Advertisement
FAM President Bassam Adeel Jaleel speaks to the media at Galolhu stadium on Tuesday, 19 July 2023. Dhauru Photo/Hussain Sunain

Defiant Maldives football chief rules out resignation

Bassam said he is working on many plans to strengthen the management of the FAM in the coming days.

19 July 2023

By Ahmed Sadhoof Moosa

Football Association of Maldives (FAM) President Bassam Adeel Jaleel said on Tuesday that he does not have to resign yet. 

Bassam, who is under fire for several setbacks in Maldivian football including the humiliating defeat in last month's SAFF Championship as well as allegations of financial mismanagement, met with journalists on Tuesday after a long time. The press conference was attended by FAM Vice President Ali Umar and Secretary General Hussain Jawaz.

The most frequently asked question by journalists was whether he would admit failure and resign. In response, Bassam said he would resign once the FAM member clubs decide that they do not have confidence in him.

Bassam said the clubs will determine who will run the FAM and he will resign when he loses the confidence of the clubs.

The two-term FAM president said he would not run for a third term once he loses that confidence.

"I am the one who has taken the biggest responsibility for everything in football today. So I hear those voices. Hopefully the necessary changes will be made," Bassam said.

Bassam added:

  • Failure should not be concluded after a single term

  • He achieved many successes in his first term

  • The biggest challenge in the second term was the financial crisis

Bassam said he is working on many plans to strengthen the management of the FAM in the coming days. The plans, Bassam said, are:

  • Technical changes

  • Administrative changes

  • Implementation plan

Bassam said meetings will be held with the media and other stakeholders to discuss the plans.

Comments

profile-image-placeholder