THE Fiji Football Association’s Development Committee has been given greater powers to oversee and make necessary changes to the proposed $55million multi-purpose football academy and international stadium complex at Lomolomo.
Fiji FA president Rajesh Patel said the decision was one of the major outcomes of the 88th Fiji FA Ordinary Congress held yesterday at Xavier College in Ba.
The project is planned for an 18-acre property at Lomolomo and is expected to include a multi-purpose football academy and international stadium complex.
Patel said the decision would allow the project to progress without having to return to Congress or Council every time changes were required to the plans or designs.
“The major decision that was reached is giving the powers to the Development Committee which is overlooking the Lomolomo project and everything.
“With the FIFA governance and regulations, if the changes need to be done, we don’t have to come to the Congress or Council every time.
“The Development Committee has got a right with FIFA to do the changes to plans, designs or whatever it is so that the project can continue to move on.”
Patel said the Congress remained an important forum for delegates to scrutinise the association’s activities, approve future projects and consider its budgets and governance matters.
“The delegates had to pass and get the approval of the total Congress for any activities that we have done up till now,” he added.
“If they were satisfied with it and had any objections to it or anything that we needed to do, this is the forum that they needed to come and tell us and ask us and approve for the next projects, and approve the next budget and financial for the Football Association and any governance and other issues that we need to correct.”
The Lomolomo development is one of Fiji FA’s major long-term projects and is aimed at strengthening football infrastructure and development pathways in the country.
Patel said the new authority given to the Development Committee would help ensure the project continues to move forward while remaining within FIFA governance and regulations.
