Yemeni football in crisis [Archives:2006/917/Last Page]

By: Ismail Al-Ghabiri
SANA'A, Jan. 30 – Yemeni football witnessed a new crisis last week following some teams' refusal to participate in governorate matches, representing the league's failure in its first week.

Teams attribute their stance to objecting to the Football Association's illegal provisional committee. They demand electing a new committee before commencing any internal or external activities.

Sports critics think the dispute between the association and opposing football clubs will negatively impact the league and other sports. In their view, the clubs' arguments contain some justification while others are unjustified; however, they believe clubs must defend their rights.

Other critics believe the current crisis is the aftermath of previous disputes and splits culminating in FIFA-imposed punishments. Still others attribute it to absence of laws regulating Yemeni football. The previous dispute between the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Hussein Al-Ahmar's former provisional committee also was due to lack of regulations. The current crisis between the interim fifth committee and those clubs which disrupted the league is a problem of regulations as well.

Yemeni football is now a victim of moods. Clubs opposed to resuming the league did not consider the sport's benefit, which was to conform to regional and international contests about to finish their first phase.
——
[archive-e:917-v:14-y:2006-d:2006-01-02-p:lastpage]