FA Chairmen Lose Ground As FIFA, CAF Favour Normalization Committee
The push by some State Football Association chairmen for a Caretaker Committee to run the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) appears to be losing support.
Reports indicate that FIFA may favour a Normalization Committee as a way to address the leadership crisis in Nigerian football.
The development followed consultations between the FIFA and CAF delegation currently in Nigeria and key stakeholders in the country’s football administration.
Four of the five NFF stakeholder groups consulted reportedly backed a Normalization Committee instead of a Caretaker Committee. They include the Players’ Union, Football Coaches Association of Nigeria, league bodies and Nigeria Referees Association.
This has weakened the position of some State FA chairmen who have been calling for a Caretaker Committee following the resignation of several NFF leaders, including the General Secretary.
One major issue in the debate is the FIFA Statutes.
While a Normalization Committee is a recognised FIFA arrangement that can be used in special situations to restore order in a member association, a Caretaker Committee is not provided for in the FIFA Statutes.
FIFA also places strong importance on the independence and proper governance of its member associations. Any temporary arrangement must therefore follow FIFA rules and the statutes of the football federation involved.
The latest consultations suggest that the Normalization Committee option is gaining more support among stakeholders.
The committee, if approved, could be given the task of restoring stability, reviewing the NFF’s governance structure where necessary and preparing the federation for a return to elected leadership.
The FIFA and CAF delegation is expected to continue its consultations on Tuesday with members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), former NFF presidents and former NFF General Secretaries.
The delegation will also meet with the National Sports Commission before ending its visit to Nigeria and returning to FIFA headquarters in Zurich.
The outcome of the meetings is expected to provide more clarity on the next step for the NFF and how FIFA and CAF plan to resolve the current leadership crisis.
For now, the balance of opinion among key stakeholders appears to favour a Normalization Committee over the Caretaker Committee being proposed by some State FA chairmen.
