TIRANA, Jan. 9 – A top left-wing politician is expected to challenge Albania’s current Football Association President Armand Duka as he seeks a fifth consecutive four-year term in next February’s elections.
Bashkim Fino, a 55-year-old experienced politician, who also served as a short-term consensual Prime Minister of the country during the 1997 turmoil triggered by the collapse of some pyramid investment schemes, is known for his passion for football and is often seen on stadiums attending matches.
Although not having confirmed or denied his ambition yet, several politicians and football club presidents have come out in support of his candidacy and his name is rumored as the sole rival that can challenge experienced Duka.
The 55-year incumbent president has been in office as the president of Albania’s most popular sport since 2002 and managed to get easily re-elected for three other consecutive terms although having no prior sports background.
Duka is a successful Albanian businessman in several sectors including egg production, retail trade and until late 2017 in the sole-Albanian-owned mobile telephony that ceased its operations after it was acquired by the two largest operators. He has a 50-50 partnership with his brother, politician Agron Duka, a former MP and agriculture minister.
In his bio published on the Football Association’s portal, Duka says he has achieved his target of taking Albania to a first-ever major competition such as Euro 2016 and managed to build two stadiums meeting international standards in the cities of Elbasan and Shkodra while the National Arena stadium, a public private partnership project of the Albanian government, is already under construction.
The president is elected by 66-member General Assembly composed of presidents of elite and lower division clubs as well as 12 sports associations. A second round with a simple majority is held in case any of the candidates fails to get the initial qualified majority 2/3 of the votes, some 44 votes.
The race is expected to be tough if Fino enters the race but a child’s game if Duka runs alone.
The challenge also risks getting politicized, something which could trigger penalties by European football governing body, UEFA, considering the political profile of the expected rival and possible influence on local government-run clubs.
After its debut Euro 2016, Albania failed to make it to the Russia 2018 World Cup finishing third in tough qualifying group stage with Spain and Italy.
New coach Christian Panucci, the successor of Gianni De Biasi, has been set a Euro 2020 qualification target following his good start with the national side since taking over in mid-2017.
