End of an era: Lowy concedes defeat but fears for game’s future

Outgoing FFA chairman Steven Lowy says he fears the worst in the power base of the sport in this country.

FFA chairman Steven Lowy yesterday. Picture: AAP.

Outgoing Football Federation Australia chairman Steven Lowy says he fears the worst after suffering an all-too-rare defeat that will see a dramatic shift in the power base of the sport in this country.

Yesterday’s development also opened up a number of questions around the future of the proposed expansion of the A-League, who will succeed Lowy, who announced in August that he was stepping down at the FFA’s AGM in November, and the make up of a new board.

Against Lowy’s wishes and despite some last minute manoeuvring, the governance of the sport will undergo a major overhaul in the wake of significant constitutional changes that were voted in at a special general meeting in Sydney yesterday following the tabling of two resolutions.

Under the first resolution, FFA’s Congress will be expanded from 10 members to 29, allowing for more representation for the A-League clubs plus a voice for the players’ union and the women’s game.

Previously Congress was made up of just 10 votes — the nine member federations and one vote (combined) for the A-League clubs. It was this imbalance that caused world governing body FIFA to intervene and which resulted in the formation of a Congress Review Working Group which recommended a raft of changes.

The decisions yesterday could also open a Pandora’s box given FFA’s financials records are now likely to be open to public scrutiny.

Another resolution was also passed which will allow all member federations to have a say in a new model for the A-League.

That model is expected to be agreed on by March and put into place in time for the start of the 2019-2020 season. It is expected the A-League will become independent of FFA.

It is understood the vote for changes to the Congress was passed 8-2 with Northern NSW and the Northern Territory reportedly voting against. Had there been one more dissenter, the vote would have been defeated, leaving FFA open to severe action from FIFA.

The second resolution was passed unanimously.

Just how yesterday’s developments will affect the expansion of the A-League remains to be seen. The current FFA board was expected to decide on two new clubs to expand the league to 12 teams by the end of October. But, that could be left to the new FFA board, which will be voted in at an AGM next month.

There were suggestions it should be put on hold so that the new board could be involved in the decision.

A clearly deflated Lowy, who decided in August to step aside because of “football politics”, did not hold back in expressing his concerns for the future of the local game.

He had fought tooth and nail over the past two and half years to try and retain the balance of power for FFA. Up until Monday night he had been working to get extra support to defeat the resolutions, but the last nail was hammered into the coffin early yesterday morning when FIFA wrote to him and declared they expected the resolutions to go through.

Lowy, who yesterday confirmed his decision to resign from the position he has held since taking over from his father, Frank, in November, 2015, acknowledged the right of the member federations “to give effect to their views through today’s vote”.

However, he made it clear he and the board does not believe it will be in the best interests of the sport.

“Clearly the FFA board is extremely disappointed at the outcome of today’s meeting and we believe the loser is the principle of independent governance,’’ a defiant Lowy said.

“The implications of today’s decision will be played out over time. I hope for the best for the game but I fear the worst.”

Lowy said his greatest concern “revolves around a (future) board that really requires pretty much the support of the professional game plus only a couple of states”.

“Suffice to say, our game has crossed a red line from a corporate governance model to one where stakeholders with vested interests will compete for power and (financial) resources,” he said.

It is likely Lowy will be followed out the door by a number of board members, most likely Kelly Bayer Rosmarin and Crispin Murray.

Former Labor senators Stephen Conroy and Mark Arbib have been mooted as a possibility as has current board members Chris Nikou and Danny Moulis, a former Socceroo.