Football supporters wearing t-shirts that called for amendments to the Football Association of Maldives’s management structure and for the resignation of FAM Chairman, Abdul Shukoor were denied entrance to the National Stadium Wednesday night. Stadium security made the dissenting fans remove their t-shirts before entering the stadium to watch the Presidential Cup final match between Victory and Valencia. Leaflets disapproving of FAM that had been distributed amongst spectators were also confiscated by guards.
Yesterday’s incident followed a similar event earlier in the week when campaigners unfolded banners calling for Shukoor’s resignation at the game between New Radiant and Valencia. The campaigners have alleged that FAM is operating with scant regard for the laws on associations. They say that FAM is breeching the Association Act of the Maldives as the people sitting on its Executive Committee are not appointed representatives of groups or organizations belonging to FAM. A ccording to Minivan News, a past court directive had ordered FAM to conform to the Associations Act before July 1, 2006. "But to this day, FAM has not met the requirements."
Yesterday’s incident followed a similar event earlier in the week when campaigners unfolded banners calling for Shukoor’s resignation at the game between New Radiant and Valencia. The campaigners have alleged that FAM is operating with scant regard for the laws on associations. They say that FAM is breeching the Association Act of the Maldives as the people sitting on its Executive Committee are not appointed representatives of groups or organizations belonging to FAM. A ccording to Minivan News, a past court directive had ordered FAM to conform to the Associations Act before July 1, 2006. "But to this day, FAM has not met the requirements."