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Football as it is called in this part of the world is the bloodline of Maldivian sport. No Maldivian will deny that. However, some people who has parachuted themselves to the sporting arena lately are finding it hard to accept this and trying their utmost to change this. But in vain.

Perhaps my statement might come as a surprise to some but for those who are involved daily in sports, especially football will understand what I am trying to say. The latest of these came from the Honorable sports minister on “Manthiri” program showed on DhiTv. He was very sure that an MP cannot run FAM efficiently. When the host even stated that throughout the world there are lot politicians successfully running sport organizations, he retorted saying there are countries where there has been no success in this partnership. I am not disagreeing with him nor agreeing with him. My point here is that we take examples from international best practice and read success stories to develop our small country. Just because the person running the organization is from opposition does not call to always draw examples from negative cases, while he himself being the sports minister is acting and behaving in similar fashion. Time and again, the sports minister and his colleagues, seems to forget, or rather does it purposely, and points out that sports should be free of politics. But the big question is that, just because you are from a political party, does it constitute that you are polluting your sport with politics. If that is so, why on earth is the sports minister daily and constantly involving himself in the daily matters of other sports organization in the country? This was very evident in the last elections of Maldives Olympic Committee. Football Association was denied a seat on the executive committee of MOC, by the direct intervention of the sports minister. Instead they opted for Handball, a sport which most of us even don’t know and not played in Maldives. Denying the sporting bloodline a say in the Olympic Movement, just because the representative is from the opposition. Isn’t that mixing politics with sports? Or does it only happen for certain people? Isn’t this double standards?

The next message the minister gave on this program in response to the question of finance was that currently the sports ministry is giving less financial assistance to FAM, but doing more in other areas like building sports fields, leveling ground and providing equipments like goal posts and providing opportunities for training. For the naïve this might sound very appealing. But the fact of the matter is that in the past all these things the minister pointed out was done by the sports ministry in addition to providing high level of financial assistance. So, how can the minister now claim that they are doing more? It’s absurd! It is unprofessional and unethical to claim that FAM and the elected staff are not doing enough to develop football. Once again, this shows that the minister does not clearly understand the set up of sports organization in the world and their best practice. When you look across the globe, from the largest international sports organization to small national organizations, the elected people are volunteers who provide their vision and guidance to the development of the sport and the organization. The day to day running and management of such organizations are done by administrative staffs that are paid. This is a fact! But he fails to see this, perhaps maybe due to the double standard he applies in the case of FAM.

When the new sports minister came in, the tone was to make the associations more independent. The constant message gave a new lifeline to the sports administrators to excel themselves and prove their worth and service to the country. But not long after the statement was made, the real action changed totally opposite. The current practice seem more centralized, which takes us back to the days of Sports Division, in the Ministry of Home Affairs, from where all sporting works were done. This action is once again very evident from the current practice of the ministry regarding the South Asian Games. Now and then, his colleagues come on TV and Radio and claims, this time things are different. The government is doing more work and organization for the teams participating in the games. The question is what is the difference? The only difference is that everything was done centrally, under the direct supervision of the minister and his favourite colleagues. Even, the work of the Olympic Committee was hijacked and performed by him. Once again this is totally against the Olympic Movement and the Olympic Charter. But who cares eh!

Let’s look at the steps the so called organizing committee, which had three brothers, did differently. In previous years, the finance to participate in the games, were provided to the associations in their budget. All preparations were done the individual associations. This time, the associations had to come begging many times to get the funds, ensuring that the ministry had control over them. As always, ministry provided the gear for the teams. The difference is that, this time teams did not get their gear when they left the country for the games. That is different! There was also another aspect of it where they did a technical evaluation. I cannot judge whether it was right or wrong, but as far as I know it created a lot of problems to many athletes and coaches and had the stigma of self promotion of those involved in the team. I do admit there was a positive where the teams were provided food. Furthermore teams left for Hulhule from the main jetty on a dhoni.

I also believe that the sports ministry has a role in the development of sports within the country. But, while the minister is a politician, as he rightly said, he should show professionalism, create harmony and be just in providing services and making comments. I am no fan of FAM or Azim, but I believe, each and everyone should be treated equally without bias and show leadership and character when you are the sports minister. Measure from the same measuring cylinder using the same units. Only compare similar things, not apples and oranges, oranges and oranges. Please refrain from the double standards that you are being practiced in the sports ministry today. May GOD save our football and sports in general? Inshaa Allah!