A majority of a five-man commission has refused to approve Worawi Makudi's win in Thursday's election for president of the Football Association of Thailand (FAT).
Chanin Kaenhirun addresses a press conference yesterday. PHOTO: THANARAK KHOONTON
Incumbent FAT boss Worawi beat Virach Charnpanich 42-28 but the former national team manager would not concede defeat, saying there were irregularities.
Chanin Kaenhirun, a member of the election commission, told yesterday's press conference that three of the five members of the panel would not endorse the result citing the election was not clean.
The other two are commission chairman Pol Maj Gen Pisut Pumpichate and Thana Thumviharn.
The final decision now rests with the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) and those who feel they are affected should take legal action, he said.
Chanin said he had been members of committees overseeing general and local elections but had never seen anything like this.
"We cannot approve the result," Chanin said.
"I did not think that such a small-scale election would be like this," he added.
He said his panel disqualified seven football clubs from the election on Wednesday because their voters had nothing to do with the clubs they represented.
But on the election day, an appeals panel reversed the decision and allowed them to vote.
The seven voters were believed to be Worawi's supporters including Korkaew Pikulthong who represented Phangnga FC, Muang Thong United manager Kan Chanrat who represented Nonthaburi FC and Thanya Popaichit, who represented Trang FC.
The election commission and the appeals committee were established under an agreement by Worawi and Virach.
Under the deal, Virach picked three of the five members of the election commission and Worawi two, and Worawi selected two of the three members of the appeals panel and Virach one.
The three members of the election commission who rejected the result were chosen by Virach, while the two members of the appeals committee who allowed the seven clubs to vote were picked by Worawi.
A decision by the two panels needs only a simple majority but their decisions are not legally binding.
After Thursday's election, Virach, who also lost to Worawi in the previous election two years ago, complained of foul play and said he was considering legal action.