Dear Editor,
After occupying the seat of football governance nationally in excess of one year the GFF administration appears clueless about implementing additional programmes and policies for meaningful development of the sport. Rather they resort to utilizing constitutional arguments to enhance their decision-making, aided by CONCACAF. Editor, this precedent is bound to have serious repercussions, ie a potential lawsuit from Slingerz FC. Can the GFF afford to be suspended from FIFA?
How come the services of the Guyana Olympic Association weren’t sought to mediate in the impasse involving the 4 Elite Clubs and the GFF? By the way, how did the GFF vote in relation to the election of office bearers at the GOA’s AGM? Was the General Council apprised of its choice for the presidency and others?
In 2014 FIFA appointed a Normalization Committee, under the chairmanship of Mr Clinton Urling. Under this committee, within a specified time-frame, the nation’s football had to return to a state of normalcy, following the abnormal state it was left in by the former GFF President, Christopher Matthias. By the way, is there an understanding between Matthias and Stabroek News Sports Department or a particular journalist? Whenever a controversial issue in national football arises, a comment from Matthias is sought. What of the former NC Chairman, former President (ag) Franklin Wilson and his predecessor, Colin Klass? The absence of investigative journalism is mind-boggling. It was an injunction filed in the High Court by Matthias and others which enabled CONCACAF and FIFA to intervene in the affairs of the sport. Is it prudent and professional by journalistic standards to solicit the views of an individual, who within the history of local football, as the former President of the GFA and GFF never completed his term of office?
Meanwhile I must commend Clinton Urling for his meaningful insight exposing the inefficiency of CONCACAF in its ruling of not having Slingerz and Alpha United play in this year’s regional Club Championship. The claim that both clubs were not in good standing with the GFF is nothing short of balderdash. In fact it’s the GFF that isn’t in good standing with the 4 Elite Clubs, which withdrew from the competition.
It must be noted that from the outset, I was against the conceptualization of the Elite League. Holistically speaking 10 teams would have made it more top heavy, and would have continued the under-development, in the absence of a properly structured foundation. After one year, at least the two knockout aspects should have been removed, and a minimum of 12 teams a tier below drawn from all the associations playing 2 rounds for the 2 places ahead of promotion and relegation.
Apart from automatically qualifying as the nation’s representatives from the Regional Club Championship, both Slingerz and Alpha United despite the impasse didn’t pull their players from national representation. This is despite the fact the GFF wasn’t in good standing with the sport, after failing to have any football being played to keep the respective players active.
Finally, denying both clubs, who have expended millions over the years, to build their respective clubs, smacks of indecency and social indecorum. Should a legal challenge be mounted in the Supreme Court, then another sad chapter will unfold. In the same vein the GFF President should revisit the archives of Fruta Conquerors almost 20 years ago, and research the club’s policy on international transfers issued to Anthony ‘Awo’ Abrams and Dexter ‘Dribbler’ Bentick; and the late Neil Hernandez to Leo Victor. Additionally, the club won the Federal Management sponsored National League ahead of national representation in the following year’s CFU Club Championship. Maybe, the useful insight would demonstrate the clubs’ documented requirements from Leo Victor ahead of the issuance of the required transfer by Conquerors prior to the GFF granting an international transfer.
Yours faithfully,
Lester Sealey