AusLeisure

Leading female football advocate and official Moya Dodd has failed to retain a place among the senior decision-makers at world football governing body FIFA after losing out in elections staged by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

The AFC’s member associations today (8th May) elected Mahfuza Kiron of Bangladesh, Zhang Jian of China, Chung Mong Gyu of South Korea and Mariano Araneta of the Philippines for the four places allocated to Asia on the FIFA Council at the AFC Congress in Manama, Bahrain.

With three male positions available, Chinese Football Association General Secretary Zhang, President of the Korea Football Association, Chung; and Araneta secured their positions by acclamation.

For the single female seat, Kiron secured the simple majority required, obtaining 27 votes over Australia’s Dodd who received 17 votes in the first round after Han Un Gyong  of North Korea and Susan Shalabi Molano of Palestine withdrew from the contest before the election.

Dodd had previously been a co-opted member of the executive committee of world football’s governing body, which was scrapped last year due to the formation of the FIFA Council.

After the vote, the Reuters news agency reported Dodd as stating “naturally it is disappointing.

“I'd hoped I had done enough in the few years I was part of Fifa to persuade people that I should have another shot at it.

“I think I will always be an advocate for women's football... there are still a lot of ways to contribute. I am still a member of the AFC executive committee and of the board in Australia and I have other involvements.”

Dodd's failure in being re-elected may be a result of the Football Federation Australian having stalled in implementing a FIFA requirement to implement new governance measures. 

As part of the FIFA reform process, the AFC will now have seven members on the FIFA Council – an increase of three from before. The reforms also aim to increase the role of women in football governance and each continental confederation will have one female representative on the new body. The term of office for all the FIFA Council members is from 2017 until 2019.

The path to determine the AFC’s male representatives was made easier last week as Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah of Kuwait resigned from his various positions in football after allegations of financial impropriety emerged.

Sheikh Ahmad - who is also the head of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), president of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) - has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. 

1st May 2017 - CONTROVERSIAL KUWAIT FOOTBALL OFFICIAL RESIGNS FROM ALL FIFA POSITIONS 

10th February 2017 - MELBOURNE VICTORY CHAIRMAN WARNS FFA OVER FUNDING AND DECISION-MAKING

30th January 2017 - A-LEAGUE CLUB OWNERS UNHAPPY AT FFA’S VISIT TO FIFA

28th October 2016 - MOYA DODD PRESENTED WITH MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMAN AWARD 

5th November 2015 - AFC PRESIDENT’S FIFA PRESIDENTIAL BID MIRED IN HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE ALLEGATIONS

1st June 2013 - MOYA DODD LOSES FIFA ELECTION BUT GETS CO-OPTED TO ITS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

8th May 2013 - ASIAN FOOTBALL UNITES TO ENDORSE MOYA DODD

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