GFA first vice-president Wayne Forde (third right) accepts the sponsorship cheque from Guyana Beverages General Manager Robert Selman. Others in this Sonell Nelson photo are from left: GFA secretary Marlon Cole, Guyana Beverages Marketing Assistant, Shameeza Yadram, and GFA PRO Sampson Gilbert.

THE Georgetown Football Association’s third annual Chubby Under-13 Football tournament was launched yesterday at the Guyana Beverages Incorporated’s head office, Diamond, East Bank Demerara.

According to GFA secretary Marlon Cole, the tournament which will be played on a round-robin/knockout format, will kick off on August 30 and all matches will be played at the Tucville ground.

General Manager, Guyana Beverages Inc, Robert Selman, while addressing members of the media at yesterday’s launch said his company is pleased to work with the GFA in promoting youth development, especially in the discipline of football.

Selman said his company is always willing and happy to give back to its consumers through sports and pointed out that at the moment his company is sponsoring the Kool Kids Juice Drinks cricket programme in Berbice.

He said his company and the GFA has been having a good relationship for a number of years and hopes that it will continue.

The Guyana Beverages’ boss said when he was first approached by the GFA two years ago to sponsor such a tournament, he readily pledged his company’s support, adding the parent company in Trinidad and Tobago is also very pleased with the work of the GFA to date.

He noted that there has been very little, if any, support for the sport on the East Bank of Demerara and called on the government and the Guyana Football Federation to do more for the sport in this community.

Cole said the tournament will involve 10 teams that will be divided into two groups of five.

The GFA official noted that matches will be of 70 minutes’ duration and two matches will be played simultaneously as the Tucville ground will be divided into two equal sections to allow for this.

He said the round-robin stage of the competition is scheduled to conclude on September 20 with the quarter-final stage (knockout) billed to commence on September 22.

The teams that will contest the tournament are: (Group A) Uprising, Pele, Sunburst Camptown, Western Tigers and GFC.

Group B: Fruta Conquerors, Santos, Riddim Squad, Flamingo and Renaissance.

GFA 1st vice-president Wayne Forde, in brief remarks, thanked the beverage company for coming on board once again and noted that football clubs throughout Guyana constantly seek sponsorship from corporate Guyana.

He noted also that the Guyana Beverages Inc. has been making quite a lot of investment in local sports and said it is his hope is that the recognition the GFA has given to the company will be emulated by other sports organisations.