According to the decision of Executive Committee on January 22, 2011 is held presidential election of Georgian Football Federation. Only Davit Namgalauri a secretary of Sport Minister did not attend the meeting from 17 members, another members beside setting the date of election discussed 4 tasks.
At this meeting was affirmed the regulations for sport arbitration, which discusses football arguments. There was made change in championship regulations also.
The changes are the following:
- If the player is shown a red card at national championship of at Davit Kipiani Cup, due to 2 yellow cards he will miss two matches of the tournament where he competes.
The municipality of Lanchkhuti district was asking permission to change the name for “Guria -2000” competing in the first league. Due to debts, club’s property is distrained. Committee did not make any kind of decision and let Juridical Committee of federation to discuss this task within one month according to FIFA and UEFA regulations.
There is one more task about first league. The municipality of Tsalenjikha and Children Football Centre of Batumi “Adeli” ask executive committee to let them free from club license obligations. As far as you know “Skuri” (the 15th place) and “Adeli” (the 14th place) compete in the first league, but at it was found out, they have juridical status of football school. After discussing, committee decided not to demand club license within competing at first league. Of one of them go through the Supreme League, in such case they will be obliged to create football club and as a result of it will get license.
After the meeting of executive committee, the president of federation and general secretary held joint press-conference and talked about arguments for holding election on January 22. There were the following tasks in listing : Georgian National Match against Armenian one on February 9 in Cyprus, renewal of National Championship on February 12, planned presidential election of UEFA president, 2 qualifying matches of National Team in the same month (against Croatia and Israel), U-17 national team’s participation in Elite-Round, presidential election of FIFA in may. It is desirable to be known the name of GFF’s president before UEFA and FIFA presidential elections.
After the arguments, Zviad Sichinava the president of Georgian Football Federation answered the journalists’ questions.
- Are you going to put forward your candidate at the election?
- I do not know yet. I cannot put my candidate forward at the election, but if anyone who has right to nominate my candidate, will do it I will say more “no” than “yes”.
To my mind, there should be a lot of candidates in this election, because as it was said we cannot do anything. As we are informed from TV channels and newspapers there are people, who can do so many things, that there is no my place here.
- Those people were at your election time too (2009) and wanted to be at the head of federation, but then they changed mind and you were stayed without opponents.
- When they heard that, they would come only for one year at the head of the federation, that’s why no one put his candidate forward the election. Now there is election for 4 years and I am sure that a lot of people will show interest. So many people know football that our secretariate will have a lot of request for registration the candidates.
I can say one thing, that since today till the election I will not make any kind of comment. You can get necessary information from my secretary Tatia Burduli or press-speaker of federation Lasha Dvalishvili.
- In case of nominating your candidate…
- I repeat the same as I was saying a year ago, half a year ago and 2 months ago: more “no”, than “yes”. Because, as it was found out there are people in Georgia, who know football and say that my place is in theatre. I am ready to work in the theatre and believe me that there I am waited for. Those people who know football better than I do, can look through their biography and remind what they were doing while working in federation 6-7 years ago.
I can say that, whoever comes in January at the head of the federation, I paid back debts with those people who are offended by them, now we own Digomi base, where is built Euro standard complex. Federation owns stadium named after Mikheil Meskhi and UEFA will invest serious sum of money there.
I do not have problem in finding the job. I have a little business and live in usual Megrelian family, where I am a bread-winner in my family. I do not need being in federation due to income.
They saw that we have some progress and now they want to come at the head of federation. There are 53 tables at UEFA meeting, while being the president I have never seen that he president of UEFA to stand and give a personal visit to any of the table, but in each meeting Platini stands and comes to our table and says: it is the best federation.
Believe me, that it is not occasional that Mafsud comes for investment due to improve one of Georgian stadium infrastructure. For adding another high-class football arena in Georgia there is special money in UEFA budget 2011. It is no matter I will stay at the head of the federation or not, it is merit of me and my team.
What I am going to do? Nothing! It depends who will nominate me! He who will come at the head of the federation, firstly they should settle good relations with the government. When Professional League was in trouble, the first who helped federation and paid referees’ salary was the government.
I wish success to all the candidates who will be nominated. Supposedly, no one will like my one-paper program and will be brought 100-paper ones.
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Naturally, the general secretary Revaz Arveladze also was questioned.
- There were always talks about your candidate as a president of GFF…
- He who observes our private and job activities everything is clear. From my side I can say that, we managed to do a lot of things together. For me ideal version will be if we continue doing this job together. I have never betrayed to anyone and I am not going to do it now. We talked about it very often and if Zviad makes decision, I will support him with great pleasure again and will try to do our best.
- If Sichinava’s candidate will not be nominated, supposedly according to one team’s principal you will also leave federation.
R.A.- It is not task of today’s press-conference.
Z. S.- Rezi Arveladze stays in federation. None of the president of federation can work without him.
- More seriously?
- I promise that there will be nominated Sichinava’s candidate, but as for his decision, it is his right to decide. A lot of people, who have right of nominate his candidate by law will do it.
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It was the last words what were said at the last press-conference before presidential election of GFF. As it is written in regulations of holding the convention, on the second day of settling election 33 reps of general secretariate can nominate the candidate for presidential election. Deadline of nominating the candidates is January 12.
Phridon Kervalishvili
