No person convicted of a serious criminal offence should be entrusted with a senior leadership role in national football.
This has been highlighted by Fiji Football Association CEO Mohammed Yusuf after convicted drug dealer Aiyaz Mohammed Musa Umarji, who was deported from New Zealand after being released from Auckland Prison won the election for the Fiji FA’s Vice President West during the 87th Fiji FA Ordinary Congress yesterday.
The Fiji FA has clarified that they did not permit Musa to stand by its own discretion and his candidacy was enabled only because of the binding provisional order from the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland, which Fiji FA is legally obligated to comply with under international football governance frameworks.
Musa was convicted for importing 40.68kg pseudoephedrine into New Zealand with an estimated street value of NZ$5–6 million.
Fiji FA CEO Mohammed Yusuf says Musa was initially disqualified from candidacy by Fiji FA’s Governance Committee under Article 46(6) on Wednesday, however the Court of Arbitration for Sport issued a provisional order permitting Musa to contest the election.
The Court President specifically stated that in compliance with this interim ruling, Musa was allowed to stand for election but he has not been declared elected, he has not assumed office and his eligibility remains under review by Court.
This means that despite the win, Musa is not Fiji FA’s Vice President West.
He says the order was made on procedural grounds and does not represent a final ruling on the legitimacy or legality of his candidacy.
Yusuf says Musa is challenging Fiji FA Statutes that prohibits individuals previously found guilty of a criminal offence from holding executive office on the grounds that his guilty plea, conviction and 3 year and 6 month imprisonment in Auckland Prison cannot have an impact on his eligibility because the offence is not football related.
The CEO says they are vigorously opposing Musa’s challenge to contest the election on the grounds that there is no such a limitation in the Fiji FA prohibition and indeed the basis itself is a reprehensible because it would mean that offences such as sexual assault, rape and other serious offences would be excusable if it was not football related.
The CEO says Article 46(6) of the Fiji FA Statutes prohibits individuals previously found guilty of a criminal offence from holding executive office and Musa and the district nominating and supporting him for the position are aware of this prohibition.
He says they have to unfortunately acknowledge that a majority of the members at the Congress have voted for Musa and this clearly shows that they need to educate their members on the seriousness of drug abuse and the perception that an organisation like Fiji FA must give to the members of the public and to all people who work with, participate and send their children and family members to become part of our larger football community.
Yusuf says prior to the Congress, they did send a circular to their members in the hope that they would voice the integrity and reputation that they intend to hold for FA.
The CEO confirms Fiji FA will be launching a nationwide Integrity and Leadership Awareness Campaign, aimed at educating all member associations about the impact of governance decisions on public trust, reinforcing the importance of ethical criteria in the nomination and voting process and preventing future incidents that may place the sport or the institution’s reputation at risk.
He further says they remain committed to upholding the principles of clean sport and ethical leadership and are continuing to vigorously defend the position that Musa is ineligible under Article 46(6).
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