By David Gold
October 18 – Argentine Football Association (AFA) President Julio Grondona has won a record ninth term in office following an Extraordinary Congress of the organisation.
The 80-year-old will serve another four year term after club directors unanimously endorsed his re-election, in spite of a small group of protestors who had gathered outside the AFA headquarters to call for his head.
Grondona has been outspoken and controversial during his 32 year tenure, but he has also been in charge during Argentina’s World Cup victory in 1986 as well as two Copa America triumphs and a pair of Olympic gold medals.
Grondona, a member of the FIFA Executive Committee, has admitted voting for Qatar’s 2022 World Cup bid, and launched an outspoken attack on England at the FIFA Congress in Zurich in June where President Sepp Blatter won re-election.
During his career in Argentine football, he founded Arsenal de Sarandi before becoming President of Independiente.
He was elected as chair of the AFA in 1979, and earlier this year the organisation caused a storm when proposing to merge the top two divisions in the country to form a 40 team league.
Tonight’s re-election came amid accusations of fraud levelled at him this week from a business rival, Carlos Avila, whom he has subsequently said he will sue.
Following his victory, Grondona said:”In 32 years here we have done our job and I hope that in the future nothing changes.
“I’m happy to have the good fortune to keep working with the support of all of you.”
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