Faisal retained as AFC legal committee head

KARACHI: Former president of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Faisal Saleh Hayat has been appointed as chairperson of the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) Legal Committee for a four-year term (2019-2023).

This is the third successive time that Faisal has been appointed as the head of the legal committee. Faisal was recently also elected as vice-president of the AFC, the first Pakistani to gain the coveted post.

The AFC informed Faisal about his appointment on Tuesday. “Pursuant to the AFC Executive Committee on June 2, 2019, for and on behalf of the AFC it is my pleasure to inform you of your appointment as the chairperson of the AFC Legal Committee for the term of 2019 to 2023,” a letter addressed to Faisal by the AFC Secretary General Dato Windsor on Tuesday said.

The AFC legal committee is a standing committee of the AFC as per article 41. It gives advice on legal issues to all forums and departments of the AFC, mainly in respect to the game of football, statutes, rules and regulations. The legal committee also considers the legal matters concerning the interests of the AFC and its executive committee related to the game.

“We are certain that with your experience, expertise and background, your support will be greatly beneficial to the AFC when carrying out the functions and duties of the committee,” Windsor said in the letter.

Faisal thanked the executive committee of the AFC for retaining him as the head of the legal committee. He vowed that he would work with even stronger commitment for the development and betterment of the game of football in the continent.

Faisal recently lost his status as PFF longest-serving president when FIFA announced that it would appoint a normalisation committee for the PFF in order to resolve the pressing issue of Pakistan’s football. Faisal served as the PFF chief for 16 years.

The normalisation committee will conduct club scrutiny and hold elections at the district and provincial levels before going for the PFF elections. The mandate of the committee will be for nine months. FIFA is yet to appoint its members.