Sana'a, Yemen – Insaf Mayo, a Yemeni Member of Parliament, has been appointed as the new head of the Yemeni Football Association's (YFA) election committee, the association announced on Wednesday. Mayo replaces Nabil Al-Faqih, who resigned last week citing concerns over the fairness and transparency of the upcoming elections.

The YFA's statement, published on its official Facebook page, detailed that the decision was made during a virtual meeting on Tuesday. The committee also appointed Hussein Shaqran as deputy and secretary. Furthermore, Hassan Al-Kahili was promoted from reserve member to full membership, joining committee member Hafez Muayyad. The committee unanimously rejected Al-Faqih's resignation, urging his return and referring the matter to the relevant YFA authorities for final decision.

Al-Faqih's resignation, announced on November 16th, came just two weeks before the scheduled elections in Doha, Qatar, at the end of November. In his statement, Al-Faqih attributed his decision to inconsistencies in legal interpretations and procedures throughout the electoral process, beginning with the announcement of candidates on November 9th. He cited decisions and practices within and outside the committee that lacked a clear legal basis, negatively impacting the process and hindering his ability to ensure fairness and transparency. He emphasized that his resignation was made after careful consideration, prioritizing the best interests of Yemeni football.

The YFA's general secretariat had previously announced the final list of candidates on November 16th. Sheikh Ahmed Saleh Al-Aisi is the sole candidate for the presidency, while Hassan Mohammed Bashanfar and Talal Saleh Bin Haidara are vying for the first vice presidency. Five candidates are competing for the second vice presidency, and 18 are running for board membership. The elections are scheduled for November 30th in Doha.