PNGFA leadership issue still a topic of interest

FORMER National Soccer League chairman Isaac Lupari’s call for the Papua New Guinea Football Association to have another meeting to elect a new president is a reminder that all is not well with soccer in this country.
Despite its many accomplishments over the last 12 months, soccer’s administrative body is far from being a unifying and cohesive body.
The election of David Chung last December to a record fourth term was met with a general sense of sceptisim from the football fraternity.
The main cause of angst among soccer folk is that Chung essentially retained his position by eliminating his closest rival John Kapi Natto from the race and suppressing those associations in the PNGFA, who were supportive of the Hekari United owner.
It wasn’t fair play and anyone who follows soccer or has an inkling of the sport’s politics knows that Chung is as ruthless as he is wily, and has managed to stay in power in spite of the mounting calls from various soccer people for him to be replaced.
Lupari is a heavy hitter and his opinions count.
He is the Government’s chief secretary and has clout in many areas, so for a man of his stature to call out the sport and tell them they need to revisit their AGM is saying something.
There are those that will scoff at Lupari and say the issue is already water under the bridge but they must also realise that he knows a thing or two about soccer since he was involved in running the country’s premier domestic competition.
Lupari is not just qualified as a notable individual but someone who has first hand experience in the sport.
If anything, Lupari’s call has served to keep the issue in the public’s consciousness and kept it a topic of interest.
The soccer fraternity must decide whether it will concede defeat and wait another four years to speak up or follow Lupari’s lead.