![Dismissed Former Head of GFF Referees Stanley Lancaster [right] standing in light during the pageantries as Linden mayor Waneka Arrindell meets the players ahead of the Amelia’s Ward and Capital FC clash](https://s1.stabroeknews.com/images/2019/04/stanley10.jpg)
The Guyana Football Federation [GFF] has launched an investigation to ascertain the basis behind dismissed Head of Referees Department Stanley Lancaster, serving as a match official for the inaugural Linden Mayor’s Cup.
Lancaster, who was dismissed by the federation on January 8th 2019, has functioned as a match official for two matches in the ongoing tournament at the Mackenzie Sports Club [MSC] ground, Linden.
The Linden native served in the capacity of the on-field referee during the Amelia’s Ward and Capital FC match on March 31st, before returning in a similar capacity for the Topp XX and Milerock-B clash seven days later [April 5th].
GFF Communications and Public Relations Director Debra Francis in a brief comment said, “The GFF has also been notified of this development and has begun an investigation to ascertain the rationale and circumstances of this engagement. We will keep you posted on this as necessary.”
The aforementioned response came in wake of Stabroek Sport attempting to solicit a comment from GFF President Wayne Forde on April 7th on Lancaster’s participation in the competition.
Among the questions posed to Forde via an electronic mail were “1.Could you state whether Lancaster was given permission by the GFF to serve as a referee in the tournament and why?”
“2.Given that the GFF never revealed that details of his suspension, could you state whether Lancaster’s suspension only affected his position at the federation or was it all encompassing?”
“3.If he was suspended from all forms and areas of football, why was he allowed to officiate and why didn’t the UDFA uphold that possible stance?
“4.If he was suspended from all forms of the sport by the GFF, and given that he has acted in the capacity of an official, will sanctions be meted out to the UDFA? Similarly, will further sanctions be meted out to Lancaster?”
The former FIFA Referee was dismissed by the federation following the findings of a Commission of Inquiry [CoI] into the sexual harassment of female referees and officials. Referees Assessor Roy McArthur was also provisionally suspended.
The inquiry, which commenced in March 2018, was commissioned following allegations of sexual harassment of several female referees against senior members of the referee’s fraternity.
On February 2nd 2018, 17 male and female referees signed a three-page letter, calling for the removal of Lancaster, citing unprofessionalism and incompetence among other issues.
The five-member commission that presided over the COI included Chairman Dr. Karen Pilgrim, Dr. Melissa Ifill of the University of Guyana, Karen Joseph, Human Resources Consultant, Karen De Souza, Red Thread and Joy Nichola Marcus-Red, also of Red Thread.
Meanwhile, UDFA President Terrence Mitchell during a brief comment, emphatically stated, “Our role in the tournament was simply to grant permission to the coordinators, the Mayor and City Council, for our clubs to participate. Any private entity has to come through the association to use our clubs and they would then have to write to the GFF for the referees because the referees don’t fall under the UDFA.”
He further said, “We have nothing to do with the tournament other than to grant approval for the clubs to participate, the GFF has to grant permission for the referees.”
