Warning to FFA, FIFA won’t hesitate to make change

FIFA has showed it doesn’t hesitate when turfing out football ­association boards — just ask soccer power Argentina — and that should have Australian soccer heavyweights concerned.

FFA chief executive David Gallop and chairman Steven Lowy front the media after a new voting congress wasn’t agreed to. Picture: AFP

FIFA has turfed out football ­association boards in eight nations in three years.

It is not just soccer back­waters that have had so-called “normalisation committees” ­installed. Argentina experienced the heavy hand of FIFA last year.

That fate possibly awaits Australia after the sport’s bitter battle for control came to a head last week.

Soccer stakeholders failed to agree on the composition of a new voting congress, the current version of which FIFA says is not democratic enough.

FIGHTING SPIRIT: THE COMEBACK TO IGNITE VICTORY’S SEASON?

INTEREST: FOOTBALL LEGEND SCOUTING SOCCEROOS JOB

Consequently, Football Federation Australia’s board is at risk of being replaced by FIFA.

The world governing body’s Associations Committee meets in Abu Dhabi on Monday night, where a recommendation will be handed to FIFA boss Gianni ­Infantino and his fellow FIFA officials, who will then stamp Australia’s papers.

FFA chairman Steven Lowy last week said installation of a “normalisation committee” — which would almost certainly cost him his seat at the head of the FFA’s table — was one move FIFA could take.

Former board members in Argentina, Cameroon, Greece, Guinea, Honduras, Guatemala and the Maldives will tell you that FIFA does not hesitate to instigate change if it sees fit.

FFA chairman Steven Lowy is at risk of losing his position. Picture: AFP

Australia’s fellow Asian Football Confederation member Thailand is the eighth country to experience such a fate since December 2014.

A “normalisation committee” — likely to be between five and seven Australian soccer figures appointed by FIFA — would be responsible for overseeing all Australian ­soccer affairs, including the composition of a new congress.

It would also organise elections for a new FFA board.

Argentina is the highest profile nation subjected to a “normalisation committee”.

Appointed in July 2016, FIFA’s intrusion brought to a head an uncertain two-year period after the death of long-time president Julio Grondona.

A split vote to find Grondona’s replacement brought chaos, which was exacerbated by the Argentine government pulling crucial funding.

Although the Argentine situation isn’t comparable to Australia’s, other FIFA interventions would have Australian soccer heavyweights concerned.

Cameroon (2017), Guinea (2016), Thailand (2015) and the Maldives (2014) had crackdowns after various degrees of stakeholder infighting, congress and election issues.