GUYANA’S leading football team Alpha United have withdrawn for this year’s Mayor’s Cup competition. Chronicle Sport has been reliably informed that the defending champions opted out of the Mayor’s Cup citing preparations for the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship. Efforts yesterday to make contact with club president Odinga Lumumba and vice-president Steve Ninvalle proved futile. However, a source close to the national champions disclosed that the main focus is the CFU contest.

“The club have started preparations for the CFU championship. This is the most prestigious tournament in the English-speaking Caribbean. As such, a decision was taken by the executive to withdraw from the local competition and focus more on the CFU event,” the source explained.
Alpha United were one of 24 teams invited to participate in the Mayor’s Cup which started in 1981 and this year’s competition will mark the 80th birth anniversary of Georgetown’s Mayor Hamilton Green. It is not yet known how the withdrawal would affect the local tournament.
The Mayor’s Cup will see teams compete from January 31 to February 22 for a first prize of $1 million. The team placing second will collect $300 000 while third- and fourth-place finishers will receive $200 000 and $100 000 respectively.
Fruta Conquerors have won the title four times while Sunburst Camptown took away the crown thrice. Alpha United, Pele, Victoria Kings, Western Tigers, Police, GDF, Thomas United and Slingerz are the other teams to have won the competition.