President of Football Federation Resigns Shortly after Election

Giorgi Nemsadze resigned as president of the Georgian Football Federation (GFF) just a few hours after being elected  to the position at a GFF session on May 13, the GFF press center reported.

?Becoming the GFF president has never been my goal in itself. We should unite the Federation into one family. I plan to convene a session of the GFF executive committee in the next few weeks, which will elect a new president,? Nemsadze told Rustavi 2 TV.

The announcement came as a shock as Nemsadze had just been elected for a four-year term, defeating ex-President Nodar Akhalkatsi, who was running for re-election and sports reporter Mamuka Kvaratskhelia.

Speculation is rife that that Nemsadze?s surprise decision was part of a  wider political power play. Minister of Culture and Sports Goka Gabashvili, Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava and influential lawmaker from the ruling party Giga Bokeria were apparently in favor of Akhalkatsi?s re-election, while another group, involving MP Davit Kirkitadze, also from the ruling party, were pushing for Nemsadze?s candidacy.

Nemsadze was elected to Tbilisi’s City Council (Sakrebulo) in last year?s local elections after running on a National Movement ticket.

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