Guyana’s protest to the world governing body for football (FIFA) against St. Vincent and the Grenadines for allegedly fielding an ineligible player has apparently not been upheld.
The St Vincent and the Grenadines football team known as Vincy Heat, was named to play against Aruba in the two-leg third round ties of the CONCACAF qualifiers which runs from August 31 to September 8.
The CONCACAF qualifying competition draw for the 2018 World Cup in Russia was held yesterday as part of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Preliminary Draw at the Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
The other ties are Curacao vs El Salvador, Canada vs Belize, Grenada vs Haiti, Jamaica vs Nicaragua and Antigua and Barbuda vs Guatemala.
CONCACAF giants the United States of America and CFU heavyweights Trinidad and Tobago are already through to the fourth round.
Guyana had officially filed a complaint against the Vincentians for allegedly fielding an ineligible player following their first round elimination via the away goal rule.
The two-way tie finished 6-6 on aggregate following a 4-4 draw at the National Stadium on June 14th and a 2-2 draw in the opening game at the Arnos vale Stadium in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Guyana were eliminated on the away goals rule after the visitors scored four goals away from home compared to the Golden Jaguar’s two away goals.
The GFF had written FIFA alleging that a player from ST Vincent and the Grenadines was not a holder of a passport from the country neither was he born there.
The GFF had accused the team of violating FIFA’s regulation regarding eligibility of individuals.
FIFA’s rules for 2018 World Cup states that passports are the only
official documentation that can prove a competing player’s nationality.
Due to this regulation, the GFF had written to FIFA regarding the matter following their elimination.
This development is certainly a blow to the Golden Jaguars team which had hoped to progress to the next round on the player eligibility technicality.
Interestingly enough, St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ next opponent
Aruba, sealed their place in the next round after securing a positive outcome in their protest against Barbados in the previous round.
Barbados was kicked out of the World Cup Qualifiers by FIFA after it was found that they fielded an ineligible player against Aruba.
The ineligible player was Hadan Holligan who received two yellow cards in two previous matches and was slated to serve a one game suspension.
However, Holligan took the field in their second leg against Aruba and scored in the process. Barbados initially prevailed over Aruba 3-2 on aggregate but was disqualified and asked to pay a fine of US$6470 following the conclusion of the investigation.
Thus Aruba earned a 3-0 victory and progressed to the next round of the qualifiers.
