“The Best Candidate for UFA President Is Someone with Access to State Financial Resources”

Alisher Aminov. Photo from his personal archive

An extraordinary electoral congress of the Uzbekistan Football Association (UFA) will be held on February 22. The nominee for the position of new president is Bahodir Kurbanov, the newly appointed head of the State Security Service. If elected, Kurbanov would replace his predecessor, Abdusalom Azizov, who led the UFA for five years. Fergana discussed the upcoming changes with analyst, international expert in economics and law, FIFA consultant, and former candidate for the presidency of the Russian Football Union, Alisher Aminov.

— To begin with, I’d like to understand how elections are conducted in other countries and within major governing bodies like FIFA, UEFA, and the AFC. Are the elections fair? Is democracy truly at work?

— Different countries follow different principles and methods, often shaped by their national traditions and specific contexts. But when it comes to FIFA and its affiliated confederations, the picture is, frankly, far from encouraging. In all recent electoral congresses, the current FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, has extended his term without any real competition. He has no rivals — even the most powerful, wealthy, and prestigious top-tier FIFA members remain silent. At the same time, there is an effort to maintain the appearance of democratic procedures. For instance, in March 2023, ahead of the elections, FIFA sent out questionnaires to national federations asking them to suggest potential candidates. Shortly afterward, phone calls followed from former Secretary General Fatma Samoura, making it clear that support should go to Infantino. In reality, for nearly a decade now, FIFA’s 211 members have been unable to offer a genuine alternative to the incumbent president. This is a very troubling trend.

Or take another example. On April 5, 2024, UEFA held its electoral congress in Lisbon. The sole contender for the position of UEFA president was none other than the incumbent himself, Aleksander Čeferin — until recently, a relatively obscure sports official who rose to power with the backing of Gianni Infantino. FIFA’s motivation was clear: to install an unknown, loyal, and obedient Slovenian with no serious career ambitions in a key role. However, the Slovenian turned out to be far from simple, and now the relationship between FIFA and UEFA is anything but smooth.

Then there’s Sheikh Salman Al-Khalifa, who, it’s worth recalling, ran against Infantino in 2015 but conducted a lackluster campaign. He has led the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) since 2013, repeatedly securing re-election without opposition. Now, as far as we know, the sheikh is “persuading” AFC members — and FIFA’s president personally — to legitimize a breach of FIFA’s electoral regulations: he wants to continue running Asian football beyond the limits currently in place.

Sheikh Salman. Photo: newslocker.com

These are the kinds of stories that emerge on this topic. More than eight billion people live on planet Earth, yet it seems only a select few are deemed capable of running global football. Delegates gather for these congresses, flying business class, staying in luxury hotels, hosting lavish banquets — only to cast votes that are little more than formalities. These grand assemblies are just glossy façades; systemic issues are no longer up for discussion, and debate or dissent is not welcomed. The priority is simply to vote the “right” way, reaffirming the existing power structure. That’s where it ends. As a result, the festering wounds and swelling problems plaguing global football remain untreated.

During my time in Switzerland, I had the opportunity to engage with political and law enforcement circles and even take part in investigating corruption within FIFA. That experience gave me a critical lens through which to view football’s governing system. I am convinced that FIFA today is incapable of reforming itself from within, while Swiss justice, which could have stepped in, has suffered significant reputational damage. Now that the FIFA president has been shielded from obvious wrongdoing, the world knows that even in the so-called “cradle of the rule of law,” shadowy rules of the game exist. And it is global football that suffers as a result. Under Infantino’s leadership, the sport isn’t evolving — it’s merely serving to preserve the ruling elite, teetering on the edge of legality.

Here’s what’s truly fascinating. During my work trips around the world, as I assist colleagues in developing and implementing programs for the growth of the game, I’ve noticed that regional football authorities often view these political intrigues as if they’re happening on another planet. If the “big bosses” behave the way they do, the assumption seems to be that this is simply how things are meant to be. The priority is to show up at the next power assembly, cast your vote without mixing up the buttons — since the outcome has already been decided — and once again secure your place at the trough.

During Infantino’s tenure, elections have been held in roughly 150 national associations, and in many cases, electoral standards have not been upheld. “Strategic” state interference, uncontested elections, the absence of debate or developmental programs — these patterns create deeply rooted systemic issues that are eating away at football from the inside.

