FQ is trialling a new model of governance which effectively takes the 'community' out of community clubs
An odd little letter crossed our email box recently (from at least five different sources).
It was written by the Football Australia's (FA) Head of Legal, Business Affairs and Integrity Tim Holden, to the Football Queensland (FQ) CEO which the FQ CEO, in turn, circulated to all clubs in the state. Holden’s letter set out the “governance framework” in football with which all entities associated with football must comply.
The letter is odd, not because it says anything particularly newsworthy but because it’s unspectacular. In effect, it is a summary of the governance framework that could have been put together by a Year 12 Legal Studies student.
Holden explains there is a hierarchy that starts at the top with FIFA, which reaches to FA as the national member association, and moves down from FA via state federations and regional associations to clubs with all obligations flowing downwards while, as we know and have long written about, in Australia at least, money tends to flow upwards.
The one bit Holden does miss out is the requirement of football entities in Australia to comply with Australian Corporations Law.
In somewhat typical football fashion, ‘FIFA’ and ‘FA’ law are seen as being above national or jurisdictional law. This is something FIFA has long relied upon, and beaten what they see as recalcitrant member associations about the head with. In the rare circumstances where it has been tested, it has been shown not to be the case. The Right of Nation States to make Laws 1, FIFA 0. But I digress.
The issue here is why Holden wrote the letter and why the CEO of FQ felt the need to circulate it. It is as if it was being used to beat Queensland clubs about the head to assert authority.
To get an idea of why the letter was necessary, it’s worth rewinding to November 2020 when FA CEO James Johnson told a rapt audience at the Football Writers’ Festival* that FA was working with a state federation he declined to name for reasons which were a little odd also – not least because almost everyone knew it was FQ – to “trial a new model of governance”.
We wrote about the opportunity for football governance to be fit for purpose in March last year. In this respect, we applaud the fact that FA and FQ got together later in the year to come up with and trial a new model.
However, what may have been better was for FA to partner with a number of federations to trial different models, especially as in the case of Queensland, for example, they are non-compliant with FIFA Statutes in key areas such as democratisation of representation. In other words, what might work in Queensland, may not be applicable, relevant or welcome in another state.
While FQ may be better placed to push through change, that is only effective if those who actually need to implement it - in this instance grassroots clubs - are part of the change process and in support of it.
The fact that many clubs do not understand the changes, or the reason behind them, is not a good sign about the consultation process to date.
FQ President Ben Richardson told me in February that the resistance of some is because people want to “hang on to their fiefdoms”. If he had been speaking of those at federation level who swan around VIP lounges at football events, enjoying the free champagne and lobster and doing not much else, it would be easy to be in furious agreement with him.
However, if we’re talking of community clubs run by volunteers, it’s a curious claim.
Club representatives say it’s more about a battle for the role of clubs in the so-called football ecosystem.
The FQ CEO model, which can be viewed here in a 98-page glossy document, involves all revenue going to one source – FQ - with FQ distributing the revenue downwards.
The clubs believe this provides no incentive for growth and development, and does not take account of local community needs because all decision-making is centred within FQ and not at community level. It is also without regard for the basic tenet of ‘no taxation without representation’, the catchcry of the American Revolution.
Grassroots clubs are to be licensed, which club representatives believe misses the point of a grassroots, community club: that they are a creature of the community and belong to the community, and not a ‘brand’ to be commodified. Indeed, Queensland has a long, strong and proud history in the game dating back to the 19th century.
The role and value of clubs were the crux of the issue – albeit on a much larger scale – that was recently highlighted by the announcement and rapid retraction of the Super League concept in Europe.
A number of questions relevant to the FA’s letter were put to FA on Tuesday. They abrogated any responsibility for the letter stating that it was a matter for FQ, almost as if the FQ CEO dicated the letter signed by the FA Head of Legal.
In the meantime, the FQ CEO will present the governance model he’s been working on to a closed door meeting of FFA Congress over the next two days, while up in Queensland, clubs are caucusing on their next move in the battle for the soul of football - the humble grassroots club.
* The 2021 Football Writers' Festival will be held at Jamberoo, NSW, on 2-3 October preceded on 1 October by the opening of the Portraits in Football exhibition.