Home CONCACAF CSA board member to propose motion that Canada pull out of FIFA, CONCACAF

CSA board member to propose motion that Canada pull out of FIFA, CONCACAF

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Canadian Soccer Association board member Amelia Salehabadi-Fouques will submit a motion that the organization pull out of FIFA and CONCACAF.

In a statement made public on her website (CLICK HERE), the Quebec board member pledges to make a motion at Saturday’s CSA board meeting that would initiate a temporary separation between the CSA and FIFA. Of course, her motion calls for the separation to come only after the completion of the Women’s World Cup. The board meeting will be held in Edmonton, where the WWC opener is being held on the same day.

The first three points of her motion (translated from French):

1. FIFA: suspend CSA membership at the end of the World Cup of Women Canada until the time that full light and TOTAL cleaning are done in this organization.

2. CONCACAF: suspend CSA membership at the end of the World Cup of Women Canada, the time that light and cleaning are done in this organization.

3. Direct consequence of 1 and 2: the President of the CSA Board of Directors and all other persons (employees, officers, consultants, board of directors, etc.) of the CSA to immediately withdraw from setting on any committees of FIFA and/or CONCACAF especially as CSA is very busy with the World Cup for women in Canada and the establishment of even better practices in governance and transparency within our own association.

Salehabadi-Fouques, a Quebec based lawyer with expertise in international disputes, was appointed to the CSA board in 2013.

Her motion comes in the wake of the arrest of several key FIFA and CONCACAF figures by Swiss officials. Interpol has issued notification of arrest warrants. And the United States Department of Justice is expecting those charged, including disgraced former CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb, to stand trial in the United States. Traffic Sports, the Brazil-based superagency and soccer marketing firm, has already pleaded guilty to charges involving wire fraud.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter announced his intention to step down just four days after winning a fifth term and declaring “I am the president of everybody” to the FIFA congress.

Salehabadi-Fouques’s motion also calls for the CSA to publicize all gifts it has received from FIFA or CONCACAF in the last five years. The proposal would also limit the members of the board to only a single term; if passed without amendment, it would mean that CSA President Victor Montagliani would have to leave his post after his term is served.

If Canada pulled out of FIFA, it would likely mean an end to this country’s bid to host the 2026 World Cup.

In 2005, Salehabadi-Fouques was a subject of parliamentary debate. Then-Bloc Quebecois MP Johanne Deschamps asked why Salehabadi-Fouques was removed from the Canadian Commercial Corporation board.

From Hansard: “Mr. Speaker, Amelia Salehabadi, formerly on the board of directors of the Canadian Commercial Corporation, claims she was the victim of intimidation by board chair Alan Curleigh. She says that her term was not renewed because she had asked too many questions and had opposed a partisan appointment to the corporation.”

In 2011, after NHL enforcer Wade Belak took his own life, Salehabadi-Fouques issued a press release likening professional sport to the gladiators of Rome, saying that the “killing following sporting events” should have disappeared with the empires of the past.

 

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8 Comments

  1. footy

    June 6, 2015 at 1:26 am

    Yes that wil teach FIFA a lesson! What would they be without mighty Canada? I don’t understand how anyone can take this seriously…

  2. Soccer Fan

    June 5, 2015 at 5:55 pm

    Fouques motion is an embarassment to Canada.

    We need to help facilitate change from within Fifa and bring the organization back up in standing.

  3. Kahkakew Yawassanay

    June 4, 2015 at 5:37 pm

    It is an embarrassment and an insult to the beautiful game to have/had any World tournament hosted in Canada…between their inferior national teams, ugly stadia and the recent fad of the MLS marginal brand of football, any more successful bids are nothing but a mockery of the game…

  4. Hristo

    June 4, 2015 at 3:55 pm

    Besides putting an end to the bid on the 2026 World Cup, I’m guessing that would also mean that the Men’s National Team would be withdrawing from the Gold Cup this year, the World Cup Qualifying for 2018, as well as any other competitions. That’s a pretty hefty price to pay for withdrawing from organizations that are clearly in the process of having to reorganize. As bishop indicated above, why not be part of this process?

    That said, I woul dbe all for a separate motion that required all CSA members to declar all gifts they receive while serving their duties, period, from anyone (why limit this to FIFA and CONCACAF? What if it was Traffic Sports? or the USL? MLS or NASL? or the Koch Brothers for that matter)

  5. Mahieu

    June 4, 2015 at 3:34 pm

    Marcus, i am from Qc and I think this proposition is ludicrous. I find your comment equally as bad.

  6. bishopvillered

    June 4, 2015 at 3:33 pm

    There’s also no promise that a cleaned up FIFA would re-admit an association that bailed when there was heavy lifting to be done. Now, that’s not likely, but to walk away from the process of reform & improvement? Insanity! Why on earth would you leave when there’s legitimate chance to make meaningful change in how the sport is run?

  7. Marcus

    June 4, 2015 at 2:42 pm

    Of course something stupid like this comes from Quebec!

    That would set back the development in Canadian soccer by 20 years at least.

    • Kahkakew Yawassanay

      June 4, 2015 at 5:44 pm

      What development..Canada are a minnow in a small pond on and off the pitch in the world of football..they received the WWC as the only half arse suitable host, more or less was a gimee in lieu of any real decent proposals….MNT ranked 100+, woman’s NT are ranked at best 12th..out of what? Maybe 20 legitimate WNT if even that many…the MLS is a joke, nothing more than a league designed to maximize owner/investors profits as an employment equity league for inferior Americans/Canadian , marginal latin americans and over the hill or over valued European DP’s, all who other wise would be unable to find employment in any other world league….the NASL is not properly supported here and now a CSA shot in the dark proposal for a national league when all past attempts failed miserably….A Div 3 league at best will not improve the quality of players….Canada is a running joke and nothing has changed in 100 years as far as football goes no matter how biased one is or what they want to believe

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