When FIFA and CONCACAF swooped into Guyana two weeks ago to attempt to settle the fractious state of affairs in football, it must have dawned upon many citizens that the public disputation on any and every issue here is causing enormous damage to the inherent trust between individuals and groups and to the country’s prospects. One only has to look at the national stage and the various stand-offs between those in authority for the evidence of this deadening and destabilising phenomenon.
Egos – inflated and stubborn – are usually the culprits and are well represented in all parts of society. While there may now be a solution on the horizon for football, the national sport – cricket – remains in disarray with factions beyond count and obstinacy that knows no limit. Fans continue to suffer from the undeserved and unacceptable withdrawal of international cricket from these parts while the government here and the WICB continue to battle each other blindly.
The deal that FIFA and CONCACAF managed to impose on the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) must have embarrassed each side. The terms were eminently within their reach and the progress will now come under scrutiny from the world governing body. So much for independence of action and thought in this arena.
In the interest of football one hopes that both the GFF and the GFA will reconcile and apply the necessary measures to ensure probity in their financial and other affairs. A key upcoming step in the agreement is the requirement for the GFF to create as soon as possible and no later than 31st January, 2013, an electoral commission made up of three “independent” persons to supervise the electoral process in accordance with FIFA’s Standard Electoral Code.
For too long the GFF has been the subject of ire over the lack of transparency in its financial and other affairs and the absence of term limits. The numerous challenges to this reality that were beaten back over the years simply delayed the inevitable- FIFA intervention. The reforms that are now being put in place must ensure that the governing body for football in Guyana is not again exposed to these practices which offend good governance and create chieftains who are unaccountable. There must be credible, verifiable elections for a new executive with term limits set for the top position. Many of the sport associations can benefit from a healthy dose of independent scrutiny of their elections. Cricket in particular should take careful note of what has been mandated by the world governing body and incorporate the key elements in the revamping that is now underway.
There is also the very troubling matter of the chastening international investigation into the alleged bribery of Caribbean Football Union officials at the Trinidad Hyatt Hotel reputedly on behalf of Mr Mohamed Bin Hammam who was then engaged in a contest for the FIFA presidency with Mr Sepp Blatter.
A report in the UK Telegraph of May 28, 2011 had said that a FIFA dossier on the matter had alleged that up to 25 CFU officials were each offered envelopes containing US$40,000 in cash, split into four US$10,000 “stacks” of US$100 bills, to persuade them to vote for Mr Bin Hammam.
The alleged offers were reportedly made in one-to-one meetings following a special summit of the CFU to allow Mr Bin Hammam to present his election programme.
The Telegraph report said that seven whistle-blowers told investigators the cash was presented as a “gift”, and that they were told “not to tell anyone about the cash, not to discuss the cash with the others and not to show anyone the money”.
They said that they were initially told the money was a gift from the CFU, but the following day were told that the money was in fact from Mr Bin Hammam.
The scheme unravelled after at least four delegates refused the cash and reported the incident to FIFA executive committee member Mr Chuck Blazer. The whistle-blowers reportedly came from The Bahamas, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Mr Hammam was later to deny knowledge of any attempt to bribe officials.
A subsequent investigation by CONCACAF resulted in suspensions against senior CFU officials including Guyana’s Mr Clifford Klass. In comparison to others, Mr Klass’s suspension was a stiff 26 months. Yet, there has not been a detailed accounting by him to the public for his experience at the Hyatt meeting neither has the GFF which he headed for 22 years asked for such an accounting considering the length of his suspension.
In light of the FIFA-mediated steps to mend rifts in the football fabric, the GFF should recognize an obligation to the public to explain the conduct of officials associated with it at that Trinidad meeting and whether it should also have imposed sanctions and should still do so for any infractions. Otherwise, the process currently underway will be perceived as not credible and hollow. Certainly, without a full explanation and accounting for the Trinidad incident it would be impossible to conceive of Mr Klass being considered for a position on the executive when his suspension is up.
In a statement after his meetings here, CONCACAF President Mr Jeffrey Webb had this to say “the goal of this visit has been to create dialogue within the football community, find cooperation and have a reinvigoration of the sport in Guyana. We have met with all parties involved to give them the opportunity to engage and participate in the resolution of these matters…We are very pleased with the commitment we have seen throughout our meetings to promote the sport and ultimately to reach a final agreement. We trust we will set a clear roadmap to restore the integrity of the game among all the GFF Member Associations”.
It was an important statement in the context of his visit and the GFF and the other football stakeholders need to take careful note.
