TIRANA, Albania (AP) — The election for president of the Albanian soccer federation was postponed Wednesday until March 15 following a dispute with a regional association.
The FSHF started its assembly, with UEFA and FIFA representatives present, and covered other topics on the agenda. But the federation has been in a dispute with the Tirana city hall, a shareholder of one of the main member associations. The city hall accuses the federation of corruption and manipulation of the voting process.
Albania has eight regional associations which are eligible to vote in the election. City officials play an active role in Tirana’s regional association.
FSHF president Armand Duka is seeking a sixth four-year term but an Albanian court has suspended him and two other senior officials from their posts.
Last month, a three-member UEFA delegation visited Albania to evaluate the electoral process amid concerns about political interference. Its report is in the hands of UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and the federation.
During the UEFA visit, Ceferin also committed to staging the inaugural final of the third-tier Europa Conference League in Tirana on May 25.
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