Male' Maldives: Ahmed Mubeen, the Managing Director of the Regional Airports, has been elected as the new Chairperson of New Radiant Sports Club, widely regarded as the most successful football club in the Maldives.
Mubeen’s appointment was confirmed during a congress held fortnight ago, the club's previous chairperson resigned a couple of months ago, and an executive committee was elected to guide the club forward.
The congress, which took place at Dharubaaruge, saw the participation of many club legends, former players, and passionate supporters. Alongside the election of the new executive committee, the club opened applications for the committee positions. As only one candidate applied for each position, members of the executive committee were elected through a unanimous show of hands vote.
New Radiant Sports Club's Newly Elected Executive Committee:
Chairman: Ahmed Mubeen
Senior Vice Chairman: Ali Ibrahim
Senior Vice Chairman: Mujtaba Jaleel
Vice Chairman: Ali Rasheed Ahmed
Legal Counsel: Mazin Hussain Ibrahim
Board Members: Ismail Rasheed, Mohamed Shakeel, Mohamed Yoosuf, Ahmed Moosa, Ahmed Hussain, Moosa Saeed, Ahmed Yoosuf, Zaheenuddin Saeed, Abdullah Aboobakuru, Mohamed Ali, Umar Faruhaan
In addition to the new leadership, the club has made significant changes to its constitution, including altering its membership fee policy from mandatory to voluntary. Furthermore, the positions of Treasurer and Secretary General, which are integral to the club's management, have now been included among the board members.
In his first remarks after being appointed as Chairman, Mubeen expressed the club’s commitment to reclaiming its dominance in Maldivian football, emphasizing that the collective support of New Radiant's fans and former players would be key to the club's resurgence. "Our primary task is to bring New Radiant back to the top and restore its place in Maldivian football," he said.
Mubeen acknowledged the challenges ahead, noting that the state of football in the country requires urgent attention. He stressed that their efforts would not only focus on revitalizing New Radiant, but also on addressing the broader issues affecting the sport.
"Our goal is not just to save New Radiant, but to help put football in the Maldives back on track," Mubeen stated.
Reflecting on the current state of the game, Mubeen pointed out that the survival of major clubs, including New Radiant, is crucial for the future of Maldivian football. He recalled the events of 2019 when New Radiant was suspended by the Football Association of Maldives (FAM) due to unresolved salary disputes, which highlighted the broader challenges facing the sport.
"Unless the major clubs are revived, Maldivian football will not be saved," Mubeen said. He pointed to the 2019 suspension of New Radiant, triggered by salary issues, as a key turning point for the club.
Despite this setback, New Radiant’s supporters, led by figures like Wasif, rallied to bring the club back, participating in the 2022 Second Division tournament.
Although New Radiant lost in the semi-finals of the 2022 Second Division to Buru Sports Club, who ultimately won and gained promotion to the First Division, the club's efforts to rebuild continued. In the most recent Second Division, New Radiant reached the semi-finals once again but was defeated 2-0 by Victory Sports Club.
Following changes in FAM's promotion rules, the two teams reaching the final in the Second Division would now be promoted, but New Radiant's failure to advance to the final meant another missed opportunity for promotion.
With the new executive committee now in place, Mubeen and his team are determined to restore New Radiant’s former glory and play an integral role in revitalizing football in the Maldives.
