Annika Grylls is the only woman to date to have been nominated for the position of the new president of the Swedish Football Association.
The democratic process must run its course and Election Commission Chairman Ingmar Alm would like to see more female candidates.
– He says it would be a feather in our hat if we could find a woman who could turn this on.
Karl Eric Nelson will step down this spring after the maximum 12-year term as SvFF President. The replacement process is in full swing.
Assembly members have until January 15 to submit candidates, but four people have already been formally nominated.
It’s about the former prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt (Nominated by Brommapojkarna), Västmanland FF President Berger Johnson (Nominated by Fästmanland’s FF), National Team Manager Jens T Anderson (from BK Häcken) – as well as Elite Women’s Football President Annika Grälls (from Södermanlands FF).
– They are good candidates and I think that is important for Swedish football, says Annika Grylls.
She is the only woman among the official candidates.
– She has to fight the other men … , says Ingvar Alm, head of the selection committee.
The selection committee is discussing more names. President Ingvar does not want the pain of going into who and how many, but he makes no secret that he would like to see more women candidates in the upcoming democratic process.
– We have a woman with us. It would be great if there were three women and three men on this list. But then of course we have to look at who can best drive this one, he says and continues:
– It would be a feather in our hat if we could find a woman who could run this. Norway has done it and in the old man’s judgment that is within UEFA and FIFA, Norway is doing it aggressively. We are happy to receive more nominations from strong women, Ingvar Alm says.
In Norway, Confederation President Liz Clavens drew attention, among other things, for her speech at the FIFA Congress last spring.
Annika Grylls does not want the election of the president to be a gender issue.
– The selection committee can have its ambitions, then based on the nominations and interviews that will take place on the 25th and 26th, I hope you will get a clearer picture. It is important that the person has the right skills and can work in football politics. She says it is important to emphasize that you are being selected on the basis of competence.
But you must be ready to fight yourself..?
– Yes, how do you respond to such a thing… No comment.
Annika Grylls, who is sitting herself Swedish Football Association The board of directors since 2016, however, sees gender evolution over time.
I think football has progressed a lot. When I was elected in 2016, I was the fourth woman ever on the Federal Council and now we have more women than men on the Board of Directors. A lot happens, and then maybe things don’t go fast enough, but it’s moving forward, she says.
How do you see the information that appeared in Express Regarding the Swedish Football Association’s poor working environment and criticism related to General Secretary Häkan Sjostrand, does it affect you ahead of the upcoming presidential election?
– I don’t have any comments about it at the moment, but we will discuss this on the board of directors. We have a meeting on Monday.
