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Singapore. Singapore’s professional football league’s deputy chief executive officer Johan Gouttefangeas has stepped down less than a month after he was appointed by the Football Association of Singapore.

The 34-year-old Frenchman had been under intense public scrutiny after media reports that he had been banned from running businesses in France for five years.

Two companies he owned in France — a mobile accessories firm and hardware shop — went into liquidation over a one-year period. He failed to disclose this to the FAS when he applied for the job of S-League chief executive, a post which went to former Singapore Armed Forces FC chairman Lim Chin.

The FAS issued a statement last night announcing that Gouttefangeas was stepping down.

In the statement he called his failure to disclose that his companies had been liquidated and that a ban had been imposed on him in France “an oversight.” He said he had apologized to FAS president Zainudin Nordin.

“I am thankful that the FAS affirmed I was not adjudged a bankrupt,” he added. “While I am still confident that I will be able to help bring the S-League to the next level, I have decided that it is in the best interests of the league and Singapore football that I relinquish my post.”

Zainudin said in the FAS statement that he accepted Gouttefangeas’ apology.

“While we are disappointed that he did not disclose to FAS the status of his companies in France and of the prohibitions imposed on him by the court in France, we accepted his apology as we believe it was an oversight on his part,” he said.

“I do understand the concerns expressed by some football officials in recent days. I am also heartened to note that other officials and fans have asked that we give him an opportunity to prove his worth. But he has requested to step down from his position — a move he feels is in the best interest of Singapore football.”

It is understood that the FAS will begin searching for a replacement soon.

Gouttefangeas was unveiled on Jan. 6 as deputy CEO despite doubts over his suitability, given his controversial tenure as chairman of 2010 S-League champions Etoile FC, the first French football club in the competition.

Despite the team’s on-field success (the club also won the League Cup that year) and Gouttefangeas’ ambitious plans for a clubhouse costing up to $2 million, Etoile was widely reported to have been beset by financial problems, with players owed their salaries.

He left Etoile in a surprise move last June and the club was said to be $100,000 in debt.

Zainudin said yesterday that Gouttefangeas got the S-League job because of his “experience in football management and marketing, as well as a vast network of contacts in Europe.”

Current Etoile chairman Hicham Moudden, who withdrew the club from the league on Jan. 16 citing “debts and liabilities carried forward from the previous management,” could not be reached last night. He was known to have opposed Gouttefangeas’ appointment.

Etoile general manager Laurent Panelli said he was “very surprised” that Gouttefangeas had resigned of his own accord. “It does not make sense — he took the job a few short weeks ago,” he said last night.

S-League club chairmen contacted last night urged the fraternity to put the episode behind them, especially with the league kicking off its 17th season on Feb. 9.

Tanjong Pagar United chairman Edward Liu said of Gouttefangeas’ exit: “It was the best solution — I salute him for taking this honourable step in order not to create further embarrassment for everyone involved.”

Balestier Khalsa vice-chairman S. Thavaneson felt the Frenchman had made a “brave and correct decision” and should now be left alone, given the “agony and trauma” he has gone through.

Gombak United chief John Yap concluded: “Basically, this has been an unfortunate episode both for FAS and Gouttefangeas himself. I don’t think he was dishonest, but the fact is there was omission of certain material information before he took the job.”

Reprinted courtesy of Straits Times Indonesia. To subscribe to Straits Times Indonesia and/or the Jakarta Globe call 021 2553 5055.