Artur Soghomonyan, the owner of FC Pyunik, has made a statement on the upcoming FFA elections.

Dear managers and owners of clubs, as well as fans of Armenian football, the elections of the new president and Executive Committee of the Football Federation of Armenia will soon take place. Yesterday Football Clubs Pyunik, Ararat and Shirak made a joint statement urging that it’s necessary to clean the membership of the Federation of fake organizations and to launch a process of its rehabilitation.

On my own behalf I’d like to appeal to those who stand for the office of the FFA president and who are going to vote on 23 December to treat this issue with maximum responsibility. We have got an exceptional chance to hold truly democratic, legitimate and transparent elections of president of the Football Federation of Armenia. I’m deeply convinced that neither the future FFA president nor his relatives should be affiliated with any club of the Armenian Championship! With all due respect to the investors and club owners such a president won’t be able to guarantee truly objective and impartial principles of work, to regain the trust of the clubs towards the activity of the Federation and to ensure the development of Armenian football.

Unfortunately, we have already had a bitter experience of such management which led to catastrophic consequences: only six clubs remained in the Armenian Premier League, a part of which planned to withdraw from the championship. I urge the participants of the meeting who are going to vote on 23 December to make a considered decision so that we can move on and not back! There is still much to do to bring the level of football in Armenia to worthy positions. I hope on 23 December we will be able to elect such members of the Executive Committee and president of the FFA who can provide objective and professional management for the benefit of Armenian football!