The Maldives ‘Ad-Hoc Commission’ established jointly by the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) and the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB)’s Executive Committee to solve the governance issues within the Volleyball Association of Maldives (VAM) has announced its final determination and established a set of guidelines to be followed during the VAM polls.

A letter, addressed to the President of VAM Mohamed Latheef as well, reads that the commission finalized the process of determining VAM membership and listed recommendations to hold general assemblies, “as soon as possible”.

Only the clubs to have participated in at least one tournament each year from 2015-2018 will be allowed to cast votes in the VAM elections as qualified VAM members, over which VAM plunged into disorder over several issues raised, during 2019. Further, conditions also highlight that club require to have paid the annual membership fee from 2017-2019, registered with the Maldives Commissioner of Sports and re-registered with VAM.

With this being said, records show that a total of nine clubs had participated in tournaments each year throughout the period resulting in which, only those clubs qualify to cast their polls in the VAM elections.

The clubs allowed to cast votes in the VAM elections are Addu Sports Club, Dhivehi Sifainge Club, Police Club, Maldivian Sports and Recreation, Goodies Sports Club, Sports Club City, Youth New Generation, Club Half Line Linkage and Sports Club Hawks.

These clubs will be notified of the time and venue for the general assembly via email. For further information and inquiries individuals are sought to contact VAM through. 9570191.

Clubs that currently do not qualify for VAM membership are Volleyball Family Association, Volleyball Academy, Alma Sports Club, Maldives Volleyball Veterans, Club Volleyball, Volleyball Youth New Generation, Lorenzo Sports Club, Dhivehi Volleyball Veterans Association, Viligili Zuvaanunge Jamiyya and Aspiration for All Initiative Sports Club.

With FIVB’s decision, two general assemblies are recommended to be hosted in order to schedule the VAM election. VAM is to hold the electoral congress on March 24 during which members will finalize a list of clubs that may participate in the polls as well as the entire election procedure and preparations.

Subsequently, polls must be carried out during the second congress in a transparent and democratic process, for which FIVB has recommended April 1 as the date.

Both general assemblies are required to fit the statutes and the Ad-Hoc Commission will be supervising both assemblies.

Issues stirred within the association throughout the planning process for the election during 2019 and it fell into a pit after the association had dissolved the electoral steering committee and tasked Commissioner of Sports Heena Ahmed Saleem with running the Normalizing Committee as well as VAM, during June 2019.

Although the association was steered by a five-member committee at first, it was dissolved following a warning by FIVB.

During October 2019, the association took a vote of no-confidence against VAM President Latheef during an extraordinary congress after which a Normalizing Committee comprised of three members, was established in the month that followed. The committee was tasked with preparations required until an election may be slated as well as to conduct daily activities within the association by then.

Latheef, whose tenure came to and end on February 22, has since decided to withdraw from the upcoming VAM election.

The Maldives Ad-Hoc Commission was established on 5 December 2019.