Stakes high in Azerbaijan

High-ranking officials in charge of football will meet in Baku on Thursday to determine the future of the game in Azerbaijan. Top-level football in the eastern European country has ground to a virtual standstill in the face of a serious power struggle.
 
Hopes for settlement
Abulfaz Garayev, the minister of Youth Affairs, Sport and Tourism, National Olympic Comittee (NOC) president Ilham Aliyev, and Fuad Musayev, the president of the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA) will attempt to reach a settlement between the association and the ten top-flight clubs who have broken away from the official championship to form their own league.

Elections moved
The are several factors behind the crisis. First, the clubs are alleging that AFFA president Musayev's term in the office expired on 3 May. Musayev wants to move the president's elections to a later date in August, a decision the clubs see as "illegitamate".

'Biased' standards
Ten top-flight clubs withdrew from the 12-strong Azeri league, Yuksek Deste, accusing the AFFA of "biased" behaviour towards some clubs - namely that the AFFA have formed and are controlling one of country's leading clubs, FC Shafa. Other clubs have repeatedly alleged that referees and officials favoured Shafa, who were in contention for the title at the time the official championship was halted after the clubs walked out.

Khazar propose solution
The sides have voiced their plans for a settlement ahead of the meeting, but have failed to find common ground so far. FC Khazar University president Gamlet Isahali has proposed that Musayev step down as president until the elections take place. According to his plan, the league would be run by a joint task force, formed of both AFFA and club officials. The plan also states that the results of the Azeri alternative championship, played by the ten breakaway clubs, will be taken into account.

AFFA plans dismissed
For its part, the national association wants to disregard the results of games played in the alternative league, and instead proposes playing matches every other day to bring the Yuksek Deste programme back up to schedule. The idea was branded "anti-football" by several clubs, who would face having to play every other day until 12 June. The time pressure is significant, as Azerbaijan needs to announce its clubs for European competitions no later than 14 June.

Son of president
Meanwhile, the son of Azerbaijani president Geidar Aliyev, Ilham - who is the president of the NOC - has moved to intervene in the conflict by mediating the talks. His opponents fear this is an effort to oust Musayev from football but the two will face each other, along with the sports minister, Garayev, on Thursday.