MANILA, Philippines – Former Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Jose Mari Martinez struck back at the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) for favoring his ouster from his post.
In a letter addressed to FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke, Martinez said the world’s football governing body has came out with a one sided decision regarding the dispute embroiling the PFF leadership.
“I absolutely cannot accept your one sided, unfair and unjust decision which reeks of impartiality. Your decision was/is based on loose and questionable evidence,” the embattled PFF official said in his letter.
FIFA, , also known as the International Federation of Association Football, earlier acknowledged the removal of Martinez from PFF presidency, citing that the move was made according to PFF statutes.
Last November, the PFF Congress voted to remove and replace Martinez "due to unauthorized disbursement of PFF funds, falsification of public documents, and failure to return missing funds before a set deadline."
The resolution to have Martinez removed was voted by 26 of the 33 total PFF congress members.
However, Martinez claimed that most of those members who voted against him should have not been given the chance to elect a new PFF president.
"Those who voted are not members of good standing as all their documents (SEC registration) are either incomplete, non existent plus whose status are in arrears,” he said.
He added that his impeachment was not included in the agenda of the PFF's 7th Ordinary Congress on Nov. 27, 2010 when he was removed from his post.
In issuing such ruling, Martinez said FIFA has effectively violated its own directive last Dec. 3, calling for status quo and convening of a special PFF congress after 90 days.
Martinez said he will file a case with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to overturn FIFA's decision.
Martinez also challenged FIFA to send a representative to Manila to conduct an impartial investigation on the leadership squabble.
The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF), meanwhile, sided with Martinez regarding the issue.
In a letter sent to Valcke, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Mohamed bin Hammam said he will join Martinez in challenging FIFA's decision at the CAS.
"The action taken by FIFA is a clear indication of your intention to interfere with the AFC coming elections. The same way you did in our Congress in 2009 and I will not tolerate such interference," said Hammam.
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5 hours ago
First of all, Merry Christmas to everyone!
ReplyDeleteSecond. OMFG!!! This guy just can't accept that nobody here likes him! WTF is this guy on about?!
In reaction to AFC President Hamman accusations
ReplyDeleteFIFA wrote AFC and stated that FIFA is not interfering in the AFC election and that AFC will have to recognize Nonong Araneta as thre legitimate President of the PFF!
Martinez and Hamman are one and the same-------SCUMBAGS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That guy is really pushing himself to the limits. I dont know if he's a stupid scumbag or just playing foolish games upon us.
ReplyDeleteHe should understand that nobody wants him here.
What i find interesting is that when fifa (by the dep gen sec and not the gen sec himself) wrote the first letter still recognizing him as president, no such thing as "FIFA" interference. It is becoming clear now that the second FIFA letter interferes with his personal plan to enrich himself at the expense of football development. I hope that indeed FIFA sends a representative and once for all discover all the mess he made in the PFF. I wonder, how much did he earn just be surrendering the Azkals home game to Indonesia. Paging BIR.
ReplyDeleteThe money Martinez may have made surrending the the home game to Indonesia is peanuts compared to what he may make in the coming AFC election particularly the election to the FIFA excom this coming January-------if he would still be recognized as the PFF President.
ReplyDeleteMartinez was never about football--------it all $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!
Hammam barely won the FIFA excom vote to his Qatari opponent. I hope martinez drags him down.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI work on a blog called I Luv Football and am currently looking for someone to interview regarding Filipino football and the current teams e.g. young prospects, top three players in the league and maybe your thoughts on how the Premier League has impacted on Filipino football etc. Could one of the guys that works on your site take 10 minutes out to assist please? Your site will be mentioned and linked in the article and i would be grateful for any assistance you could give me. Should you agree to this I will email you the questions I want to ask you.
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Email: iluvfootball@hotmail.co.uk
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For martinez to claim that these Provincial Associations are not in good standing, besides pulling hairs can also work against him. These PA's have probably been that way since time immemorial and if this is the case, then since most voted for him, then martinez' presidency is likewise invalid.
ReplyDeleteFor any Provincial Regular Member Association to be stripped of their voting rights due to unfulfilled obligations there must be a Board of Governors resolution adopted for such suspension to be valid.
ReplyDeleteThere is no such resolution therefore the complaint of Martinez can't stand and all those who cast their votes for the ouster of Martinez is legitimate and legal.
Merry Christmas to all! I think the decision of FIFA has finally lifted the gloom on the immediate future of Philippine Football. This time the decision was in favor of the true football stakeholders but the fight isnt over. Martinez has amassed a lot of wealth over the years and his great relationship with the equally evil bin Hamman still makes them a serious threat on what they can do to Philippine football. We should not let our guard down. This Bin hamman will protect martinez as he is a political ally and he does not care about the status of Philippine football. How influential was Bin hamman in facilitating the $250,000 annual funding under Martinez reign? I am pretty sure he did not have the well being of our footballing future in mind. How can he protect Martinez now and not even question all the shady deals and missing funds. Anyone with a conscience would at least raise these issues instead of bringing up all these technical rules that can not answer the question of corruption and misappropriations in the PFF.
ReplyDelete