SYDNEY: Moya Dodd has welcomed FIFA’s sudden change of attitude towards women on the executive committee writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

The Australian lawyer is the Asian confederation’s pick among the four nominees for a vote on the newly-created women’s football seat on the exco in Congress in Mauritius on May 30 and 31.

Moya Dodd: FIFA change to smile about

Also nominated are Burundi’s Lydia Nsekera (Africa), New Zealand’s Helen Kearns (Oceania) and Sonia Bien-Aime from Turks and Caicos (CONCACAF).

The recommendation to guarantee the presence of at least one woman on the exco was among the first proposals implemented under the reforms process led by Basel governance consultant Mark Pieth.

Nsekera, who is also a member of the International Olympic Committee, was co-opted onto the executive last year. President Sepp Blatter forced through her appointment despite reservations among conservative factions of the exco who wanted to wait for this year’s scheduled election.

Nominations

Four nominations for the one slot were registered by the deadline at the start of this month. Then last week the exco proposed to Congress that, in addition to the single elected woman, two more should be co-opted – making three in all. Congress is expected to approve.

Dodd, responding to the prospect of a great leap forward, was “delighted with the news.”

She added: “It’s a hugely positive step for FIFA exco to ask Congress to triple the number of women on the exco.  Some very capable women have been nominated, and it is great to think that more than one could take office.

“Gender balance is very important to governance, and moving from none to one to three female ExCo members would show that FIFA is serious about governance reform and about encouraging women in football.”

# # # #