Despite being asked to provide transfer information by Buxton United on all the overseas players competing in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Stag Beer Elite League, the GFF has not yet responded although they have officially ruled on a similar matter.
The issue of player eligibility surfaced after Buxton United’s secretary Eton Moses wrote the GFF on October 12th requesting proof that the foreign and Guyanese players that competed overseas would have received their FIFA Transfer and Loan Certificates before the July 31st transfer window deadline.
Following the request by Moses, it was revealed by the GFF that St Vincent and the Grenadines imports (Keith James, siblings Jolanshoy and Winslow McDowall) along with Domini Garnett, all of Slingerz FC were not properly transferred following a delay in the FIFA International Transfer Matching System.
This eventually led to Slingerz FC refusing to take the field against the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) in a matchup despite being instructed to by the federation, leading to them being subsequently sanctioned, ordered to pay a fine and also had points deducted.
In the aftermath of the issue, GFF’s Transfer Matching System (TMS) Manager Lyndon France was suspended by the GFF’s Normalization Committee for three months for his involvement in the issue. France is a member of Buxton United.
To date none of the four players have taken the field since the incident while their most recent signing Brandon Beresford is yet to play even though he featured on the bench against Buxton United.
Moses, during an invited comment said:”have not received any reply from the federation as yet”.
Asked to comment on the suspension of France, Moses said:”There is no way for him to appeal the decision as there is no mechanism for that.
Buxton United asked the GFF to give the overseas players list and the proof of the transfers of the foreign players. How could that be a leak if the people at the GFF know that the players are illegal and still allow them to play?”
“How can you have a policy to start a league with no due diligence, who at the GFF would condone that illegality?” he questioned.
On a similar matter, the GFF ruled against Fruta Conquerors on their appeal on the playing eligibility surrounding Alpha United’s Anthony Belfield.
Belfield, who was formerly an Alpha United player, competed for the 2014/15 season in the Surinamese second division league for SV Nishan 42 along with several other Guyanese players including former Alpha United trio Kester Jacobs, Richie Richards and Andrew Murray Jr.
He subsequently donned the colours of his former side during the current event, sitting on the bench against the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) and making his playing return against Fruta Conquerors on October 4th, who subsequently lodged the protest on October 9th.
The GFF through an issued correspondence on October 23rd signed by General Secretary Diedre Davis stated: “After your correspondence was received, the Guyana Football Federation investigated the matter and, as a result of the evidence provided by Alpha United, the Guyana Football Federation hereby concludes that Mr. Benfield is a bonafide player registered to Alpha United.
“It should be noted that even though there is evidence that proves that Mr. Benfield did play in Suriname, Mr. Benfield was never in receipt of an International Transfer Certificate from the Guyana Football Federation and therefore, could not be formally registered with the Club in Suriname”.
“The Guyana Football Federation is currently in communication with FIFA International Transfer Matching System representatives and the Suriname Football Association as it relates to our players playing in Suriname without being formally registered or transferred,” the release added.
Fruta Conquerors Secretary Daniel Thomas during an invited comment said “The GFF has not given us any evidence to show that this player is eligible even though they ruled in Alpha’s favour. All they are basically saying is that he meets the criteria to play for Alpha.”
He added that the federation did not take into consideration that the player’s contract could have expired with Alpha during that time and that he possibly signed for the Surinamese club.
According to Thomas:”What Belfield did is illegal and I am wondering why they have not sanctioned him yet and what would be the form of the sanction”, noting that they have written the Surinamese association and are awaiting a reply.
General Secretary of the GFF Diedre Davis during an invited comment yesterday said:“We have not responded to them formally but we have told them that we are gathering information regarding the transfers. It’s a process that includes member associations as well and when transfers happen between associations, that information has to go to the associations before it gets to the federation.”
She pointed out that the federation does not want to divulge only partial information regarding the issue, noting that when the entire process is completed and all the facts gathered that they will formally respond to the club’s request.
