FAM Issues Notice to Vacate Land Adjacent to Sports Arena

The Football Association of Maldives (FAM) has issued a public notice instructing all parties to vacate land allocated to the association next to the Football Arena at Maafannu Stadium within 14 days, stating that the area will be used for the construction of football pitches.

In an announcement published in the Government Gazette, FAM said two football pitches are planned on land adjacent to the sports arena at Maafannu Stadium. The association stated that any property belonging to private individuals or companies currently located in the area must be removed within the specified period.

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The land was granted to FAM by the government on a 50-year lease for the development of a sports arena funded by FIFA. However, according to FAM, the land has been used in a manner inconsistent with the purpose for which it was allocated. In addition to an office building and facilities related to football services, parts of the premises have reportedly been used as warehouses by private businesses.

FAM said various sections of the building and surrounding land were leased to private parties during the tenure of former FAM president Bassam Adeel Jaleel, who is currently serving a 32-year prison sentence in connection with fraud cases involving FAM funds.

The association said its executive committee decided on Monday to stop implementing agreements that allowed the leasing of different parts of the building and land to third parties. However, FAM has not yet issued separate notices specifically ordering the vacating of warehouses located on the premises.

According to FAM, the leasing decisions were made without the approval of the executive committee during Bassam’s leadership and were undertaken without consultation with the Ministry of Sports or FIFA.

FAM also referred to a public notice issued in August last year, in which it instructed that no further construction work be carried out on the Maafannu Stadium land or on land allocated for a football school in Hulhumalé. At the time, the association requested that tenants and sub-lessees submit copies of their agreements.

In its latest announcement, FAM said that following the August notice, several parties submitted documents claiming that portions of the sports arena land—excluding the area on which the building stands—had been allocated for various purposes.