By: Ras Wadada

WITH less than one week before kick-off of the long awaited start of season two of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF)-Stag Elite League, players and fans are uncertain of the future of the ‘Beautiful Game’, which appears to be weathering quite a storm in recent times.
As it is, four teams have officially written to the GFF declaring that they will not participate in the expanded season, which now includes newcomers Victoria Kings of East Coast Demerara and Upper-Demerara’s Top XX. The disgruntled teams — Slingerz FC, Alpha United, Pele FC and GFC — are demanding that the GFF agrees to an arbitration to settle the ongoing dispute.
At a press conference held last week, the four clubs insisted that the rules and regulations for the inaugural competition constituted the signed contract agreement between the then Normalisation Committee and the eight Elite Clubs.
The Wayne Forde-led Administration has, from inception of the impasse, maintained that while there was a signed document regarding the rules and regulations of the competition, it does not constitute a contract.
The administration is also saying that the Executive Committee is empowered to modify and make changes to the League according to the GFF’s Constitution (Art.36: para. ii). To date, the infamous contract binding the GFF is yet to surface, and the Federation is claiming it does not have any such document.
Last Monday was the deadline for registration of teams for the Stag Elite League season two; and according to a reliable source, six teams have registered, while GFC; Pele FC; Alpha United; and Champions, Slingerz FC, have formally withdrawn from the League.
The GFF, meantime, continues to prepare for the November 13th kick-off at the DCC ground in Queenstown, and has indicated that all ten teams have registered.
The Federation yesterday completed the process of paying outstanding debts to clubs for the last season.
The off-field distractions over the last month have left some stakeholders confused, but an insider has predicted that all issues will be put to rest soon, and it is more than likely that disciplinary action will be taken against any member of the GFF who refuses to acknowledge or accept any directive from CONCACACAF or FIFA.
For the good of the game, it is hoped that the GFF can share with the aggrieved clubs the guidance it has received from CONCACAF which has led to the dismissal of the request for mediation to resolve the stalemate. This is so that we can have full participation in the ‘Beautiful Game’ of the Stag Elite League season two.