– Matthias

PRESIDENT of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Christopher Matthias said the decision to suspend Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) president Sharma Solomon and GFF vice-president Collie Hercules was not a unilateral one, but that of the Federation’s Congress.Addressing members of the media yesterday at the GFF’s headquarters in Campbellville, Matthias produced documents that showed both Solomon and Hercules were informed that the proposed UDFA/Banks Beer final could not be held on January 1, since the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) had already applied for and given the green light to stage their GFA/Banks Beer final on that date.
Because Solomon and Hercules did not adhere to the constitution of the GFF, they were handed eight and five-year suspensions respectively.
Solomon has since refused to recognise the suspension and has told media operatives that he will go ahead with his plans to develop football in the region.
In a letter dated December 4 and signed by the UDFA’s secretary Cindy Saigon and addressed to GFF’s General Secretary Noel Adonis, the UDFA requested the use of the GFF’s referees to officiate in a 14-team tournament and on December 10, Adonis replied by way of correspondence advising that approval has been granted for the staging of the tournament but with the exception of January 1 being a playing date.
Adonis in his correspondence thanked the UDFA for informing the GFF of the tournament and said the Guyana Football Referees Council will be formally asked to facilitate the provision of game officials.
On December 13, the UDFA wrote the GFF appealing its (GFF) decision not to have its referees officiate at any game on January 1 and requested details/reasons for such a decision.
On December 18, the GFF through Adonis responded by stating that the matter was brought to the attention of the recently concluded Extraordinary Congress of the GFF on December 14 and after consideration of representations made by delegates, the Congress ruled to uphold the decision previously conveyed that the finals of the UDFA/Banks Beer 2013/2014 Knockout Tournament must not be scheduled for January 1.
Adonis in his correspondence said in arriving at that decision, the Congress would have taken into primary consideration the fact that clubs in the UDFA, and the UDFA itself, would have previously committed themselves to participation in the GFA/Banks Bee4r Knockout Competition, whose final was already scheduled to be held on January 1.
On December 22, Solomon wrote Adonis indicating that as of December 20, there was no longer any UDFA clubs in the GFA/Banks Beer competition and suggested that the reason put forward by the GFF has become moot, since the concern expressed – which would have presented an obstacle to the two tournament finals being run simultaneously – no longer exists.