AUCKLAND – The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Executive Committee has issued a stern warning to rogue members of the Papua New Guinea Football Association (PNGFA) who are in breach of PNGFA, OFC and FIFA Statutes.
Gathering in Rarotonga at the weekend, the Executive Committee gave notice to Fabien Chow and Seth Daniel to stop their current actions or face the OFC Disciplinary Committee.
Letters were sent yesterday by OFC General Secretary Tai Nicholas informing both parties of the committee’s decision. Nicholas said their actions are a blight on the PNGFA.
“Chow and Daniel claim to have authority within the PNGFA but their claims are without foundation,” Nicholas said. “They are outsiders who bring a bad name to an otherwise well respected organisation that consists of hard working members committed to serving football.”
The warning to Chow comes after a FIFA/OFC Delegation report found that he was not duly elected as the PNGFA President despite his assertions to the contrary. Nicholas and Glenn Turner, FIFA Development Office, made up the delegation that went to Port Moresby in October 2008 to investigate the situation where there were two congresses of the PNGFA on 5 July 2008 during which Fabien Chow and David Chung claim to have been elected president.
The delegation found that since Chow could not produce any evidence or documents relating to his election he was not duly elected.
These findings were endorsed by the OFC Executive Committee during their meeting in Rarotonga at the weekend and Chow has subsequently been ordered to stop representing himself, writing in the name of or acting as the PNGFA President. If he fails to follow this directive, he will be referred to the OFC Disciplinary Committee.
Meanwhile, Seth Daniel has also been issued an ultimatum. Daniel was stood down as PNGFA Vice President at the PNGFA congress back in January 2007 for allegedly bringing the game into disrepute and at the time he said he would accept the decision of the organisation’s disciplinary committee. However, Daniel failed to acknowledge the PNGFA Disciplinary Committee and instead took out court proceedings against the PNGFA and against David Chung.
The FIFA/OFC Delegation investigated and found that filing proceedings in ordinary courts of law was in breach of Article 62.2 of the FIFA Statutes and Article 51 of the PNGFA Statutes.
As a result, the OFC Executive Committee has directed that Seth Daniel withdraw all court proceedings within 14 days of receiving the letter that was sent out yesterday by the OFC General Secretary. If he ignores this instruction, he will be referred to the OFC Disciplinary Committee and charged with a serious breach of FIFA and OFC Statutes.
Nicholas said the OFC is looking forward to these issues being resolved as soon as possible so that David Chung and his duly elected Executive Committee can continue building on the recent growth of football in Papua New Guinea.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Priscilla Duncan
Oceania Football Confederation
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Gordon Glen Watson
Oceania Football Confederation
Media and Communications
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M: +64 (0)21 994 520