Dear Editor,

THE collective decision taken by reigning champions Slingerz FC and runner-up Alpha United, along with Pele and GFC, with regard to non-participation in the second staging of the Stag Elite League is indeed commendable.Unless and until the GFF executive go the route of having a competent, efficient, and professional individual or individuals in place to arbitrate, mediate and resolve the ongoing existing impasse, football — the world’s most emotionally popular and largest spectator sport– will continue to be the ultimate loser.

A timely reminder to the GFF President, editor, is when the contract/agreement was documented last year under the stewardship of Mr. Clinton Urling, Chairman of the FIFA-appointed Normalization Committee. Mr. Wayne Forde was, at the time, President of the Fruta Conquerors, also an Elite League club. As a consequence, the individual would have had, or should have had, first-hand knowledge of the Elite League’s rules, regulations, laws, by-laws and statutes.

If, for some strange reason, the GFF president isn’t aware of the existing conditionality, then he is unworthy of the position he now holds. Suffice it to say that by virtue of expanding the participants to 10 teams in the second staging of the competition, apart from being visionless and unprofessional, the expansion gives credence to “overt politicking”, albeit a likelihood of two additional votes come next year, when Forde’s two-year term of office comes to an end and he intends to seek re-election.

By the way, why aren’t all elite clubs given two votes, since with relegation the outcome of the vote for the relegated clubs becomes uncertain?

Additionally, the expansion is counterproductive to development.

The previous agreement placed the Elite League as a “pilot project in an embryonic stage, with two additional teams being added at the end of two years. Editor, the GFF executive is behaving as if cast in stone in the mould of “Polyphemus, the one-eyed giant, who sees everything for himself and absolutely nothing for anyone else. The GFF would likely continue to exist like the proverbial ostrich, with its head buried in the sand.

Utilising constitutional statutes and articulations under the guise of being in conformity with the CFU, CONCACAF and FIFA is simply being naïve. The relevant stipulation allows countries to be flexible with rules, in some instances to suit their own national club interest. Yellow cards, in some competitions, have a stipulation of receiving 3-5 before the player(s) misses the next match his team plays internationally; the ruling is two yellow cards! Since the demographics and economic circumstances prevailing in Guyana can’t be overlooked, which other country within the CFU, road transport, ground rental and other associated costs in relation to hosting/promoting a double-header is that expensive? And which clubs will be burdened with the responsibility?

This is against the backdrop of the GFF incurring significant losses at the culmination of the competition’s first staging! Realistically, most clubs do not have the administrative expertise, or marketing and promotional strategies to facilitate such an undertaking.

At the end of the day, with sport no longer being sport, but rather business, it must make dollars and sense, definitely not cents, which are no longer in circulation! What would have been beneficial to the Elite League, and the sport by extension, was if the GFF in foresight had introduced a competition at a tier below, involving 14 teams drawn from all the Associations; play a League format over two rounds, with the top two securing automatic promotion to the Elite League.

It would be unfair to amend the rules without first and foremost involving the relevant stakeholders (club) for their respective inputs prior to a draft amendment being circulated for perusal and comment; which entails a written response forthcoming within a specific time-frame. What are clubs expected to do after compiling a “budget of expenditure” for the corresponding period/duration of the competition? Is it prudent to grant “automatic promotion” to two clubs after the closure of the Transfer Window, which places them at a significant disadvantage?

With both Slingerz FC and Alpha United being the biggest spenders towards securing foreign-based players, and having expended huge sums, what must they do with the two extra players the specific rule has reduced? And who will provide financial compensation?
Regards,
LESTER SEALEY