Fiji Football president Rajesh Patel. Photo: Photosport
The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) laws will allow the current Fiji Football Association (Fiji FA) president to hold onto his position until 2031 following changes to OFCs "term limit provision" that came into effect in 2019.
Rajesh Patel, who has already served three terms at the helm, is running unopposed and is expected to be elected back for a fourth term in office at Fiji FA's annual congress in Suva on Friday.
Upon his imminent four-year re-election, Patel will have been the Fiji FA president for 16 years by 2027.
However, under OFC's current regulations, he will be available for re-election for another term which could allow him to hold onto the role for two decades finishing in 2031.
According to OFC Statutes, Article 10(1)(e) on the obligations of member associations, every member association is "to adopt a statutory clause ensuring that their elected president serve no more than three (3) full terms of office (whether consecutive or not) of four (4) years."
However, OFC has confirmed Patel's re-election will not be a breach of OFC Statutes due to the law changes in 2019.
In an email statement to RNZ Pacific, OFC's head of commercials and communications Steffi Ah Yuk said: "Following the comprehensive reform process in 2018, the OFC improved its governance structure by introducing good governance practices which included the introduction of term limits in our Statutes."
"The applicability of the term limit Article under OFC Statutes as well as Fiji FA Statutes commences from 2019 and cannot be applied retrospectively. This is the assessment OFC carries out when ensuring its Member Associations are in compliance with the OFC Statutes," Ah Yuk said.
Fiji FA chief executive officer Mohammed Yusuf said today's election complies with Fiji FA's laws.
"Fiji FA is governed by its own statues [Oct 2019] which was approved by both OFC and FIFA and we confirm that we are in full compliance of our statues and article 53.5," Yusuf said in an email response.
"We confirm we are in full compliance to the OFC Statues Article 3(1)(c) and article 10(1)(e)," Yusuf said.
Patel was appointed to lead the association in 2011, replacing long-time president Dr Shamsud-Dean Sahu Khan, who had served for 26 years.
He was re-elected in 2015 for a second time and again in 2019 for his third term in office.
Patel also holds senior positions at OFC and FIFA, sitting on the OFC executive committee and an OFC representative to the FIFA Council (2019-2023).
Fiji National Men's team is ranked 168 out of 211 FIFA members. Photo: OFC Media
'Good governance paramount' - OFC
Pacific football federations and administrators have been reported and found in the past of breaching OFC Statutes and abusing their powers and stalling football development in the region.
OFC is one of FIFA's six continental confederations with 13 full members and associate members.
The confederation is responsible "to control all types of Football, ensure compliance and prevent infringements of the Statutes, codes, rules, regulations, Standing Orders, directives and decisions of FIFA, OFC and the Laws of the Game."
It is also tasked by FIFA to ensure it protects and promotes the values of integrity, good governance and fair play.
"OFC holds good governance principles paramount to the effective delivery of football within our region and we actively strive to ensure the principles of good governance are upheld across all our Member Associations," Ah Yuk said.
