Incumbent Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Christopher Matthias has been formally replaced at the helm of the federation after the world governing body FIFA officially began preparations to install a normalization committee to govern the affairs of the sport yesterday.
Matthias, in an invited comment said:“Any approach that FIFA takes with regards to the development Guyana’s football is welcome by me if indeed FIFA’s objective is the structured approach to the development of the game locally and constitutional reform as we had advanced.”
He added:”If the vision by FIFA is embraced by those who were fighting for power, then Guyana football will develop.”
Speaking at a press conference held at the Le Meridien Pegasus Hotel last evening, FIFA’s Head of Member Associations Primo Corvaro said due to the present situation facing the sport locally and the lack of quorum within the Matthias administration following two failed Congresses, the world body decided to create a normalization committee to run the affairs of the GFF.
“The lack of quorum paralyzed the GFF. We at FIFA and CONCACAF tried to fill the vacancies and find solutions and twice failed due to the legitimacy surrounding the delegates,” he said.
Corvaro said that Matthias is no longer the President of the GFF and the appointed chairman of the normalization committee will act in that capacity. He noted that the committee, which will feature five local individuals will be tasked with the following:“To adopt a new GFF constitution and amend the current one, to organize the electoral process and run the business of the GFF.”
Corvaro added that the committee will also be tasked with establishing constitutional reforms of all the constitutions of the nine regional sub associations.
“The current constitution is not bad but can be improved,” he said.
“It is not a sanction against Matthias and his administration, the GFF just was not able to work due to the lack of quorum,” he expalined.
Corvaro hinted that the quorum is simply too small and should possibly be increased so the likelihood of similar situations occurring will diminish.
“Today you have 21 votes, tomorrow it might be different. FIFA is looking for a balance and not for one area to be dominant. Deep changes will pave the road for the GFF, those with old minds should start to change their minds. Tomorrow, it will be different, and I hope that those involved will put things aside.”
According to Corvaro the body which will be commissioned until September 2015, will have the same power of an elected GFF executive. He declared that the only difference between the two is the fact that one is elected by the Congress and that the other is appointed by FIFA.
Corvaro noted that the individuals who will comprise the committee are new to the sport while disclosing that their names will be made known to the public in three days. He posited that discussions with the individuals as well as background research was done to gather information on the prospective personalities before their appointments.
“Once the issue is solved FIFA will begin to help. There are opportunities but only where conditions are met.”
Asked if individuals from the Matthias administration will be eligible to run in future elections, Corvaro said “It depends on the new constitution. There are requirements to be eligible.”
Corvaro declared that FIFA will not show any leniency to any individual who are still involved in a process to undermine the work and eventual recommendations of the appointed committee.
He further said that the GFF administrative staff will continue to operate in the period before the Committee is made public and begins its mandate.
CONCACAF’s Director of Legal Affairs Marco Leal said “The normalization committee is not normally the first option, suspension is. However, after discussions with FIFA and CONCACAF, we decided that Guyana can move forward in football.
“The normalization committee does not mean Guyana is suspended. Guyana is still a part of the FIFA and CONCACAF family. Let’s hope that the normalization committee in conjunction with everyone in the family can work together.”
According to Leal, “It is not elected by the Congress but appointed by FIFA and can’t be removed internally. FIFA implemented it and can only remove it.”
He further said that the electoral committee will not be eligible to run for office in the GFF, while noting that FIFA and CONCACAF will have frequent contact with the committee to ascertain their respective progress.
Leal noted that there is a lot of work to be done in a very short period of time. “The mandate is clear, they have 11 months to get the issues solved. We are not thinking about extensions, we hope everyone will come together.”
