Does the FFSL Constitution debase the sport!

How do you approach this constitution, not because it has served the sport with much value but more because of how it has been manipulated by continuous administrations over the years to serve narrow ends! The document that circulates freely is open-ended and undated. For what it is worth however, let’s examine some of its clauses to understand what it attempts to achieve!

For starters, let’s look at the opening Interpretation Clause! Even within this preamble, there are plenty of lacunas to drive any footballer nuts. For example, it is said under item 6, that the Congress is the Legislat ive Body of the Federation; which means that all statutory decisions are made by this body. The Congress, it must be noted is an annual event and is for all purposes an AGM. It is the Executive Committee (ExCo), (item 8) that oversees the day to day operation of the Federation but in practice all ExCo decisions are supposed to be approved by the Council (Item 7), which is called the Advisory Body. One can be left to imagine how an Advisory Body attempts to endorse or approve decisions of the ExCo, but that is the traditional practice. That is how and why the Leagues, ( Item 5), that constitutes the Council determines the outcome of most decisions that matter. Article 10 also underlines this relationship of the three bodies and its authority but the question of the Advisory Role of the Council prevails. It is best clarified by Article 11 –R which states that it shall determine policies and ratify decisions of the ExCo. At the base, remain the Leagues; whether they fulfill their obligations and qualify to remain in the Council is another matter. For long, we have been accustomed to the pedigree of the Paper Leagues as someone mischievously described it!

One need not nitpick but let’s select a few dribbles as we go along! The objectives as enshrined in Article 2 are noble and worthy of commitment. This is further buttressed under Article 3 – Membership, which determines that the ExCo must draw up a Code of Ethics, which has sadly never taken place. Under Article 11, the supremacy of the Congress is reinforced and election of office bearers defined. Inadvertently perhaps, all positions are rendered honorary, except that of the President and five Vice Presidents. From that edifice f lows the engine of the Federation, the powerful ExCO with considerable powers and duties. Some clauses are rendered AMENDED, but the ExCo is the dominant group within the Federation. Article 14 dwells on the Committees. Among them is the powerful Finance Committee. It is in that context that the frauds perpetrated on the FFSL at different times must be re- examined and resolved. Under the Media Committee is published a one liner which states, All Committees shall submit an Annual Budget of its activities to the Finance Committee for approval; how this line crept in here, defies imagination.

Where push comes to shove however, are the primary functions assigned to key officials. For example, the President has the unenvious task of being the legal representative of the FFSL, not much else. The Secretary General ( SG) is assigned the innocuous chore of liaison with the Leagues and convening FFSL Meetings. It is to the CEO that all the power- lines are attached. The job description defines that he manages the Secretariat and deals with the correspondence; thus mail from FIFA and AFC to the SG goes to the CEO for action. Delectable, one might say!

The FFSL had one other extraordinary committee which was the infamous Management Committee (MC). It came into being by a decree dated May 13, 2002 issued by the then CEO stating that the ExCo and Council had unanimously approved a proposal by the then President to appoint a MC to run the day to day affairs of FFSL. That Committee comprised of V. M. Fernando – CH, J S N Anandarajah – VC, S. Senaweera – SG, R. Rodrigo – Treasurer and C. Perera - CEO with G. Randeni the President as Ex-Officio Member. No prizes for guessing why the MC and CEO were surreptitiously planted in the FFSL. The subjugation of the FFSL had begun. It is indeed ironic that one of the first things that FFSL President Rodrigo did during his term was to persuade then Minister of Sports to dismantle the MC.

Now doing the rounds is talk of a FIFA Standard Constitution that all MA’s must adopt, the draft of which has been languishing for some years within Football House. FIFA attempted to prepare FFSL for this change with what was called a Performance Program. This initiative was effectively scuttled to prevent the reforms taking place. The Report of an HR study funded by FIFA also never saw the light of day.

This model constitution will run into direct conflict with the Sports Law but aims to take football out of the doldrums. It abandons the Leagues of old and includes new stakeholders including First Division Clubs, something many feel premature. Remarkably, the new statute provides for the President once elected to appoint the SG and only he is given that privilege, FIFA style! The SG, in turn, is classified as the CEO and designated to run the affairs of the Federation.

Interestingly, these statutes and its processes are subject to the Sports Law and that is the perennial challenge. It is in the interest of FFSL and the Sports Ministry to engage and resolve this hiatus before FIFA puts its foot down once and for all. FFSL should meantime summon its stakeholders and present the model statutes so that a greater debate will ensue and a balanced response given to FIFA. The Sports Ministry too must not be deterred in this task, because the delinquency of the current constitution and the devious agendas of the past must be put to rest so that Football can emerge from the dark ages.

KORNER KICK authored by a small group of Football Ombudsmen will attempt to trace what has ailed this popular sport for so long and examine the measures that may possibly cause a football renaissance in this country in the not too distant future.

Readers are invited to send their comments or observations to kornerkick@ gmail. com in order to create a meaningful discussion amongst football lovers in this country.