By Iva Wharton
The president and secretary of Alpha United Football Club have been summoned to a disciplinary hearing of the General Council of the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) today.
The meeting, according to correspondences seen by this publication, will be held at the Sleepin International Hotel.
Alpha United president Odinga Lumumba and secretary, Fiona Hamilton, will be required to show why disciplinary action should not be taken against the club and Lumumba.
The GFA said that Lumumba was written to in connection with recent “pubic miss-statements” he made about the mandate of the General Council of the GFA to its executive committee with respect to resolving the Guyana Football Federation/GFA impasse.
Hamilton too will have to provide answers for…. “The withdrawal of Alpha United Football Club from the duly sanctioned 2012 Namilco knock-out tournament.”
She will also be required to apprise the GFA General Council of the current administrative status of the club.
The GFA General Council will deliberate on the above issues if Lumumba and Hamilton fail to turn up, Stabroek Sport learnt.
Meanwhile, a source close to the GFA told this publication that the General Council will basically seek clarification on issues raised by Lumumba concerning Alpha’s withdrawal from the GFA.
Lumumba had stated that the decision to withdraw the club from under the umbrella of the GFA was because of the failure of the GFA to act on a decision taken by its General Council.
According to Lumumba, the GFA’s General Council had mandated the executive to seek a resolution to the disagreement between the GFA and the Guyana Football Federation (GFF).
But, he had charged, the executive had failed to act on the recommendation that the lawyers of both sides meet.
“The Executive of Alpha United Football Club has decided to withdraw the club from participating in any activity organized by the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) until a settlement is made between the GFA and the Guyana Football Federation (GFF),” Lumumba’s letter to the GFA stated.
“The executive was forced to make this decision following the unwillingness and evident sloth of your executive to carry out the mandate of its General Council which directed that GFA’s Lawyer Roysdale Forde meet with the GFF’s Lawyer,” it added.
“Alpha United finds this modus operandi disrespectful, unreasonable and not in the best interest of football, in particular with Guyana’s role in the qualification for 2014 World Cup. Therefore, as of February 15, 20112 our withdrawal becomes effective,” Lumumba’s letter went on to state.
But, according to the source, some of the above issues raised were just too ambiguous and Lumumba is now being given a chance to state clearly what he means.
The source also stated that GFA officials have viewed the matter as one of self-interest on the part of Lumumba.
According to the official, Lumumba’s withdrawal from the GFA seems to be closely linked to his club’s intended participation in the upcoming CONCACAF tournament.
