…another FIFA intervention will be suspension

By: Ras Wadada
THE current stalemate existing within the ‘Elite family’ of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) is in need of immediate dialogue and without a doubt, some compromising among the chief stakeholders of the ‘Beautiful Game’ before it gets real ugly.It is not a year as yet since the present GFF’s executives were elected to govern the sport after just over one year of a FIFA appointed Normalization Committee’s (NC) reign.
The narrow victory by Wayne Forde’s Team Integrity over Team Unity, in what is considered the most fairly contested elections in the history of the GFF, was disappointing and a bitter taste to some that perhaps still lingers. This might very well be the root cause of this current imbroglio.
The sport of football, like any other sport, is governed by and must be guided by its rules and regulations without partiality. No one should be above the rules or the Sport, but here in Guyana we have inherited a culture of self-satisfaction and very little regard for guidelines.
Since assuming office, it is obvious that this present Executive is striving to change that kind of mentality in order to bring the ‘Beautiful Game’ to a quality and marketable product that is well respected and supported.
I often say whatever we do off the pitch can be mirrored by an on-field action and in this instance it is reflective of a game situation where the two sides think the Referee has made a wrong call that can perhaps determine the outcome of the game. In the real game scenario,the two sides will respect the referee’s decision and continue playing for the ‘good of the game’. Of course there have been very few occasions where either side or both would ignore the referee’s judgement call;thereby bringing the game into disrepute.
At this juncture,Guyana can ill-afford the latter because it will mean an instant two year suspension and all parties will feel it since a lot of money have been invested by teams. More importantly, the long awaited GOAL project, which has just begun, will be halted and the big increase of FIFA’s annual grant we will not have access to.
In this off-the-pitch game, the Constitution of the GFF is the referee,and it must be respected as we ‘bury the hatchet’ for the ’good of the game’; and in a positive spirit of the Game we move forward and not backward.
There must be urgent dialogue and compromise if we truly love the “Beautiful Game,’ and do mean well for the family.