Is the GFF in political survival mode?

Jul 08, 2018 Letters

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Dear Editor,
It seems as though no one or nothing will ever return the ‘beautiful’ game of football to normalcy in Guyana.
The recent decision by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) to install an Interim Management Committee (IMC) to run the affairs of the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) is another example of the GFF’s attempt to handpick persons whom they feel confident will support them in their quest to retain power at the next Electoral Congress.
This kind of deed has never proven to be the right decision and the only outcome has always been rebellion and chaos in the sport, which continues to struggle due to no fault of players, but rather its administration.
Politics in sport now resembles that of our own political landscape where narrow-mindedness and partisanship are the two vital assets to retain power.
It is no different to the past era when the GFF dictated to all and sundry who must head the respective member associations, a diktat specifically designed to ensure that Associations’ heads are on the same page with that of the GFF.
The effrontery of this latest decision by the GFF is further confirmation of the Body’s intolerance of divergent views and its willingness to sacrifice the game’s image for its own survival in office.
How else could anyone with the knowledge of what transpired over the period of comatose that football experienced in the GFA environ accept the ruling of the GFF when the Body had extended the life of the GFA for nearly nine months.
That time would seem sufficient to rectify any or all the deficiencies that were plaguing the Association and come up with solutions needed to ensure that elections were held as mandated by FIFA.
No, they played the game that they wanted which was to allow the GFA executive to drift into invalidity and then announce an IMC.
All this happened after being given notice of the Body’s readiness to host its elections, but many feel that after being given notice of the composition of slates they were not comfortable with some of the individuals represented on the respective lists hence their decision to halt the proceedings.
It was FIFA Head of Associations Primo Corvarro, who had visited Guyana in 2014, speaking at the Pegasus Hotel specifically asked the then incoming Clinton Urling who managed IMC to render assistance to the associations and clubs in helping them to improve their constitutions in addition to any other areas of need.
Urling in an interview sometime later, responding to the question of whether he anticipated any resistance from those opposed to the FIFA ruling had said that “The GFF is at a pivotal moment, this represents a crossroad. We could either choose to do things like the past and allow discord to rule the day or choose change.”
It is anyone’s guess which of those sentiments the GFF has chosen.
Despite not naming the members of the IMC up to press time, the prospective candidates are already known and many would not be surprised whenever their names are announced.
The GFF continues to ignore the advice of many who are genuinely concerned about the paralytic state of the game and the need to avoid the pitfalls of the past.
It is clear that the advice has fallen on deaf ears and we are now on the path to repeating the mistakes made before, that plunged the sport into crisis.
The GFF by stopping the GFA elections has entered the phase of political survival mode and is merely using as a frontage its regret of having to dissolve the GFA.
The art of engaging and not imposing its will in the absence of inclusive consultation has been a lost art within the corridors of the GFF and perhaps it will take another visit by FIFA to adjudicate the impending calamity, a certainty, if the current course of action is not abandoned immediately.
There are other glaring examples of actions that could be construed as authoritarianism; there is the indefinite suspension of referees Wayne Griffith and John Callender without probable cause and without even a letter outlining their infringement.
There is no example in sport that supports this kind of action and perhaps it is time that the two aggrieved referees pen a letter to the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) urging a hearing from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to deliver judgment on the matter.
It is wicked to deny anyone the opportunity to earn a living and even more egregious to penalise them indefinitely without stipulating what was the indictment.
That is highhandedness at its core and there should be no place for officials who use their offices to exercise such practices without cause.
The President repeatedly has been asked to state why the two referees were indefinitely suspended, but he bluntly refused to furnish any reason (s) for their punishment.
The rumour swirling is that their castigation was as a result of them officiating in the Banks DIH- organised Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Competition, an event which the GFF absolutely has no jurisdiction over.
It is a community-based competition and one that has been embraced by all the communities that the event is played, while also serving as a real cohesive symbol to integrate villages and its citizenry.
At a time when the political leaders of this country are calling for cohesion, the GFF’s laser focus intent to obstruct such a great initiative should not be condoned or even entertained.
You just have to recall the utterances of President Forde, who tried to coerce other important stakeholders to support his reckless call to hinder the great initiative.
Thankfully they’ve not yielded to him, but continue to be supportive of the venture to build camaraderie and love among the various communities.
The spinoffs are positive and the long-term gains are tremendous and definitely will prove beneficial in fostering improved relations among the six races.
There are numerous contentious issues to highlight among them being the staging of the Women’s and Berbice Football Associations elections without adequate public notices, while the sexual harassment allegations are also concerns that need resolving.
The GFF should be concerned with the fact that no football is being played in many of its affiliated members jurisdictions and this situation has many asking why the need to secure the services of a Technical Director at this point in time when no football is being played and money always an issue.
If it is that the GFF has plenty money at its disposal, then how come many of its resource personnel and service providers are owed?
Could it be one of the reasons for the disinterest being shown by the referees’ body that continues to struggle for a quorum to hold its elections of office bearers after at least two attempts?
Maybe Forde has the answer.
What about the forensic audit for the Mexico proceeds, which was promised following a General Council ruling.
Every Guyanese must have watched Mexico’s performance in this World Cup with much vexation, having been denied the opportunity to see live, the skills and abilities of players such as Javier Hernanzez, Rafael Marquez, Andrés Guardado and Giovani dos Santos among others, at our National Stadium.
Guyanese from all walks of life and those directly who love the sport should not rest until this matter is resolved since we were told that the move was necessary to offset the debt burden the GFF had at the time.
The executive left office owing multi-millions of dollars to service providers, players and who knows who else.
The GFF should act expeditiously to get to the bottom of what was accrued for the game switch even if it means asking FIFA, CONCACAF or the game organisers to furnish the paperwork of the negotiations.
The GFF has the ability to ask for the paperwork, but is there the will to do so?
Let football play.
Yours truly,
Rawle Welch

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