The Adelaide Football Club is deeply saddened by the passing of Max Basheer AM, one of South Australian football’s greatest servants.
He was 98.
Basheer, who was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame as an administrator in 2005, was the central figure behind the founding of the Adelaide Football Club late in 1990.
The longest serving SANFL President led the resistance when Port Adelaide signed a heads-of-agreement with the AFL to join the competition.
Basheer insisted that the licence for South Australia’s first AFL club be owned by the SANFL, won the fight and the Adelaide Football Club became a reality in October, 1990.
He was elected chair of the Club’s Interim Board, assigned with the enormous task of launching a new club for the 1991 season.
Crows Chairman John Olsen described Basheer as a giant of South Australian football and sports administration.
“The Adelaide Football Club would not exist if not for the determination, resilience and tireless work of Max Basheer,” Olsen said.
“He was a visionary, a passionate South Australian and a man of integrity, who always had the best interests of football in this State at heart.
“Our Club, and the broader football community, owe a great deal to Max and the service he gave over many decades.”
Basheer was Adelaide’s first Number One ticketholder and received Crows Life Membership in 2003, the last of his 25 years as SANFL president.
He was inducted into the SANFL Hall of Fame in 2003 and received Life Membership of both the SANFL and AFL.
Basheer’s long involvement with the SANFL started in 1962. As senior vice president from 1967-78 he was heavily involved in the 1971 decision to establish Football Park as the SANFL’s headquarters.
He was SANFL President from 1978-2003 and chairman of the SA Football Commission from 1990-2003.
MAX BASHEER AM
ADMINISTRATION RECORD:
South Australian Amateur League Commissioner 1954-1960
SANFL Commissioner 1962-1966
SANFL Senior Vice President 1967-1978
SANFL Management Committee (Chairman 1978/79) 1969-1979
SANFL Commissioner for Country and Junior Football (Chairman 1978) 1971-1978
Football Park Finance and Development Committee (Chairman 1978) 1975-1989
SANFL President (25 years longest serving President) 1978-2003
Adelaide Football Chairman of Interim Board 1990-91
Foundation SA - Trustee 1988-1992
SA Football Commission - Chairman 1990-2003
ACHIEVEMENTS:
Awarded SANFL Life Membership 1972
Member of the Order of Australia for services to the game of Australian Football 1988
Awarded AFL Life Membership 1996
SANFL Football Hall of Fame 2003
Australian Football Hall of Fame 2005
