THE Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) is today expecting to resolve a protest which could lead to a delayed start to the semi-professional National Super League football competition, which is expected to kick off next month.
The start of the 2013 competition has been delayed by a protest from Tobago Football Association (TFA) champions Bethel United, who are hoping to play Super League football this season. Earlier this year, Guaya United and Malabar FC won promotion to the 2013 National Super League after finishing first and second, respectively, in the National Super League promotion series, which was contested by six champions of the local football zones.
Having finished third in the promotion series, missing promotion by a single point, Bethel United lodged a protest on grounds that the promotion series winners Guaya United had illegally fielded Beville Joseph in their squad. When the teams met on February 28, Guaya won the match by a 3-1 margin, getting goals from Carlon Hughes (37th), Ryan Stewart (68th) and Kevin Jagdeosingh (79th). Vernon Wilson (34th) netted for Bethel United.
Bethel’s protest against Joseph’s inclusion was initially dismissed by the TTFA Disciplinary Committee, which met on April 2. Bethel appealed the decision, and the matter was sent for arbitration.
National Super League chairman, Anthony Harford said that the dispute was holding up the start of the Super League.
“We have had to delay the opening of the League until the outcome of the dispute involving Bethel United because it determines the number of teams playing in the Super League,” Harford said. “We are hoping to start in July.”
Yesterday, new TTFA general secretary Sheldon Phillips announced an impending resolution to the dispute.
“We met with the Super League on Tuesday to discuss a possible resolution and we hope to tie up by tomorrow (Friday),” Phillips said. “The competition’s start has been held up by a protest, and we are engaged in a conversion with both Bethel and the Super League.
“We are not willing to keep the (Super) League from being played and we felt that a resolution had to come sooner than later,” Phillips added. “So we promised to work with the interested parties and to come up with a resolution, which we expect in the next 24 hours.”