… K&S Tournament to go ahead as originally planned
THE drama surrounding this year’s Kashif and Shanghai 21st football tournament took another turn yesterday, with the nation’s top club Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United accepting the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) memorandum sent out based on the prize money for the top two finishers. In a press release, president of  the national club champions Alpha United, Odinga Lumumba, did not only commend the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation for their increased prize money, but decided to participate in the nation’s most lucrative football tournament, based on the commitments by both the GFF and the organisers.
“Alpha United Football Club has accepted the Guyana Football Federation memorandum dated November 29, 2010 as it relates to the Kashif and Shanghai 21st tournament.
Alpha’s decision to participate is based on the commitment listed by the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation and the prize structure that has been guaranteed by the Guyana Football Federation and the host organisation Kashif and Shanghai.
The documented assurance from your organisation that the cash payment for the first place winner will be supplemented by a $5M kit sponsorship and a $2M kit sponsorship for the second place club by a company called Plus One is commendable.
The cash and kind value of $7M first place and $3M for the second place club is acceptable by Alpha United Football Club.”
Asked to comment on Alpha’s press release, co-director of the K&S Organisation Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major told Chronicle Sport the organisers had never changed the cash prizes that were up for grabs and announced to the clubs at the briefing held two weeks ago at Cara Lodge Hotel.
“The Kashif and Shanghai Organisation would like to inform the general public that following mediation talks with the GFF, all the teams who were originally selected for the 21st edition of the tournament have indicated in writing that they will be participating.
We (K&S) would also like to inform the public that the prize monies remain the same, which is $2M for first place, $1M for second place, third place $500 000 and fourth place $250 000 along with trophies and medals which will also be awarded to the top four teams.
One of the issues that were discussed by the GFF and the K&S Organisation related to the appearance fees which have been increased from the original $50,000 to $120 000, with clubs receiving 50% of this sum before the tournament with the remainder to be collected at the presentation of prizes which will be done after the tournament is completed, with this formula being agreed by the participating clubs.”
The kick-off date for the tournament remains the same, which is December 12 at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, wherein the Golden Jaguars will face Atletico Roraima out of Brazil in the feature game of the double- header which has an Upper Demerara Under-23 selection taking on the National Under-20 team in the first match.