FA given vote of no confidence by British MPs

The Football Association (FA) has promised to prove its capacity to reform itself, despite receiving a vote of no confidence by members of parliament in the House of Commons on Thursday.

With trust waning in the FA’s ability to make necessary changes, MPs debated a motion put forward by the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee suggesting the government should step in and take over control of the reforms.

As it stands the vote remains a symbolic one, with the FA not required to take any action.

FA chairman Greg Clarke, who has promised to step down from his role if the body cannot prove itself worthy of internal reform, released a short statement in response to Thursday’s news, reiterating his pledge to Sports Minister Tracey Crouch.

“I watched the debate and respect the opinions of the MPs,” he said.

“As previously stated we remain committed to reforming governance at The FA to the agreed timescale of the Minister.”

Damian Collins, chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, used an interesting comparison in a bid to get his message across to the FA.

“No change is no option,” he said. “The FA, to use a football analogy, are not only in extra time, they are at the end of extra time, in ‘Fergie Time’. 

“They are 1-0 down and if they don’t pick up fairly quickly, reform will be delivered to them.”

Should the government officially step in regarding the matter, the FA could be at risk of flouting FIFA regulations, which forbid such intervention.