— But there are examples of honest, competitive battles, aren’t there?

— Even in developed countries like Spain and Germany, corruption scandals frequently arise. Presidents often fail to complete their full terms, but typically, those who come to power are fairly professional and relatively independent. In the U.S., for instance, the role of sports federations and the National Olympic Committee is minimized. The main decisions are made by clubs and unions.

Tsuneyamu Miyamoto. Photo: jiji.com.

— How are elections handled in Asian countries?

— Out of the 46 affiliated members, only Australia, Japan, and South Korea have access to financial resources for presidential candidates. However, state funds are not the decisive factor; associations are capable of finding powerful sponsors on their own.

For example, the current president of the Japan Football Association is Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, a former footballer who played seventy matches for the national team. However, it’s not guaranteed that he will serve his full term; presidential changes in the Land of the Rising Sun occur fairly often — a poor performance by the national team can lead to a shift in leadership.

In South Korea, access to state and corporate resources is of greater importance. As a result, the president of the national association is a prominent businessman, Chung Mong-kyu, a descendant of the Hyundai corporation founders, who has led the office since 2013. I had several working meetings with him during the 2024 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar. Prior to his tenure, from 1993 to 2009, his relative, Chung Mong-joon, served as president of the association.

However, for these three Asian “giants,” access to financial resources isn't as crucial for presidential candidates. For the overwhelming majority of countries in Asia, including Uzbekistan, the significance of this factor likely accounts for about 90% of the overall importance. This is because attracting sponsors on a commercial basis is practically impossible. In these cases, a high-ranking official takes office as a savior, a financial provider whose position determines the prosperity of both the association and the people who populate its offices. As a result, the big boss, descending from the upper echelons, holds much more weight than a professional from outside the government.

— In your opinion, did Abdusalom Azizov decide to resign on his own initiative or was it a directive from higher authorities? And why must his successor in the Security Service of Uzbekistan (SGB) necessarily become the new president of the Uzbekistan Football Association?

— The answer is obvious: Azizov fell out of favor with the country's leader.

The photograph described by Alisher Aminov. Photo courtesy of Aminov.

This photograph was taken in December of last year, just before the annual UFA conference, where Azizov’s presidency was confirmed. But within a month, it suddenly became clear that he could not continue working. What could have changed in such a short time?

And then there’s the logical professional question: why wasn’t the election for a new UFA president addressed during last December’s annual conference? Or, at the very least, why wasn’t Ravshan Irmatov appointed as the interim president, as happened in January?

There is a clear disregard for the statutes and norms, a complete neglect of the position of the football community.

The photo, by the way, is quite intriguing. It’s worth taking a closer look. Here we see the smiling president of the Professional Football League of Uzbekistan, Dier Imamkhodjaev, Azizov himself, and the future president of the Futsal Federation, Bekzod Mamatkulov. Nearby is Avaz Azizkhodjaev, the president's advisor and the younger brother of the late Alisher Azizkhodjaev, yet another “wedding general” who accompanied the national team on all their trips for the Asian Cup and Olympic qualifiers. He’s a former railway worker, a long-time friend of Azizov.

Mamatkulov, however, was not dependent on Azizov — he was kind of his own man, this businessman who suddenly appeared on the football scene. He owns his own club, where he's essentially a lord, so good luck trying to reach him.

A little further to the right is Laziz Kuchkarov, the former director of the refereeing department. He seems to be part of the team but is already hanging by a thread, and everyone knows it. They wanted to remove Laziz last summer, but as long as Azizov was in power, he was left alone. As soon as Azizov fell from grace, Kuchkarov followed suit, and it was done quickly, without replacement.

Next to him is Aibek Kasymov, who is technically part of their group, but at the same time, he's somewhat separate. A man with powerful patrons. Essentially, Aibek isn't interested in “comrades”; he comes from a different, let's say, “clan.”

So, this is the picture. Azizov, a man of force by nature, was accustomed to following the ancient Roman principle of “divide and rule.” He didn't even consider that this tough method is completely unsuitable for managing such a delicate sphere as the public organization UFA, where the main constitutional task of the president is to unite the healthy forces for the development of the game. Look at the association's leadership, at the president's advisors and allies — where are these healthy forces, these competent professionals?

