FAM terminates agreements for warehouse blocks built on its land

The Football Association of Maldives (FAM) has today decided to cease implementing all agreements related to the construction and leasing of warehouses on the Arena Project site at Maafannu Stadium. 

This site, which was granted to the FAM by the Sports Ministry for a 50-year period, was intended for a FIFA-funded arena project during the administration of former FAM president Bassam Adeel Jaleel. 

However, it was later discovered that spaces within the buildings were leased to private businesses to create warehouse rows without the approval of the FAM Executive Committee, FIFA, or the Sports Ministry.

The controversy stems from unauthorized changes made to the project's original blueprints during its first phase. These modifications, which facilitated the warehouse rentals, were previously flagged by FIFA and subsequently referred to the FAM’s Disciplinary and Ethics Committee for investigation last September. 

The current Executive Committee, elected in late July, determined that these contracts were signed without proper oversight and has officially moved to invalidate them as of their ninth meeting held today.

While the FAM has confirmed it will no longer honor these long-term agreements, they have not yet disclosed whether the current tenants have been served eviction notices to vacate the premises. 

"The decision to cease implementation of these agreements, which were set for 50 years starting from 2017, was finalized today," stated the Football Association of Maldives (FAM) in a document sent to its media group detailing the decisions from today's Executive Committee meeting.

In a related move to steer the project back to its original purpose, the Executive Committee also approved the designs for two large football pitches to be developed on the site. 

Although the designs were finalized during today's meeting, they have not yet been released to the media.