THE WELSH ASSEMBLY'S ENQUIRY
There has been an enquiry into the shambles that is the FAW's running of the sport in Wales. The committee reported back in January 2007, to the effect that
- Football in Wales needs a strategy and vision
- The FAW needs to "modernise and gain the confidence of the football community
- The FAW needs to "take visible responsibility for the overall direction and development of football in Wales
And the FAW's opinion of this enquiry? Why, it merely refused to give evidence to the football review, which was conducted by Welsh Assembly's Culture, Welsh Language and Sport Committee. So, not only is the FAW showing contempt for the footballing public (including yours truly, to whom the FAW consistently fails to reply whenever I write), it is treating the national Government with contempt. What kind of a way is that to run an organisation?
I wrote to Mr Collins, the Secretary General of of the FAW on 25th January 2007 as follows
- "I would be grateful if Mr Collins could make a statement to me as to why the FAW refused to co-operate with the Welsh Assembly's enquiry into football in Wales, and refused, according to the BBC web news to give evidence to the review
- Is the FAW concerned in any way for the consequences of the sport in Wales if public funding is withdrawn from the game due to the FAW's lack of co-operation?
- The BBC reports a remark that the FAW "might discuss the report at the next FAW meeting". Is that an accurate reflection of the FAW's position, and does Mr Collins not agree that that remark could be interpreted as showing contempt for the Welsh Assembly, which is after all the body elected by the Welsh population to act as guardians of sport and culture in Wales on behalf of the population?
- Does Mr Collns not think that the remark "It's FIFA that actually authorises the governing body, not a political entity" is deliberately disingenuous, and is dismissive to the point of contempt of the concern that the Welsh public at large has of the perceived mismanagement by the FAW of the sport in Wales?
- I look forward with optimism to your response"
I will, of course, publish any reply that I receive. But don't hold your breath.
Just after the conclusions of the enquiry were announced, I received a press release from the FAW. About the enquiry? Don't be silly. It was to tell me that the Rhyl v Llanelli match on Saturday has been postponed. So I wrote back to the Press Office and asked them for a copy of their press release relating to the enquiry.
I received a reply to this mail, from Andrew Howard, who tells me that
- "This Press Release was on behalf of the Principality Welsh Premier League. I have sent out Press Releases previously on behalf of the Competitions Department of the FAW, but I am not able to comment on behalf of the Association".
Well, quite. I have sent him a reply, as follows -
- "Thanks for the mail. I am concerned as to why you consider yourself to be unable "to comment on behalf of the Association". As you say yourself in your mail above, you have ""sent out Press Releases previously on behalf of the Competitions Department of the FAW"" - surely the FAW is "...the Association", is it not?
- And I haven't asked you for your comments. I've asked you to confirm that there will be a Press Release from the FAW, and for "the FAW's comments thereon".
- And if you are implying that the veil of secrecy inside the FAW is such that you are not able to comment on whether the FAW is going to issue a press release concerning one of the most momentous events in Welsh football in the 21st Century, then this is worthy of a press release of its own.
- I would be grateful if you could now reply to my mail with a positive result rather than something other than what is effectively "no comment"".
It goes without saying that there has been no reply to any of the above.
