All over the world, the football scandal has been going on and it looks like OFC is no exception- Rajesh Patel.

The president of the Fiji Football Association Rajesh Patel admitted yesterday that there was a need for transparency at the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC).

His comments come amidst a probe into the financial affairs of OFC after FIFA this month said it had found ‘potential irregularities’ in an Auckland, New Zealand, construction project.

The $20 million ($FJ40.59m) project was to serve as OFC’s Home of Football building.

Patel, who is one of three vice-presidents of OFC, said he would be vying to become acting president when the body meets for its annual congress this June in Moscow.

Until then, OFC’s 14-member executive committee will carry out the functions of president, it was decided in a meeting on Sunday in Auckland.

Patel faces competition from the other vice presidents namely, Lambert Maltock of Vanuatu and Lee Harmon, of Cook Islands.

In a phone call yesterday, Patel said the problem was that “decisions were only taken by the two of the them,” referring to under-fire former president David Chung and former general secretary Tai Nicholas.

“All over the world, the football scandal has been going on and it looks like OFC is no exception,” Patel said.

He said the decision-making at OFC needed to include the input of the regional body’s administration, something he will look to implement if made acting president.

He said “normal procedures, like in the same way we run a business,” should be followed at OFC.

FIFA cut spending to OFC after a forensic audit by accountants at PriceWaterCoopers into the Auckland project revealed a potential for “fraud and bribery.”

OFC has now ordered an audit of its own, pledging to investigate the financial processes adopted by the OFC administration in past years.

They have vowed to set up a reform committee to review the current OFC constitution, policy and practice activity.

The body has also appointed an external lawyer to investigate any potential wrongdoing or financial misconduct related to the construction project.

An OFC media statement said legal action was on the table.

Chung, of Papua New Guinea resigned on Friday (April 6) citing personal reasons, two days before the OFC Executive Committee meeting in Auckland.

According to the New York Times, OFC members were planning to sack Chung at the meeting.

Chung, was also asked to resign as PNG Football president by the country’s vice Sports minister on Monday, according to PNG media.

Edited by Osea Bola

Feedback: sheldon.chanel@fijisun.com.fj