Ararat-Armenia football club has announced that it will vote against amendments to the statutes of the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA). In a statement, the club said that “an attempt is being made, through an ‘unknown’ initiator and hasty, chaotic decisions, to implement a proposal (a package of amendments) that essentially appears designed to facilitate the nomination of a particular individual in the upcoming elections.”
The club emphasized that the statement represents Ararat-Armenia’s official position on the proposed additions and amendments currently under discussion.
According to the statement, the clubs neither initiated nor drafted the proposed amendments.
“At least, we are unaware of any club that played such a role in this process. By signing the document, the clubs merely expressed their willingness to participate in an extraordinary meeting at which the proposed amendments would be presented and discussed.
Recently, reports have circulated suggesting that Ararat-Armenia was among the initiators of the extraordinary meeting and supported the proposed amendments. The club officially states that it joined the initiative knowing in advance that the required quorum had already been secured, and with the intention of hearing other clubs’ positions and arguments concerning the proposed changes. At the time this statement was issued, the date of the extraordinary meeting was also unknown, which gave Ararat-Armenia reason to hope it would be able to attend and express its own position on the matters under discussion,” the statement said.
The club also outlined its position on the substance of the proposed amendments.
“The proposed changes are as follows:
- Removing two eligibility requirements for candidates seeking membership on the Executive Committee: permanent residence in the Republic of Armenia during the preceding year and proficiency in the Armenian language.
- Establishing that if the Executive Committee president, vice president or members have actually served in their respective positions for less than two years, that period will not count as one full term of office, whereas service of two years or more will count as a full term.
The justification offered for the first amendment is that these requirements could allegedly ‘disproportionately’ restrict the pool of potential candidates. However, the proposal does not explain what ‘disproportionately’ means.
The requirement to have permanently resided in Armenia for one year may be open to discussion, considering that there could indeed be Armenian citizens aged 25 or older who speak Armenian but have worked abroad in recent years and wish to seek membership on the Executive Committee, including the positions of FFA president or vice president. The other provision, however, is far more problematic.
Eliminating the Armenian-language proficiency requirement is highly objectionable, if not an outrageous proposal. An Executive Committee member must understand the situation in Armenian football, be familiar with the local mentality and specific circumstances, and be able to establish a common language with various groups. This is without even mentioning routine administrative responsibilities, which also require knowledge of Armenian,” the statement said.
The club further noted that Armenia’s Law on Citizenship also presupposes knowledge of the Armenian language. While the federation’s statutes require Armenian citizenship, the proposed amendments would simultaneously eliminate the Armenian-language proficiency requirement.
“The club categorically opposes such an amendment and will vote against it. At the same time, guided by the principle of expressing a clear and sincere opinion, Ararat-Armenia believes these changes have not emerged spontaneously and do not stem from any need for systemic reform. The question arises: why now, and why these particular amendments?
The answer is simple: ahead of the upcoming FFA presidential elections, an attempt is being made to amend the statutes to accommodate a specific candidate, a particular individual. This approach is not only unacceptable but also deserves strong condemnation. Football must be based on the fundamental principles of fairness, equality, competition and transparency.
The same reasoning applies to the second amendment. For whom is this change being made, and why now? Who is the Executive Committee member who has served for less than two years and wishes to serve another term? We leave it to the football community to draw its own conclusions,” the statement said.
The club has also submitted its position in writing because its management will be in Leiria, Portugal, on November 4, 2026, where Ararat-Armenia is scheduled to face Torreense in the UEFA Europa League.
