The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Normalization Committee has officially granted its affiliates permission to stage their respective individual year-end tournaments and/or partner with other associations to host a joint venture.
The decision likely means that private tournaments such as the Kashif and Shanghai one which had dominated prior to 2011 may not get the go-ahead
The GFF issued official correspondence yesterday to its affiliates granting approval for the tournaments and requesting that each interested association submit its criteria for the fixtures. The letter sent to the respective associations on behalf of the committee and signed by GFF General Secretary (Ag) Mabiola Howard advised those groups intending to host tournaments that “approval is contingent on each association or groupings of associations submitting to the federation the following prerequisites on or before December 3rd 2014.”
The requested criteria are rules and fixtures for the tournament, approved venues, allocation of prizes/prize monies, arrangements for referees, security and medical arrangements and information on clubs/teams participating in the tournament.
The Kashif and Shanghai Organization had indicated that it planned to apply to the committee for permission to host its traditional year-end event. The Georgetown, Upper Demerara and West Demerara Football Associations had also applied for approval to host their individual tourneys during the same period. In the light of this, a meeting was called on Monday for all interested parties.
Clinton Urling, Chairman of the Normalization Committee, in an invited comment told Stabroek Sport, “Our selection process involved the owners of the GFF (our members’ association) offering their opinions on the subject matter. The majority opinions became the final decision.” He further said, “Moving forward we will meet our members every two months to offer updates on our end and also to solicit their views and opinions of matters affecting their respective constituencies and football in general.”
Questioned if all future tournaments will be subjected to similar protocols, Urling said, “The process for tournaments next year will involve our Associate Members or external promoters wishing to host tournaments submitting their calendar of events in December or early January to the GFF.”
“Subsequent, the GFF will prepare a full schedule of tournaments for the year. This will also help to inform our budgetary preparation for the year. Noteworthy, the GFF will be the host of the year-end tournaments starting in 2015. This will mandate that all our associate members participate in that tournament,” he added.
Kashif and Shanghai co-director Kashif Mohammed told this newspaper that his organisation will soon issue a press statement. The normalization committee was commissioned last month by world body FIFA in conjunction with CONCACAF following the controversial end of two GFF congresses. It is intended to see a return to normalcy in the game.
