A-League backer on verge of forfeit

BY MERRYN SHERWOOD
1/11/2009 9:42:00 AM

FRUSTRATED Canberra A-League bid leader Ivan Slavich is on the verge of walking away from his push to secure the capital its own team in the national soccer competition.
More than a month after the sport's governing body Football Federation Australia gave the 12th A-League licence to western Sydney ahead of Canberra, MrSlavich is yet to be told why.

On Friday, the ActewAGL boss, who has spent the past 18 months leading the Canberra bid, formally wrote to FFA chief executive Ben Buckley seeking some answers.

At last night's A-League game at Canberra Stadium Mr Slavich said he wanted to hear a concrete plan on how Canberra would be included before 2012, or he's out.

''I will say I certainly don't give up easily,'' Mr Slavich said.

''But I can't hang around for forever. If they can show me the pathway, then we will absolutely keep going, but in the absence of any clear direction as to what the pathway is, I do have a responsibility to give money back to foundation members if we don't have a team.''

December 31, 2012 is the date when the foundation membership trust fund will be released. Currently there are 2000 members who have paid $200 each, a total of $400,000. Mr Slavich said if the FFA could not show him a clear plan he would refund foundation members' cash earlier.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/aleague-backer-on-verge-of-forfeit/1664763.aspx