by Alam Zeb Safi
LAHORE: An official of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Normalisation Committee on Wednesday said that clubs have the option to file cases in the Appeal or Disciplinary Committee if they have any doubt that some fake clubs have been issued FIFA IDs.
“If any such thing is happening the clubs have the option to file cases in the Appeal or Disciplinary Committee,” an NC official told ‘The News’. Haji Saeed, a major football stakeholder in Balochistan, told ‘The News’ that he had informed NC about fake clubs matters.
“When scrutiny started and I saw the process I gave a report to NC that there are 40 to 45 such clubs who are bringing players from various parts just for getting voting rights. I told NC that even the well-established clubs can confirm that,” he said.
“If a new club rushes, casts its vote and then vanishes from the active football zone then it will not help football. If new clubs are given voting rights then people will go to courts and a quagmire will be created,” Saeed warned.
“I am in favour of new clubs registration but I am not in favour of giving voting rights to the new clubs,” he said.
Saeed said that opening bank accounts is also a big issue for the clubs. “Bank account is a bigger issue. Banks say that they are not allowed by the state to open bank accounts of the clubs. On Tuesday we wrote to NC that as banks are not allowed to open accounts of our clubs so the authorities (NC) should give them some relaxation,” the source said.
All clubs had been asked to submit bank accounts details with NC by January 31.
When this correspondent asked NC official about the bank accounts matter he said that they will handle all district-level issues at the district level based on how many clubs have been able to get accounts and will make decisions on this.
The official said that scrutiny of the clubs has been completed in 110 districts, adding it covers Quetta, all seven Karachi districts, most of KP and Punjab.
Asked about the security issues which NC’s team seems to be confronted with in Balochistan’s certain districts, the official said that there are several issues. “It is a combination of things. Currently it is difficult for us to guarantee security for the inter-district movement until after the general elections,” the official said.
This correspondent has learnt that the NC’s team did not want to go to Kohlu, Barkhan and Dera Bugti districts of Balochistan due to security fears.
Asked whether NC is going to hold district elections on the list of 2014 or newly registered clubs are being given voting rights, the official said that elections will take place following the constitution.
“The elections will be held as per constitution and clubs that fulfill the criteria outlined in the statutes will be eligible to participate in the voting process,” the official said.
The official said that the remaining scrutiny is expected to be resumed after the general elections, adding DFAs elections are scheduled within ten to 15 days after the resumption of the scrutiny process.
Key stakeholders in various provinces told this correspondent that they are waiting for the electoral list for the district elections. “We are waiting for the electoral list for the district elections and if new clubs are awarded voting right then we will go to court,” a stakeholder said.
A football expert told this correspondent that the playing right is given to a club for a certain period to prove its playing strength and demonstrate sustainability.
”Only after a certain period, once the playing right holder registered club has proven its capacity to continue as a club and capacity to participate in the official events, the voting right is granted to the club,” the expert said.