Football: Zainudin to step down as FAS chief, election in June

FAS president Zainudin Nordin speaking to the media at a news conference after its annual general meeting. He said that the FAS needs revitalisation and a succession plan.
FAS president Zainudin Nordin speaking to the media at a news conference after its annual general meeting. He said that the FAS needs revitalisation and a succession plan. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

Singapore football will get a new chief next June, when the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) is expected to hold its election for office bearers.

Yesterday, FAS chief Zainudin Nordin, appointed in 2009, said: "More than a year ago I was ready to step down. Since then I have never changed my view, my view is there needs to be revitalisation of FAS. There will always be a succession plan. I will have to say... my position has not changed. I believe that you need to always have change for the future."

FAS vice-president Lim Kia Tong said the election is expected to take place next June, after the FAS amends its constitution and moves towards a full election process of its office bearers, thereby abiding by a Fifa directive "to... ensure that their own affairs are not influenced by any third parties".

Fifa was concerned as the FAS' constitution states that "all council members shall be appointed by the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (now called the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth) - including the president" for a term of two years.

Lim said the world body has emphasised that the amendments should include two aspects - first, that the term of office be four years, and second, that candidates be subjected to integrity checks before the election. These changes are expected to be finalised by March. In September, it advised the FAS not to change its office bearers until the constitution had been amended.

However, Lim stressed that the FAS had not flouted any rules. He said: "The minister in particular and the Government in general have not, over the years, in any way interfered in the running of the game all these years.

"For the last (33) years the system of (appointing) council members has been adopted without compromising the quality of the management and the administration of the game of football."

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 30, 2015, with the headline Football: Zainudin to step down as FAS chief, election in June. Subscribe