Meanwhile, it is no secret that corruption exists in Uzbek football: kickbacks, illegal betting, match-fixing, and bribery of referees are all part of the scene.

Abdusalam Azizov. Photo: championat.asia

At the same time, the professional security officer did not carry out any operational-investigative activities aimed at cleaning up the industry. During his tenure, not a single criminal case was initiated. He believed that there should be no high-profile scandals in football, although he certainly had special files on both the management of the UFA and the leadership of many clubs. The president of the association knew very well who was taking bribes, for what, how much, through whom money was laundered, and which regional governors were involved.

But no one was arrested or punished. People continue to work diligently for the benefit of the system, because no matter who you touch, each person has patrons in the upper echelons of power.

A completely anecdotal case: the UFA accountant steals 350 thousand dollars, is caught red-handed in Turkey, returns the money to the treasury, but no criminal case is initiated because, wouldn't you know, they were unaccounted for, not recorded in the UFA's bookkeeping.

A logical question arises: what does it say about the country's security if the chief security officer is unable to handle corruption within a single organization?

— Based on your assessment, which UFA leaders worked effectively? Are there any such examples from the past, say, 20 years?

— Essentially, all sports federations in Uzbekistan operate on the principle of “he who takes the girl to dinner, dances with her.” And the “dancing” is done exclusively at the state's expense. As practice shows, this system is distorted, flawed, and unprofitable, because funds provided by state companies and “forced sponsors” are spent as ineffectively as possible. And that's a very delicate way to put it.

There was a glaring example in the history of Uzbek football. Senator Mirabror Usmanov, appointed in 2006 as the head of football, had the ability to secure funds without direct involvement of the state budget due to his previous role as deputy prime minister. However, Mirabror Zufarovich, of course, did not work tirelessly for the benefit of the UFA and football in general, even though he was quite active and effective in the beginning of his tenure. In recent years, however, his effectiveness plummeted because personal interests outweighed the greater good, and Usmanov sharply reduced expenses for the maintenance of the organization. Over the years, he also benefited from the football industry by using privileges for his sugar factories, which had been granted by the President of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov.

As a result, the authoritarian style of leadership began to harm football. Specialists and veterans were subjected to insults and humiliation. It even came to the point where the boss allowed himself to curse at subordinates in meetings and even threw an ashtray in the direction of Uzbek football legend Berador Abdurayimov.

Usmanov made decisions unilaterally. The general secretary during his tenure was a «cardboard» figure, and corruption thrived at every level, with bribes being the norm. For example, the head of the National Teams Training Center took a cut even from the salaries of his staff. The president disregarded the opinions of a small group of experts and appointed the head coaches of the national team without consulting the coaching staff. In case of failure, he would shift the blame to the UFA’s technical director, Professor Rustam Akramov, threatening to remove him from football altogether.

Mirabror Usmanov. Photo: ufa.uz

It should be noted that the employees of the UFA allowed themselves to be treated this way, desperately trying to fit into the system. People clung to their positions with all their might, and in the end, became mere puppets. As painful as it is to admit, my late uncle, Rustam Akramov, a professional in every sense of the word and an unmatched expert in football theory and methodology, who led the national team to victory at the 1994 Asian Games, was also part of this group...

Another episode: In 2017, the UFA was headed by a little-known official in sports circles, Umid Akhmadjanov, who had no direct access to financial resources. However, these resources were guaranteed by his lobbyists, primarily his predecessor Mirabror Usmanov and former adviser to the President of Uzbekistan, Abdujabbar Abduvahitov.

Everyone knew that Ahmadjanov came to power with a blatant violation of FIFA's electoral norms, lacking both management skills and knowledge of football. Before the election conference, as I recall, football veterans even wrote an appeal to the president of the country, asking him to pay attention to the situation, postpone the elections, and bring them in line with FIFA's norms. The reaction from the President’s Administration was zero.

Ahmadjanov's time in power was short, and the consequences were catastrophic. Many internal problems still cannot be eradicated to this day. And yet, no one was held accountable for this “wise” personnel decision! Later, under the leadership of the railway executive Achilbay Ramatov, Ahmadjanov was demoted to vice president of UFA, but he retained his functions. When Ahmadjanov was eventually dismissed, Ramatov also resigned.

