Baghdad: Iraq moved closer towards suspension from soccer world body FIFA on Saturday after failing to elect a new president following political bickering.
A political power struggle has paralysed Iraq`s soccer federation, highlighting sectarian divisions in the country seven years after the U.S.-led invasion and three years after a multi-ethnic Iraqi squad triumphed in the Asia Cup.The government of Shi`ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has been trying to remove top officials from sport bodies suspected of ties to the Sunni-led former regime of Saddam Hussein.
Iraqi Football Association president Hussain Saeed, who once was a senior official of the Olympic Committee controlled before 2003 by Saddam`s feared son Uday, is facing a challenge from Falah Hassan, who is backed by the Shi`ite-led government. Both are ex-stars in the Iraqi national team.
The federation was due to elect a new president on Saturday but the vote was postponed until Sunday after only a minority of the 63 delegates showed up in Arbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, where FIFA had insisted the vote take place on security grounds.
A majority had gathered in Baghdad where the government wanted to hold the election to showcase improved security after the height of the sectarian warfare in 2006-07. Bombings and other attacks still occur regularly in the capital.
Saeed accused the government of intervening in the federation`s affairs, urging members to attend Sunday`s meeting in Arbil which would go ahead regardless of how many attended."I request members of the assembly who did not attend the Arbil meeting, who have been subjected to pressure, to attend tomorrow to participate in the elections," he told Reuters, warning that Iraq needed to avoid another international ban.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the meeting he also appealed Maliki to stop "intervening" by preventing some members of the federation from participating in the election assembly in Arbil.
FIFA requires governments to refrain from meddling in soccer federation affairs, and has already twice suspended Iraq, lifting the latest ban only in March on condition the federation agreed on a road map to new elections.
Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh declined to comment on Saeed`s accusations.
Saeed`s deputy Najeh Hmoud said in Baghdad the vote should be held in the capital where most delegates were gathered.
"Choosing Baghdad as the venue is the choice of the federation, not any other party. What matters is to save Iraqi soccer from problems that happened," he said in televised remarks.
In November, Iraq were banned for the second time in 18 months after the country`s Olympic committee disbanded their football association (IFA) and government security forces seized control of the federation`s headquarters.
The bickering has hit Iraq`s performance after hiring a succession of coaches and failing to qualify for the World Cup in South Africa. Last year, FIFA allowed Iraq to host its first friendlies since 2003. Iraq beat Palestine in two matches played in Arbil and Baghdad.
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.