Outsider Craig Foster galvanises Australian soccer as FFA fractures

He has been shunned by the game’s local powerbrokers, yet Craig Foster orchestrated one of Australian soccer’s proudest moments, helping save the life of a refugee and semi-professional player.

Craig Foster is largely responsible for bringing Hakeem Al-Araibi back to Australia. Picture: Getty

• Coach sacking an epic own goal for FFA
• Refugee footballer Hakeem freed from jail

This is one of Australian soccer’s proudest moments, helping save the life of a refugee and semi-professional player.

Yet Hakeem Al-Araibi’s release was largely orchestrated by someone who’s been shunned by the game’s local powerbrokers.

Craig Foster’s fearless leadership and advocacy, coupled with the intense lobbying of several human rights groups, culminated in the safe return of Al-Araibi to his adopted country.

If not for the soccer community’s Australian-led global campaign, Al-Araibi would almost certainly already be back in Bahrain, subjected to torture and fighting for his life.

Craig Foster is largely responsible for bringing Hakeem Al-Araibi back to Australia. Picture: Getty

This is the same Foster who three months ago was deemed ill-equipped to join the FFA board – reasons ranging from a lack of business nous to being too divisive.

The contrasts in the #SaveHakeem campaign and the Alen Stajcic sacking could not be starker.

FFA has since descended into a full-blown crisis and driven another huge wedge into an already fractured soccer community, meanwhile Foster galvanised Australia and the world behind a player that barely anyone knew two months ago.

Foster so eloquently demonstrated through words and action – he took a huge risk twice travelling to Thailand to visit Hakeem in jail, for instance – soccer’s power to unite.

The silver lining to the ex-Socceroo’s board snub was it enabled him to advocate for Hakeem without fear or fervour.

FFA is not only alienating its own at grassroots level, but struggling to penetrate at Federal government level as well as Asia.

Foster’s campaign – with global sports union chief Brendan Schwab and Australian players’ union chief John Didulica providing a backbone – included top-line conversations at all those levels, while unifying the amateur game.

Foster got a standing ovation from the 150-strong crowd during a Skype hook up at last Friday’s season launch at Pascoe Vale, Hakeem’s NPL club.

Foster showed what the FFA board is missing. Picture: AAP

Pascoe Vale president Lou Tona paid tribute to his efforts.

“Craig Foster deserves a special mention, he’s made an unbelievable personal sacrifice,’’ Tona said.

“This is a proud day to be an Australian, this is what it’s all about, this is why my parents came here and we’ve demonstrated it here, 60 years later that it’s alive and well.”

Foster and Hakeem are greeted at Melbourne airport. Picture: Getty

There was some intensive politicking leading into the FFA elections, it’s time to put that aside and place soccer first.

Whether it’s a role on the FFA board – another three directors can be appointed – or a senior position on the executive team, this wrong must be rectified.

For a game that excludes a champion, true believer and shrewd operator like Foster from the main table should take a good hard look at itself.

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