THEY were promised, as was advertised, $1M for winning the inaugural West Demerara Football Association (WDFA) Vita Malt/Aqua Mist Water Knock-out tournament, but Slingerz Football Club is now fuming over being owed $200,000 by the organisers.Slingerz FC kept their two year unbeaten run on ‘West Side’ intact following their 4–1 penalty shootout win over Den Amstel in the finals, played on Boxing Day (December 26) but those smiles soon turned into frowns.

The club, after the prize money was made payable to the WDFA by sponsor Banks DIH, was given $800,000 and were told that the Association could not have raised the balance to pay the full $1M as promised.

As such, a letter of complaint was dispatched to Chairman of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Normalisation Committee, Clinton Urling, outlining their dismay and seeking his intervention.

In a letter obtained by Chronicle Sport, Slingerz FC’s General Manager told Urling that: “On Monday morning, December 29, 2014, via a phone conversation with my President / Managing Director, Mr. Javed Ali, informing me that the WDFA President, Mr. Nigel Garraway, had called informing him that Banks DIH had only commit to the Association ($1,500,000).”

“Mr. Garraway then informed him that the prize money would have to be reduced to $800,000 instead of the agreed sum prior to the commencement of the tournament of $1M.”

Aaron added that he later contacted Garraway, stating to him that the short payment was rather unfortunate and as such, Slingerz FC will not support a reduction to the promised $1M, but was told by the WDFA President that “the WDFA did not enter into any contractual agreement with any of the clubs and that the clubs are being governed by the Association.”

In an interview with Chronicle Sport via telephone, Garraway said that indeed, the club was given ‘short money,’ because plans didn’t come through with the sponsors who had all made financial promises.

Slingerz FC made two proposals to the WDFA President which, to their estimation, would’ve covered the $200,000 owed.

“The Slingerz FC is committed to participate at no cost to the Association in any fundraising venture promoted or organised by the WDFA in aid of raising funds for the Association. Slingerz FC is willing to accept a document as advanced paid levy fee for the Club Annual West Side Tournament scheduled for February – March 2015, for the remaining sum of $200,000, despite the levy fees being $165,000,”Aaron said.

But Garraway pointed out that while the proposal from Slingerz FC seems practical, a decision of such will have to be done at the executive level.

“We had commitment from several sponsors and at the last moment, actually, after the tournament most of them said that they can’t facilitate us and we asked the clubs to see with us,” Garraway said.

The tournament was a success, enjoying great crowd support throughout the duration, especially during the finals that saw the Den Amstel Community Centre being filled from corner to corner and asked why not use the funds garnered to offset the money owed to the clubs, Garraway said, “The association has to live too.”

He added: “We finally got enough to at least start our programmes this year, so we have to think about life after this tournament. All the clubs we asked to take the reduction, but it’s only Slingerz making a fuss about wanting all their money.”

A meeting was scheduled for last weekend, but that didn’t materialise as Slingerz FC now awaits a verdict from the GFF Normalisation Committee.

(By Rawle Toney)