The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has been sanctioned by the disciplinary committee of the International Football Federation (FIFA) for playing an ineligible player in a friendly international match against Grenada earlier this year.
As a result, Guyana has forfeited the match and the GFF has been ordered to pay 4000 Swiss Francs.
This disappointment follows the early exit of the national football team from the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers.
According to FIFA investigation, the GFF fielded player Matthew Briggs in the match against Grenada.
The England- born Briggs played in the fixture against Grenada which was held March 29 this year at the National Stadium in Providence. Guyana would go on to win the match easily by a 2-0 score line with a squad featuring several overseas players.
“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has notified the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) that it has conducted an investigation of the participation of Player Matthew Briggs with the representative team of The GFF in the International “A” friendly match on 29 March 2015 played against the representative team of Grenada,” a press release from the GFF stated.
“According to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee who met on October 9 and deliberated over the matter before handing down the sanction, the GFF is liable for the violation of art. 5 of the Regulations Governing the Application of the Statutes as well as art. 55 par 2 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code for having fielded the player Matthew Briggs without holding the Guyanese nationality.
“FIFA further noted that the match is declared a lost by forfeit by Guyana (3-0), citing article of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. In addition the Federation is ordered to pay a fine to the amount of 4,000 Swiss Francs. The GFF was also ordered to take all appropriate measures in order to guarantee that the FIFA regulations are strictly complied with,” the document added.
Guyana were eliminated from the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers after their two-leg affair with St. Vincent and the Grenadines ended 6-6 on aggregate following a 4-4 draw at the Providence National Stadium on June 14.
The opening match finished 2-2 at the Arnos Vale Stadium in St Vincent and the Grenadines. Guyana were eliminated on the away goals rule after the visitors scored four away goals compared to the Golden Jaguars’ two away goals.
Following the defeat, 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.
FIFA’s rules for the 2018 World Cup states that passports are the only official documentation that can prove the nationality of a competing player. Nonetheless, FIFA eventually ruled in favour of the St. Vincentians, paving the way for their advancement to the next round.
