FIFA puts the boot into CFF

FIFA puts the boot into CFF

By Charles McDermid

The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) will not
recognize the recent presidential election held by the Cambodian
Football Federation (CFF) and may suspend it's $250,000 annual funding
to the Kingdom and ban Cambodian teams from international play,
according to a document obtained by the Post.

A letter to addressed to the CFF and signed by Joseph S Blatter,
president of Zurich-based FIFA, reads that "all the documents received
by FIFA conclude that Article 17 of the FIFA statute has been
flagrantly violated on the grounds of political interference... FIFA is
not in a position to recognize the so-called election."

The missive states that if the incumbent CFF leadership is not
reinstated by May 5 "it would force the FIFA president to propose the
suspension of the CFF with its consequences in terms of prohibition of
all football contests at world, continental and regional events."

The move follows accusations from officials at the Ministry of
Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) accusing former president Khek Ravy
of holding the CFF presidency unlawfully since 2003.

The allegations led to a snap election on April 25 in which Ravy was
replaced unanimously by Sao Sokha, head of the military police and
formerly a chef for Prime Minister Hun Sen. Sokha also maintains a
military police club team ranked fourth in the Cambodian Premier League
standings.

"I became president of the CFF because I wanted to help develop
football in Cambodia," Sokha told the Post. "We can see that football
in Cambodia has remained poor and lacks technical skill. I have just
started work and to understand the situation in the CFF. I am not sure
whether FIFA will suspend its funding."

The removal of FIFA funding would be the latest blow to an embattled
national program that has been mostly winless and wracked with scandal
for much of the past three decades. Cambodia currently holds a FIFA
ranking of 184th out of 205 countries.

"So far we haven't heard that FIFA will suspend the $250,000 annual
payment; we did get a letter from FIFA that said they will not
recognize the elections of the new committee," said Bon Sok, Secretary
of State for the MoEYS. "However, we will try our best to be recognized
by FIFA. They are our biggest sponsor for funding and training."

Outgoing president Ravy said that instability in CFF management
jeopardizes the momentum gained by the program through youth
development and grassroots programs.

"There's no bad blood," Ravy said. "I hope that good things will come
but only after some problem solving - for the better of the national
team and to bring back national pride."

Now in question is the status of the CFF headquarters outside Phnom
Penh. The facility, which has a training center and a football field,
was built with a $400,000 FIFA grant under the auspices of the Goal
Program. Also in doubt is the status of the Cambodian national team.
Before the 2005 SEA Games, Prince Norodom Ranariddh abruptly replaced
the CFF-sponsored national side with his private team Khemara which has
represented the country ever since.

"Right now there is no national team," Ravy said.

But Australian Scott O'Donell, the current CFF technical director and
former national team coach, said he had met with Sokha recently and was
optimistic that CFF management would soon be able to concentrate on
football.

"I just want to coach football again. I'm here to focus on football and
get the most out of the players; that's my job," said O'Donell, who
also serves as a football analyst for ESPN/Star sports.

"I think we should be able to compete with the Philippines, Brunei and
Laos. All it comes down to is the right preparation and training. There
are some really good players here."

O'Donell's contract with the CFF expires in 2007.

"I am studying the issue of Khemara being the national team," Sokha
said. "We will see what Khek Ravy can do in the future and Scott
O'Donell will remain as technical director.

"We will hold a congress soon and debate how to run the program and
bring Cambodia up to international standards."

Politics of the pitch



Late 1800s: French colonialists introduce football to Cambodia.

1933: Cambodian Football Federation and national team founded.

1953: Cambodia incorporated into the Federation Internationale de
Football Association (FIFA).

1960s-early 70s: National team one of the strongest in region.
Victories against India, Japan and China.

1972: National side captained by Som Saran considered the greatest in
Cambodian history. Places 4th in ASEAN Cup.

1975-1980: All sports suspended, records of football destroyed during
ongoing conflicts.

1987: Sin Sok of Department of Urbanism is elected president of
Cambodian Football Federation (CFF).

1994: Khek Ravy returns from France and the US and joins CFF. He says
that the CFF head office then consisted of little more than a few
chairs and a typewriter.

1995: In its first official post-conflict international tournament in
Thailand, Cambodia is thrashed 32-0 in four matches.

1996: German Joachim Fickert is appointed as the first foreign coach of
the national football team.

1998: Ravy, then Funcinpec Secretary of State in the Ministry of
Commerce, is appointed CFF president. Sin Sok challenges the results
but loses in Appeals Court. Cambodia reaches its highest FIFA ranking
at 156th out of 205 registered countries.

2002: Ravy secures a $400,000 contribution from FIFA for the
construction of a training facility near Phnom Penh. FIFA also agrees
to provide $250,000 in annual funding to Cambodia.

2003: Allegations of national team members betting against their own
team at SEA Games are dropped after a CFF investigation. However, Ravy
publicly calls players 'lazy' and says the team 'parties too much'.

July 2005: Ravy submits the CV of Australian Scott O'Donell, former
professional player and coach of Singapore's Geyleng United, to coach
the Cambodian national side. Prince Ranariddh approves the nomination
two hours later. At a welcoming ceremony for O'Donell, Ranariddh says
"You can count on my support. You are not alone. The Cambodian nation,
the Olympic Committee and the prime minister are behind you."

November 2005: Days before the SEA Games in Manila, Ranariddh replaces
national team with a private squad. New team is mostly made up of
Cambodia Premier League champion Khemara players. "Prince Ranariddh
thinks that Khemara should constitute the backbone of the national
team," says Ravy. "I think the Cambodian people are baffled by this
decision." At the Manila Games, Cambodia is outscored 0-10 in three
matches. FIFA ranking plummets to 184.

March 2006: CPP officials at the Ministry of Education, Youth and
Sports accuse Khek Ravy of holding the CFF presidency unlawfully,
saying they have called for new elections since 2003.

April 2006: Khek Ravy announces that an election will be held to
determine the future CFF president, and that he will run for
re-election. CPP Education Ministry Secretary of State Bun Sok denies
that the issue is part of a campaign to remove Funcinpec members from
positions of power.

April 25, 2006: Sao Sokha elected as new CFF president.


Phnom Penh Post, Issue 15 / 09, May 5 - 18, 2006
© Michael Hayes, 2006. All rights revert to authors and artists on
publication.
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