Despite concluding the inaugural season during the month of May 2016, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) is unsure of the start date for the Stag Beer Elite League second season.
Communications and Public Relations Officer of the GFF, Debra Francis, during an invited comment revealed “We don’t have a resumption date as we speak. Discussions have been ongoing and I am waiting on a pronouncement from the President”.
Asked if the league will even start this this year, Francis said “I am waiting on a pronouncement from the President whether it will be on or off, the intention is to have a league”.
According to Francis, numerous factors have influenced the restart of the tournament, indicating that the federation and several of the participating clubs are at logger-heads over issues, and it would be difficult for the GFF to implement decisions until an amicable solution is reached between the parties.
The major blow dealt to the event’s resumption occurred after six clubs had allegedly signaled their intention via a signed letter, not to commence the second season owing to decisions made by the federation without dialogue.
Clubs that initially signed the letter were Alpha United, Georgetown Football Club (GFC), Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Monedderlust FC, Pele FC and Slingerz FC. Buxton United abstained from signing, while Fruta Conquerors did not attend the meeting.
The primary conflict is the GFF’s decision to increase the tournament to ten teams without properly consulting with the other participants. It was revealed that the Topp XX of Linden, and the East Coast of Demerara team Victoria Kings were slated to enter the league.
The clubs argued that the original contract signed under the Normalization Committee does not feature relegation or promotion until the end of the second season of the league, and that the process of increasing the amount of teams is in fact, an act of promotion. Presently, Monedderlust and GDF have withdrawn their support of the aforesaid signed correspondence.
Similarly, quizzed if the teams have received their respective prize monies, and if the players have been paid their match day stipends, Francis said “I am not able to comment on that, I have not been privy to that information”.
Stabroek Sport understands from sources that the federation has paid out the respective prize monies to the top four finishers. Conversely, the GFF has yet to pay the competing players for eight match days during the league aspect of the competition. With match fees of $3500 per player, this translates to $28,000 still owed to every player for the inaugural season.
