Further to our letter to the NPL Club Presidents on 3 September 2018 on the same topic, we write more broadly to the football community following further disappointing and inaccurate comments made in the media about the Capital Football Board.

The articles appeared in the RiotAct on 1 September 2018 and on The World Game on 4 September 2018.

Comments in these articles allege that;

• Capital Football was provided a letter supported by the 9 NPL clubs in the ACT requesting the Capital Football Board reverse its decision to oppose the recommendations of the Congress Review Working Group (CRWG).
• That the Capital Football Chairman was acting in a manner not aligned to the views of other Board Members.
• That the Capital Football Board had not engaged with the Members.

There are a number of other inaccuracies in the articles (including reference to there being 17 board members).

To set the record straight;

• The Capital Football board rejects the assertion that it opposes the recommendations of the CRWG.
• At no time has Capital Football rejected any of the recommendations of the CRWG.
• Capital Football has only sought to identify a variety of issues to be considered as part of the governance restructure process.
• The Capital Football Board is united and unanimous in its concern regarding some of the CRWG recommendations.
• The Capital Football Chairman has at all times represented the views of the Capital Football Board as a collective.
• The Capital Football Chairman and another Director met with Capital Football Members on 25 July in relation to the CRWG recommendations. They outlined the Board’s concerns, and that these concerns were shared by the Boards of other Member Federations. None of the Members who attended the meeting contradicted Capital Football’s concerns.
• Capital Football only became aware of the purported NPL Clubs’ letter through a media article reported in the RiotAct on 1 September.
• The NPL Clubs’ letter was not forwarded to Capital Football at any time prior to this article being published.

Capital Football continues to work with stakeholders on the proposed changes to the FFA Constitution.  Those conversations are progressing in a positive fashion seeking to arrive at a consensual outcome in the best interest of football.

It is worthwhile reiterating for the record that the Capital Football Board has not rejected any of the recommendations of the CRWG nor decided to vote against any proposed amendments to the FFA Constitution to be presented at an Extraordinary General Meeting.

Importantly the notice for the FFA Extraordinary General Meeting and motions to amend the FFA constitution have not been distributed, so any commentary to suggest the Capital Football Board has determined to vote against motions that have not yet been drafted are inaccurate, baseless and unfounded at best, mischievous and malicious attacks on the sport of football in the ACT at worst.

The Board welcomes the opportunity to answer any questions clubs may have regarding the concerns it has to some of the CRWG recommendations. Clubs that wish to speak with a Director in that regard can do so by contacting the Capital Football CEO in the first instance to arrange a time.

Kind Regards,

Capital Football Board