 8 of the constitution says that if there is a conflict of interpretation, the English [version of the] constitution has to be considered,” Shah said.

"If the FIFA-approved regulations are followed, there will be 44 delegates from Maldives' nine zones and interest groups, in each congress."

Hamid Abdul Ghafoor, who attended the meeting and is a football critique, said FAM's normalisation committee's President Ahmed Muizzu, had previously said that the amended 2020 constitution had been translated to English.

Hamid also pointed out that an English translation of the amended constitution is available on the AFC website.

"The AFC website says it is an English translation of the constitution that was passed in 2022. It doesn't indicated that it was approved by AFC," Hamid said.

He went on to say that even if the amendment regulations were considered, the congress would not have clubs from only one zone

“Article 22 (c) of the translation also clearly states that there should be representatives from the nine zones of Maldives,” Hamid said.

Hamid, who was also the FAA Secretary General, said the former FAM leadership had acted in violation of the constitution.

"Everyone will hope that the normalization committee appointed by FIFA would not act the same way. But the last extraordinary congress also was held in violation of the constitution with only one zone being represented," Hamid said.

He went on to say that FIFA had entrusted the FAM's normalisation committee with the task of reviewing the constitution.

"Even if it is amended, it must be done by a congress held in accordance with the constitution. A congress held without representation of all nine zones of Maldives will be unconstitutional," he said.

The normalisation committee is preparing to hold a congress next month to amend the FAM's constitution.

TC Sports Club has also taken the initiative to propose amendments to the bylaws. The amendments, which were supported by 10 clubs, would create sub-associations in four zones on the country within a year, if passed. It would also see the league format being developed in four zones of the country within two years.