Former FOTR president defeated in Canada Soccer VP bid

Former Folk on the Rock president Ryan Fequet has lost his campaign to become the next vice-president of Canada’s national soccer governing body.

Canada Soccer hosted its annual meeting in Yellowknife this weekend, the first time the event has come to a territory in the organization’s 106-year history.

Dignitaries from across the country, including national team head coach John Herdman, were in the NWT for the occasion – capped by a series of elections on Saturday.

The race for vice-president of Canada Soccer was a head-to-head contest between Fequet and Ontario’s Nick Bontis.

Fequet, a former president of NWT Soccer, has served on Canada Soccer’s board since 2007 and specializes in governance reform.

Bontis is an academic who has led Canada Soccer’s strategic planning in recent years.

Bontis was declared the election’s winner on Saturday afternoon. As the vote took place by secret ballot, it’s not clear how wide the winning margin was. Canada Soccer’s members – the provinces and territories, players, and the sport’s new pro league – are those entitled to vote.

“Canada Soccer is facing a crisis internally with its membership,” Fequet had earlier told Cabin Radio.

“The key is that Canada Soccer needs to realize and figure out the best way to bring value to its members, immediately, before its membership decline precipitates to a point where it can’t return.”

He keeps his position on the board as a director despite Saturday’s defeat.

Disclosure: The author is the current president of NWT Soccer and chair of Canada Soccer’s Presidents’ Forum, though will stand down from both positions next week.

Correction, 18:16 May 4, 2018 – Ryan Fequet has been on Canada Soccer’s board since 2007, not 2013 as previously stated.