RICHARD Groden’s tenure as the General Secretary of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) will come to an end tomorrow, according to a release from the sport’s local governing body. Groden was originally scheduled to complete his services as general secretary of the GFF at the end of September when the Normalisation Committee was supposed to come to an end.
However, with the Normalisation Committee’s life being extended to November 14, Groden, according to the release, will be unable to fulfil the extended deadline.
Assistant General Secretary Diedre Davis will assume the role of General Secretary as of October 1.
Groden expressed thanks and gratitude to all who exhibited patience and provided support and clarity during his tenure as general secretary.
He believes that there is still a lot to be achieved in the interest of football and urges those who will take over the reins of administration, at all levels, to proceed in a collective and inclusive manner to ensure the success that is necessary in the governance of the administration of football in Guyana.
The GFF was without a general secretary following the sacking last December of Mabiola Howard who had taken over from Noel Adonis.
GFF’s Normalisation Committee Chairman Clinton Urling had told the media that CONCACAF recommended Groden and he will serve as general secretary of the federation during the tenure of the Normalisation Committee and will demit office on the completion of the committee’s mandate.
Urling at the time of his (Groden) appointment said that the Trinidadian has “extensive experience in the inner workings of the international football network, having served on many FIFA and CONCACAF committees throughout his career.
He also served as CEO of the Organising Committees of five Trinidad national teams’ appearance in various World Cup categories, including the Soca Warriors in the 2006 World Cup in Germany and the Girls Under-17 finals in 2010 in Trinidad”.
However, many had questioned if it was a “good idea” to have Groden serve, even on a temporary basis, given the reason which led to his resignation from the same post in Trinidad and Tobago.
Groden was one of four officials who escaped punishment from FIFA over the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) bribery scandal that saw the then-GFF president Colin Klass being banned from the sport.
The Trinidadian received just a warning from FIFA’s ethics committee for his involvement in the Qatari Mohamed bin Hammam cash-for-votes scandal.