Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
The formation of the Governance Reform Task Force – now the Governance Task Force – was an important step towards establishing good governance within the AFC. Its formation supports the key pillars of the AFC’s Mission statement which seeks to establish good governance and strengthen integrity.
Following the 27th AFC Congress in Bahrain in 2017, the AFC entered a new era of good governance and reform. A raft of new governance practices and amendments to the AFC Statutes were approved by the AFC Member Associations at the Congress based on the recommendations of the AFC Governance Task Force, and these changes have provided a strong foundation for good governance reform in the region.
In addition to requiring a minimum quota of female members on the AFC Executive Committee, the AFC also imposed an age limit of 70 and term limits (maximum three terms of four years) for the AFC President and all AFC Executive Committee members.
The AFC operates under a non-executive President system with an empowered General Secretary and team of high-level Directors acting without political influence in implementing the strategic decisions of the AFC Executive Committee, in order to separate the political from the operational.
In addition, all candidates running for AFC Executive Committee positions are subject to eligibility checks. Similar checks are also conducted on all members of the AFC General Secretariat, including the AFC General Secretary, in order to ensure that the highest standards of personal and professional integrity flow through into the daily operations of the organisation.
Anchored on strengthening the spirit of unity across the continent, one of the core values in the AFC Vision and Mission is for the organisation to enhance its engagement with key stakeholders in the decision-making process. A clear manifestation of this approach is the AFC’s continued consultations with a vast range of leading experts in various domains, including Interpol, Transparency International, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), WADA, Sportradar, ICSS, SIGA and other football bodies like FIFA, UEFA, CONCACAF, ECA and the EPFL.
The AFC continues to reinforce its position as a leader in the women’s game through the promotion of women's football and championing the role of women at all levels and in all areas, including governance and technical matters.
Bringing matters of transparency and accountability to the forefront, the AFC Congress decides the composition of the AFC’s judicial bodies, ensuring a truly independent judiciary.
The AFC Governance Task Force also developed a whistleblower policy – called ‘Do the Right Thing’ - which was approved by the AFC Executive Committee in December 2016. This policy forms part of the AFC's reformed and modernised governance structure and is a concrete example of the top-level commitment that the AFC shows towards governance reform in Asian football. The policy came into force on 1st June 2017 and has been disseminated to all AFC Member Associations for them to communicate to all relevant stakeholders within each national football association and football community. The aim of this policy is to provide easily accessible and secure channels of communication for anybody who has experienced or suspects wrongdoing or unethical behaviour in the AFC’s competitions or activities, so that they can report such activities to someone they can trust.