Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said the president of the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA) should be proficient in Armenian, while coaches should not be subject to the same requirement.
Speaking to journalists following a government meeting, Pashinyan expressed his position on language requirements for the federation’s leadership.
“In my opinion, the federation’s president should speak Armenian, and I believe that will be the case,” he said, Sputnik Armenia reports.
The prime minister drew a distinction between the federation’s president and coaching staff, arguing that mandatory language requirements for coaches could limit opportunities to recruit qualified specialists.
He recalled that Armenia’s national football team had previously been managed by foreign coaches who did not speak Armenian and said he saw no problem with that approach.
Pashinyan’s remarks follow amendments to the FFA statutes approved at an extraordinary general assembly on November 4. The changes removed the Armenian-language proficiency requirement for candidates seeking the federation’s presidency and seats on its executive committee.
Earlier media reports suggested that Denis Djorkaeff, brother of former French international footballer Youri Djorkaeff, could be nominated for the FFA presidency.
The federation’s presidential election is reportedly expected to take place in late December.
