Soccer: New Oceania president's election offers hope of stability

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The election of Tahitian Reynald Temarii as president has given real hope for a period of much-needed stability in the Oceania Football Confederation.

In a two-way ballot at a meeting in Auckland on Saturday, Temarii, Tahiti's Minister of Sport, beat Samoa's Tautulu Roebeck who had taken a caretaker role since Australian Basil Scarsella quit last year.

Though the vote for the presidency was clear-cut, there was controversy over the election for the newly created position of Fifa vice-president and with it a seat on the powerful Fifa executive.

Vanuatu's Johnny Tinsley Lulu withdrew his candidacy before the vote which was won by Australian Ron Harvey.

The other candidates, Fiji's Dr Sahu Khan and Tonga's Ahongalu Fusimalohi, questioned Harvey's right to the role.

Khan, a lawyer, questioned the Australian Soccer Association's membership of the Oceania Football Confederation, contending the new body which replaced Soccer Australia had yet to be recognised.

The meeting was informed, through a letter from Fifa president Sepp Blatter, that the new Australian body has been recognised and was able to continue that country's OFC membership.

Khan contended that the ASA should not be accorded confederation status.

Had that been the case, there could have been doubts over Australia's victories in this year's Oceania Olympic qualifying tournaments in which they beat New Zealand (men) and Fiji (women) for the right to play in Athens.

Fusimalohi continued to press his case to remain as the Fifa executive member, the role he had been appointed to until 2006.

The meeting, however, agreed that the recently created vice-presidential role was a new one and as such required a ballot. There is the feeling that the two appointments will go a long way to finding stability in the confederation's sometimes rocky existence.

Cook Island football association president and longtime OFC executive member Lee Harmon welcomed the elections.

"From the Cook Islands point of view I'm sure it will be seen as being positive for soccer in our region," said Harmon.

"It is especially pleasing for the smaller nations to see Reynald Temarii elected as president as he is the first from an island nation to take that role.

"It is also important that Australia and New Zealand continue to work closely with all countries for the good of Oceania."

The OFC statutes are under review. It is felt impending changes will further underline the call for stability and, in particular, ensure the focus is on football rather than other issues.

The new statues will be presented at an executive meeting next month and ratified in May in Paris.