Government demand AFFA solution

The Azerbaijan government have ordered the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA) to resolve the conflict over its presidential elections.

Musayev no-show
The ongoing conflict has grown even deeper as AFFA president Fuad Musayev did not attend a meeting with national Olympic commitee president Ilham Aliyev and sports minister Abulfaz Garayev. The sides were suppose to discuss ways out of the crisis, which saw ten Azerbaijani top-flight clubs falling out with the association and pulling out of the league.

Term expired
The Azeri ministry of justice has said that AFFA is breaching their own statutes, as the presidential elections were moved from May to August by Musayev without consultation with AFFA members. The clubs allege that Musayev's term of office expired on 3 May.

Strict deadline
Ministry of justice official Fazil Mamedov has said that AFFA was given seven days to do what it is obliged to do by its statutes and call a general conference involving all regional associations. The clubs, meanwhile, have called on Musayev to step down until the election in August, and leave the reins to a special committee, which will stay in charge until the president is elected.

Musayev defiant
However Musayev, a strong figure, has said he is not going to give in to pressure from the clubs, as well as sports and political authorities. After refusing to meet high-ranking Azeri officials in charge of sport, he said: "I do not owe anything to anybody, and I am not going to take part in this meeting. Let us not make a show out of it. Our issues will be discussed between AFFA and the football clubs."