Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (FIFA.com) – FIFA’s Executive Committee will receive a report on Ethiopian football next month, following a joint FIFA/CAF mission to East Africa between 17-18 February. The Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) is currently suspended from all FIFA and CAF activities.
At its Executive Committee meeting in Tokyo between 19-20 December, FIFA accepted an invitation extended by the Minister of Sport Mrs Aster Mamo to discuss the implementation of a roadmap for the return of the EFF in the football family.
Two core elements to the progression of such a roadmap as outlined by FIFA and CAF were:
* the return of the Ethiopian Football Federation’s headquarters to EFF President Dr Ashebir Woldegiorgis; and
* the immediate convening of a General Assembly, upon the return of the EFF headquarters.
In order to ensure that the views and opinions of the myriad of stakeholders involved in Ethiopian football were able to be expressed, the FIFA/CAF mission met with the State Minister of Sport, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, as well as with the EFF President, members of football clubs, the Coaches Association and the Referees Association. These meetings included discussions with stakeholders who oppose the current EFF President.
FIFA was represented by Associations Committee member Harold Mayne-Nicholls, who is the President of the Chilean Football Federation, while CAF was represented by its Executive Committee member Adoum Djibrine. They were accompanied by FIFA’s Director of Member Associations and Development Thierry Regenass.
The FIFA Executive Committee will next meet at the Home of FIFA in Zurich on 19 and 20 March 2009.