Fifa set to take over football in Australia after FFA's proposal for reform rejected

Football Federation Australia chairman Steven Lowy has refused to rule out legal action against Fifa should the world governing body decide to remove him and his board.

Fifa appears set to take over Australian football after Lowy failed to force through his controversial congress model, prompting A-league clubs to claim he has “lost the locker room”.

Lowy’s motion to reform the FFA congress fell short of the 75% threshold to be passed at the governing body’s annual meeting on Thursday afternoon. He needed support of eight out of 10 current congress members to expand the membership that votes on the FFA board by the end of Thursday – Fifa’s deadline.

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As expected, the A-League clubs and the NSW and Victoria state federations voted against the motion for FFA’s preferred congress model, one also bitterly opposed by the players union. Seven of the nine state federations voted in favour.

Lowy will refer the matter to Fifa immediately, with its member associations committee to meet on 4 December and rule on what happens next. The most likely option is a normalisation committee to remove Lowy and temporarily run the code.

Lowy, who insisted on Thursday afternoon that he would not resign, will push Fifa to take alternative action but admits no other viable options are on the table. He also repeatedly declined to state whether he would abide by a normalisation committee, saying only “we have to make that determination at the time and we’re a long way from that”.

Asked whether FFA would take legal action against Fifa, he said: “Our board would have to discuss that at the time. I don’t need to make that decision now. It hasn’t been asked of us.

“We have an understanding of our legal position, yes. But whether we would choose to enact that position depends on the circumstances. We are a duly elected, independent board, recognised by Fifa. We are the governing body in Australia.

“Our constitution was put together when Fifa had different statutes, which have now changed. Of course you take legal advice in these circumstances. It’s the normal course to do that.”

Speaking on behalf of all 10 A-League clubs, Adelaide United chairman Greg Griffin said the vote made it obvious Lowy “has lost the locker room”.

“The professional game voted against it, the two major states voted against it,” Griffin said. “Once you lose the locker room in sport, it’s very difficult to get it back. I think it has to go to Fifa. It’s regrettable but that’s what it is.”