Alpha and Slingerz booted from Caribbean Club Championship by CONCACAF Players on the breadline as clubs face dissolution

Jan 12, 2017 Sports

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Football in Guyana has been thrown into another unforeseen dark era with the official booting of Slingerz Football Club and Alpha

United Football Club from participation in the Caribbean Club Championship.
A letter addressed to Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Wayne Forde dated January 9, 2016 from CONCACAF General Secretary Philippe Moggio confirms that the two clubs have been removed from the championship which they had qualified for as champion and runner-up of season one of the Stag Elite League, due to the fact that they are not in good standing with the GFF.
The CONCACAF letter stated that the GFF had written to the confederation on December 13, 2016 stating that the two aforementioned clubs along with Georgetown Football Club and Pele Football Club had withdrawn from the 2017/2017 edition of the GFF Elite League which mean that they were not in good standing with the GFF.
Moggio drew the federation’s attention to section 111 art. L of the Caribbean Club Championship Regulations which states:
”CONCACAF, at its own discretion, will decide if participation in the Competition is allowed to clubs that are not in good standing with their own Association and/or CONCACAF. In case a club is not allowed participation in view of the aforementioned (i.e. not in good standing with their own association and/or CONCACAF) then CONCACAF will decide, at its sole discretion, the course of action in relation to the vacant space (s) in the Competition…”.
The CONCACAF letter went on to state that in order to safeguard the integrity, smooth operation and running of the competition Alpha and Slingerz are not eligible to participate in the 2017 edition of the Caribbean Club Championship. CONCACAF will decide the course of action in relation to the vacant spaces in the competition.
The GFF was asked to notify both clubs on the content of the CONCACAF letter.
Speaking out on the issue, Honorary Secretary of Slingerz FC which was formed in February 1993, Collin Aaron stated emphatically that CONCACAF’s decision will definitely result in the dissolution of both Slingerz and Alpha United.
Aaron, a former FIFA Assistant Referee is of the view that Forde and his administration is being vindictive since, based on the GFF constitution and statutes, Forde and his executive has no authority to the membership status of any member of the federation.

”That lies with the congress. To date the four clubs have not been suspended, faced with no disciplinary issues to be in a position of not being in good standing. So again, Mr. Forde try everything behind the scene to ensure, because the clubs standing up against wrong doing by him and his administration, to do everything possible to ensure that these four teams don’t get a chance to participate.”
Aaron admitted that it is a fact that the clubs did take a decision not to participate in the second edition of the Elite League based on a position of principle which they would have elaborated on extensively in the media before.
The clubs are still of the view that the current federation has broken the rules of the federation in bringing in two more clubs to make it 10 from the original 8. He reminded that such a decision should be made by the GFF Congress.
CONCACAF also had stated in an earlier missive that the GFF Executive had the constitutional authority to modify the Elite League.
”According to article 36 paragraph 2-i of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Constitution, the GFF Executive Committee has the authority (and obligation) to “draw up regulations governing the conditions of participation and staging of competitions organised by the federation”. The article further states that “this shall not affect the composition of the Congress”;
It was pointed by Aaron that the clubs would have tried every possible avenue to get the GFF to discuss the issue with the aim of finding an amicable solution but to no avail.
”The only thing we get from the federation is directives, that’s all. Now he {Forde} is saying we have no standing, so where are we? We can’t play anything. Alpha and Slingerz are the two real professional clubs who have players employed, under contract with a monthly salary. These two clubs will definitely dissolve.”
He posited that there is no need for the club owners, Javid Ali (Slingerz) and Odinga Lumumba (Alpha) to invest in Guyana’s football since there is nothing else for them to achieve. He shared that when Slingerz was formed it was with the aim of qualifying for the club Championship, an investment the young businessman made without any returns to him.
Slingrez invested in four Brazilian players to join their club, two of which are in Guyana right now in order to strengthen ahead of the Caribbean Club Championship. Both Slingerz and Alpha would have also paid their registration fees for the Caribbean Club Championship.
”We will go down the legal road and we will fight this issue to the bottom. We also in an effort to try to bring about a settlement we wrote to the GFF Disciplinary Committee to have an hearing which should be today (Wednesday) or tomorrow (Thursday).”

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