FAM election cancelled

The election of the Football Association of Maldives (FAM) scheduled for tonight has been cancelled.

A statement from FAM today said that since the relevant institutes of the Government has not permitted; their election scheduled for 22 October to elect the executive committee for the next four years has been cancelled.

They said that the election had to be cancelled at the last minute because the efforts by FAM, AFC and FIFA failed to get permissions to hold the election.

The statement said that since the election is cancelled, all relevant information would be given to the AFC and FIFA.

“And a report would be made by officials of FIFA and AFC on the meetings with the FAM Normalization Committee, Minister of Youth and Sports and Minister of Home Affairs in the past two days.” The statement said. “After reviewing the report, relevant bodies, the likes of FIFA’s Emergency Committee would discuss on how to proceed.”

FAM said that if the Extra Ordinary Congress cannot be held today, AFC and FIFA have warned to take steps against the Maldives.

When counsel was sought from the Youth Ministry about the amendment to the FAM regulations not being submitted and passed by the Registrar of Clubs and Organization, the Attorney General advised today that the FAM regulation cannot be followed and is unwise to hold the election under that regulation.

But the FAM said that all documents that need to be submitted to the Home Ministry has been submitted. And they said that the amendment to their regulations was made at the presence of officials from the Home Ministry.

The Executive Committee of FIFA has extended the validity of the FAM Normalization Committee has been extended to 31 October 2015. The Normalization Committee was formed by FIFA to strengthen the main organization in Maldivian football.