Following the visit of CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb and Thierry Regenass of the world governing body for football (FIFA) an end was brought to the impasse between the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and the Georgetown Football Association with the voting rights for the latter being restored and the GFA agreeing to withdraw the matter from the Court.
And, with the GFA already having the Annual General Meeting earlier this month the stage is now set for the Annual General Meeting of the GFF, an event which is being eagerly looked forward to by the football community.
The elections are set for April 15 and already five names are being mentioned in the local football fraternity as prospective candidates for the presidency.
At the moment, the GFF is being led by acting president Franklin Wilson following the suspension by FIFA of long standing president Colin Klass who was caught up in cash for votes scandal along with former FIFA vice president Austin Jack Warner and Mohammed bin Hammam, who was seeking to challenge incumbent Sepp Blatter.
Stabroek Sport was reliably informed that there are five persons whose names are being bandied about with respect to the GFF presidency.
The five are A Partnership for National Unity and Attorney-at-Law Joseph Harmon, Colonel Bruce Lovell of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), General Secretary of the GFA Christopher Matthias, Attorney-at-Law Gordon Gilhuys and president of Alpha United Football Club and People’s Progressive Party Member of Parliament Odinga Lumumba.
This publication understands that election campaigns for the presidency have already been launched with some of the candidates mentioned, having met with clubs and presidents of sub-associations in an attempt to gain their support for April 15 when the football fraternity will head to the polls to elect a new executive.
Stabroek Sport, in an attempt to confirm the information contacted the five including Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major, organizing secretary of the GFF and whose name was also mentioned.
Stabroek Sport, however, was unable to contact acting president Wilson.
Harmon, when contacted said he was considering running for the position, but said he has not yet reached a decision.
Colonel Lovell said he heard that his was mentioned, but said at this time he was not prepared to commit himself to such a job.
He did say, however, that should there be any turmoil in the fraternity he will not give it any consideration.
Matthias said contesting the presidency is dependent on the membership of the GFA and how serious they are on the development of the sport. Asked if he has considered running for any other position within the GFF, Matthias said not at the moment.
Gilhuys, on the other hand, said he has not yet considered entering the race for the presidency of the GFF but said some in the football fraternity would like for him to contest the post.
Alpha United’s President, Lumumba said he has not yet considered whether he will take up the challenge but said at the moment he is focused on the re-development of his club. He added that his club will be preparing for the upcoming Caribbean Football Union (CFU) club championship and that focus is being placed on the development of a youth team.
Finally, Major of the Kashif and Shanghai organization, when reached for a comment on whether himself of co-director Kashif Muhammad will be contesting the elections, said no.
He, however, said that the two “will support anyone who is prepared to see the sport at the highest level, the right place and who will remain neutral.
“We will be working with anybody who has football at heart,” said Major.
