If internal disputes surrounding the Chinese Taipei Football Association (CTFA) elections are not resolved soon, soccer’s world governing body, FIFA, could suspend Taiwanese teams from participating in international tournaments or disband the CTFA altogether, officials said yesterday.
CTFA chairman Lin Yung-cheng (林湧成), who is vying to win the election, convened a board meeting yesterday.
However, a faction led by deputy chairman Kung Yuan-kao (龔元高) and board member Liu Fu-tsai (劉福財) — who are backing former CTFA chairman Chiou I-jen (邱義仁) — reportedly called for other board members to boycott the meeting and succeeded.
In the aftermath, CTFA officials released a statement, which said that efforts to convene a board meeting for members to vote on a new chairperson and board members would be renewed.
“FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation [AFC] have expressed concerns over our association’s pending election, and we have communicated the developments to them. We expect FIFA and the AFC to provide instructions regarding this matter in the near future,” the statement said.
“There is only one CTFA body for our country,” it said. “Any action that could result in FIFA suspending or taking over management of the CTFA must be prevented.”
“Persons or groups convening unlawful meetings that could result in punishment by FIFA or the AFC shall be held personally responsible for the outcome,” the statement said.
The CTFA election has been tentatively set for Aug. 11. It was supposed to be held in December last year.
Sports Administration Director-General Kao Chin-hsung (高俊雄) said his office would not take sides and he is doing his best to mediate the feud, which has resulted in some members being disqualified from voting.
The CTFA had earlier disqualified Chiou as a candidate in the election. Following an investigation, FIFA in May decided that Chiou was eligible to run for CTFA chairperson.
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