FIFA agrees GFF has right to make changes to League

Feb 02, 2017 Sports

Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura FIFA General Secretary© Foto-net

The World Governing Football body, FIFA, has written to Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President, Wayne Forde, adding weight to the fact that the GFF has the right to make necessary changes to the Elite League as it deems fit based on the organisation’s constitution.
In a letter from FIFA General Secretary (GS), Fatma Samoura, the governing body noted receipt of correspondence from Guyana on the matter and referred to the Article 36, 2;i which informs that the GFF has the prerogative to draw up regulations governing the conditions of participation and staging of competitions organised by the federation, including the playing schedule… The letter further continued on the same point by referring to Article 75 of the GFF statutes which would place the Elite League as a competition owned by the GFF, giving them full authority to make any necessary developmental changes.
The FIFA GS clearly citing the previously mentioned Articles, made clear the point that the GFF has the right to make any change to the regulations of the League unless there is a written agreement between them and the clubs. However, in the current matter there was no such agreement.
The letter notes that while there should be proper consultation with the affected stakeholders (clubs) before changing the regulations of a competition, the GFF Statutes clearly determines that the ultimate authority to do so solely lies with the GFF Executive Committee.
The FIFA General Secretary further pointed out in the missive that an increase of the participating clubs in the Elite League would not automatically impact the composition of the GFF Congress as clearly stated in Article 36, 2.i) of the statutes. Only the Congress has the authority to change the statutes including the composition of the Congress (article 23).
Four Elite League clubs had objected to the GFF adding two clubs to the previous eight team format to take it to 10. Those clubs eventually withdrew from the league forcing CONCACAF, the regional body to instruct on the matter. Two of the clubs were later booted from the CONCACAF club championship as a result.
GFF’s President Wayne Forde said in a release: “The Executive Committee has a statutory obligation to adhere to the directives of FIFA and CONCACAF, as do the members of the GFF. My hope is that we can put this matter behind us and refocus the nation’s attention on the game, and the players.”

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