Slovak Football Association Assembly Collapses in Senec After Delegates Walk Out
The regular assembly of the Slovak Football Association (SFZ) collapsed in Senec on Friday after a part of the delegates walked out of the hall. The walkout occurred after the assembly voted down an agenda that would have included an independent deep audit of the organization and a vote on suspending the association president. The assembly will reconvene on November 6 in Bratislava, according to association officials.
Tensions at the national sports body have simmered for months amid frozen state financial subsidies and a mobile phone scandal. Friday’s gathering opened with addresses from international football officials, including FIFA regional coordinator Vasco Stock da Cunha and UEFA representative Jozef Kliment. 85 delegates with voting rights were present, making the assembly quorate. Ján Kováčik opened the conference, while Peter Kováč, president of the Western Slovak Football Association (ZsFZ), was tasked with presiding over the meeting.
Disputed Agenda Items Trigger Mass Departure
The conflict erupted during the approval of the meeting’s agenda when a motion was introduced to drop items 19 through 27, which included proposals for an independent audit of the SFZ and its subsidiaries, alongside the presidential suspension motion. Delegates Ondrej Brendza and Róbert Rybníček urged the assembly to keep the items on the floor. Brendza told the assembly that refusing to discuss the issues amounts to denying a delegate’s right to speak. Immediately following the vote, a faction of delegates walked out of the hall. Although 62 delegates initially remained—barely clearing the 61-delegate quorum required—subsequent departures dropped attendance to 60, stripping the assembly of its decision-making authority and forcing presiding official Peter Kováč to call a 30-minute recess before formally postponing the event.
Speaking to media outside the hall, Brendza and Rybníček condemned the majority’s refusal to engage. Rybníček noted that representatives from more than half of the clubs in the League Clubs Union (Únia ligových klubov) joined the walkout. Association spokesperson Juraj Čurný confirmed to reporters that it was the first time an SFZ assembly failed due to a walkout, adding that while the delegates exercised their absolute right to leave, the suspended topics would be reviewed by the executive committee on November 3.
Financial Disclosures and Future Association Plans
Before the quorum collapsed, Ján Kováčik addressed the remaining delegates regarding the association’s finances. He announced that the SFZ received a €1,830,000 loan from UEFA on Thursday, which will be repaid in two installments in April 2028 and April 2029. Kováčik also reported on an audit of state grants received for recognized sports funding in 2023 and 2024, stating that out of millions of euros disbursed, the association was required to return €8,000. During the opening, Vasco Stock da Cunha spoke on Slovakia’s performance in the World Cup qualification play-offs, the organization of the U21 European Championship, and a new U15 World Cup tournament in Azerbaijan.
Eight former football officials received Gold Badges at the start of the conference, including Ján Blecha, Miloslav Richnák, Milan Bezák, Vendelín Novysedlák, Arpád Benovič, Ján Tomčík, Richard Havrilla, and Igor Bella.
Allegations of Mismanagement
Discontent within the movement has been fueled by claims regarding the “digitalization” project, which allegedly included orders for numerous iPhones. Further controversy surrounds the head of the SFZ Delegation Commission, Štefan Korman, who was accused of collecting substantial sums from the relevant section into his private bank account. Despite these allegations, leadership maintains that the association was deceived in the phone scandal, a claim disputed by former executive committee member and lawyer Peter Sepeši, who asserts that contract reviews show otherwise.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where will the reconvened SFZ assembly take place?
The postponed assembly is scheduled to reconvene on November 6 in Bratislava, following the collapse of the initial meeting in Senec on Friday.
What specific proposals were removed from the original agenda?
Delegates voted to remove items concerning an independent deep audit of the SFZ and its subsidiary companies, as well as a proposed vote to suspend the execution of the association president’s duties.
How many delegates were required to maintain a quorum?
The assembly required a minimum presence of 61 voting delegates to remain quorate; the count dropped to 60 after additional delegates left the hall following the agenda vote.
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