THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF) says that they have handed over a case of alleged fraud to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), regarding a US-based female National player.

“The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has taken note of posts on a popular social media football forum related to a historic case that predates the current administration by seven years, regarding the nationality of a former female national team player,” the GFF said in a statement.

Goalkeeper Derienne Simone Busby is the player in question, who first featured for the ‘Lady Jags’ in November of 2011 as part of their CONCACAF U-20 team; a team that was coached by Mark Rodrigues.
The GFF, in 2016, received information with supporting documents, that there was a series of alleged fraud surrounding the GFF at the time and the way in which some overseas-based players of the female national team were given citizenship to represent Guyana.

Current East Bank Football Association (EBFA) president Franklin Wilson was acting at the helm at the time, after president Colin Klass was banned by FIFA’s Ethics Committee for his involvement in the “cash for vote” scandal that had rocked world-football.
“When this matter came to the GFF’s attention in 2016, it was swiftly reported, along with all available supporting evidence, to the GPFand the CFU. The player in question has not been selected for any Guyanese national team since the matter came to light,” the Wayne Forde-led GFF said.

In the document shared on Facebook, dated October 19, 2011, Rodrigues’ name was printed in the section of “Name and Surname of father and claim to citizenship of Guyana,” while Busby’s mother’s name was given, and signed as a “native of the USA”.
Noel Adonis, the General Secretary at the time, signed as “Signature, description and residence of Information” at the Registry of Births.

Adonis would later pick up a 30-day ban by FIFA for ethics violation in the lead-up to the election in 2011 where Sepp Blatter was re-elected.
The GFF said that they welcome and support “all constructive, fair and informed criticism of its work, but kindly advises all individuals to refrain from making any statement in public that may be deemed libellous or defamatory in a court of law.”

Forde was previously pressed by Chronicle Sport on the issue, but spoke off the record on the matter and the GFF’s position. This is the first time that the GFF has publicly acknowledged the issue.