APART from being supposedly the most financially lucrative football club, GDF- F.C., symbolically represents a national institution, albeit, the Guyana Defence Force. Suffice it to say that all the basic amenities which a football club requires the army line-up is unmatched in Guyana. So, in actually losing locally to an opponent, is hardly unlikely.

However, “with the level of any sport, normally being determined, by the level of administration in place”. Sadly from all indications, the Elite League defending champions are lacking in the most important aspect of the sport– administration! Editor, as a consequence the GFF executive must “spare no bones in convening an emergency General Council meeting at the earliest given opportunity to: sanction GDF F.C, for its non-participation in the CONCACAF Club Championship”, apart from any sanction imposed by CONCACAF.

Sir, by way of seeking approval for participation, prior to receiving the fixtures and rules along with financial assistance in double digits of U.S.D, enough time was on hand for the army line-up to get its act together, be it fund-raising ventures and sponsorship. But for some strange reason, I never read of an event in the print media. While not foregoing interventions from the: Sports Ministry and its extended arm- National Sports Commission.

The latter for all the wrong reasons, in more than one instance had doled out sponsorship for “nonsensical and unsanctioned football tournaments”. But at the end of the day, the GDF FC can’t utilise the aforementioned as a plausible excuse. They simply failed in the execution of their duties as a national institution, and must be sanctioned accordingly. Mind you, if Guyana’s representative was Alpha United, Slingerz F.C, or a combination of both, sportswriters with their “poisonous pens, flowing ink” would have dealt with personalities from the respective clubs leadership. Mr. President GFF, the ball is in your half, control it. Pass it slickly and precisely and I must implore you remonstratively for the sake of impartiality, exclude the Federation’s 1st Vice President and Chairman, Competitions Committee, due to the previous army ties and any other that isn’t “fit and proper” for this game. Last but not least, no extra- time, penalty shoot-out and crowd encroachment.

Respectfully yours,
Lester Sealey