However, they immediately moved another top manager far removed from football in his place — the head of the SGB, Abdusalom Azizov, with Ravshan Irmatov, an active referee, appointed as vice president, despite having no management experience. Three years ago, Azizov made another populist move: he appointed Odil Ahmedov, a star of Uzbek football who had just hung up his boots, as the second vice president of UFA, despite him lacking any relevant education. The president of Uzbekistan, in turn, was deprived of the opportunity to consult with a qualified, competent sports advisor, and he formally approved these appointments.

Appointments to important positions with serious functions of footballers and referees, who only recently ended their careers and had seen nothing in life except training bases, hotels, and stadiums, are pure populism. A mockery of the idea under the bright label of “attracting specialists.” Yes, on the one hand, they are significant figures for Uzbek football, but on the other hand, they are completely unprepared, lacking both experience and specialized education in economics and sports law. This is not their fault, but a tragedy, because the system does nothing to stimulate the pursuit of quality education.

Irmatov, on the other hand, was supposed to officiate for another six years. He was in perfect form, on track for a world record in his field! But all the pivotal decisions for him were made by the Presidential Administration: they broke his brilliant professional career and put him in a bureaucratic chair. Ravshan could have left refereeing at the appropriate time with true honor and received a complete education. I believe such a talent would have found a suitable position not only in UFA but also in AFC structures or even FIFA.

But no: the person got embedded in the system and became directly dependent on it. Unfortunately, Ravshan's level of preparedness still affects the quality of UFA's management. Operational activities can be taught to anyone, but in order to advance strategy and development issues, one needs much deeper knowledge and rich experience.

— Is there hope that the new head of UFA will be more effective than the predecessor, and with his arrival, there will be some thaw in football affairs?

— There is always hope. Especially since the problems that need to be addressed are obvious. Unfortunately, it must be acknowledged that the state, represented by the leadership of the Presidential Administration, still does not want or cannot understand that there are other methods of sports management, much more effective.

Bahodir Kurbanov and Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Photo: Press Service of the President of Uzbekistan.

Until the higher echelons of power realize the harmfulness of such a policy, the problems will not disappear. All these behind-the-scenes battles for personal interests will continue year after year. Nothing will change, and the already narrow circle of specialists will seek to apply their knowledge and skills outside their homeland.

I repeat: since Uzbekistan gained independence, no management methods for sports other than a rigidly vertical one have appeared. But football — and any sports sector, really! — simply cannot develop without democratic forms and principles, without well-established, objectively necessary horizontal interaction. On the field, one of the main criteria for progress is competition. The same criterion should be applied in the management system. All these extraordinary conferences, re-elections of presidents and executive committees are dreary. A meaningless ritual from a practical standpoint, meaning to serve as the evidence of complete approval.

We must be honest: the country’s leadership has not only failed to learn how to interact with the public but also prefers to dictate ready-made solutions to them without considering the positions of sports entities. In fact, the subjectivity of the sports community is not fully reflected even in the sports law. It is necessary to change the voting system and provide:

👉 At least one-third of the votes from the total number of votes of the highest governing body and the highest collegial governing body of the public sports federation to accredited regional sports federations;

👉 At least one-third of the votes to professional sports leagues that are members of the public sports federation;

👉 At least one-third of the votes to professional unions (associations of professional unions) of athletes and/or coaches or associations of professional athletes and/or coaches in the relevant sport.

In Uzbekistan, there is no institution like the State Council for Sports under the President, with which the head of state could maintain constant contact. Meanwhile, this is the most modern, civilized, and effective form of interaction with the sports community. And not just with its marginal part, but with top-tier specialists capable of working alongside the authorities to shape the most relevant agenda, speaking openly and honestly.

In short, all discussions about candidates for the position of president of the UFA must be assessed based on their access to resources. In my view, the main criterion should be the willingness to engage in hard, often thankless work every day, applying contemporary management methods, and uniting healthy forces into one cohesive whole. And, of course, there must be in-depth knowledge of football in all its aspects — from youth to professional levels. As well as advanced knowledge of sports law and economics. I’ll repeat: hope for a better future — yes, it still exists.

To be continued.