The Kashif and Shanghai Organisation said yesterday it will desist from announcing cash incentive prizes to teams over its public address system in keeping with a decision by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF).
During Monday night’s semi-final matches both Western Tigers and Pele were offered sums of $3m to win the encounter.
Western Tigers eventually prevailed by a 3-1 margin in the penalty kicks shoot-out after regulation and extra time had failed to break the scoreless deadlock.
President of Alpha United, Odinga Lumumba, whose team will contest the New Year’s Day final against Western Tigers, said yesterday that he was not comfortable with the situation which he felt had the ability to affect the outcome of matches.
Lumumba said he had written the GFF on the matter.
“I think that these things can play with the minds of the referee. Now, loud, loud on the P.A (Public Announcement) System you hear that if this team won, they get $3M and if that goal score they get ‘X’ amount of money.
“Now that would put the referee in an unstable position because he now will have in his mind that any mistake can be detrimental,” Lumumba told Stabroek Sport.
He added that referees might even become fearful for their lives and would not want to make an unjust call on either team.
“Some of these referees even live in the areas some of these teams come from and again, it can put their lives in danger.
“Now I’m not saying that a man can’t support a team. If they want to do so, go to the team quietly and say well, `look I will give you ‘X’ amount if you win’ – the whole world doesn’t have to know that, but the team,” Lumumba added.
Contacted yesterday Director of the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation, Kashif Muhammad, said that they had received a letter from the GFF requesting that the action be discontinued.
Muhammad said the organization will adhere to the request.
“Yea well, the GFF did send us a letter you know, but the thing is, this has been happening for years where an individual would publically say he will donate ‘X’ amount to ‘X’ team if they win. But the thing is, it has never gone to this level, so yea, we will make sure it doesn’t happen as the GFF requested,” Muhammad said.
