… Matthias confirms GFF to deliberate on provisions
FOR THE PAST 24 years, their names have been synonymous with Guyana’s rich sporting history, having played hosts to the country’s largest sporting event.
In fact, so great was the Kashif and Shanghai Football tournament, that the organisation was given a National Award; Medal of Service (M.S.) for contribution to football; before a change in administration and turmoil in the sport saw the association being pushed aside.
However, the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation is on a comeback and it was disclosed by co-director Kashif Muhammad, that they have submitted a bid to the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) to host their 25th edition of the famed tournament.
Christopher Matthias, president of the GFF, confirmed via telephone that his office is in receipt of a letter from the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation with regard to hosting their annual year-end tournament, but could not state if or when permission will be granted.
“Yes, we have received a letter from them (Kashif and Shanghai) but I can’t say anything further. We will meet and discuss the proposal shortly,” Matthias said.
Asked if there was any other submission from either Sub-Associations or private promoters for tournaments at the same time, the GFF boss said, “Well, we heard that they were two other proposals that are supposed to come in, but so far we haven’t received anything else, other than from Kashif and Shanghai.”
Meanwhile, Muhammad pointed out that for the first time, the tournament will see close to 69 teams being represented to arrive with final 20 and a proposed date of November 14 is set for kick-off.
He explained that every association across the country will have a playoff in its respective jurisdiction with the top teams helping to form the last 20 teams, though it was not disclosed how many teams will be selected from the various sub-associations.
Quizzed on corporate support, Muhammad said, “Well, we’re in talks with a major sponsor and so far things are going great so now it’s just to wait on the GFF to give us an OK”
After receiving sponsorship from Banks DIH for over two decades, a switch saw the event being subsidised by Ansa McAl under its Stag Beer Brand and Muhammad was mum on which of the two will be the sponsor this year.
In 2010, the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) and the GFF were deadlocked in a heated debate as GFA president Calvin Burnett challenged the-then GFF president Colin Klass for the right to have full voting rights and affiliate status for his association.
The spat led to the GFF disbanding the GFA until the matter reached the High Court.
This saw the genesis of the GFA/Banks Beer tournament which ran simultaneously with the Kashif and Shanghai Football tournament for two years in a row, until FIFA vice-president and CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb and his team headed to Guyana and put an end to the impasse.
But things had only taken a turn for the worse and last year with the Organisation crying foul and having to settle for hosting an inter-secondary tournament which was won by Christianburg Wismar Secondary School (CWSS).
(By Rawle Toney )
