GFF issues provisional suspensions to players, coaches and officials
GFF Sports.
Several national team players, registered coaches and match officials have been provisionally suspended from all football activity with immediate effect pending a Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Disciplinary Committee investigation following reports of an unauthorised football event in Buxton.
The individuals will be unable to participate in any international or club football until the resolution of Disciplinary Committee proceedings and could face further disciplinary action.
They will be notified of the venue, date and time of their separate hearings in due course.
The provisional suspensions apply to the following:
National team players: Trayon Bobb, Kelsey Benjamin, Nicholas McArthur, Kevin Dundas, Sese Norville
Match officials: Dwayne Johnson, Deon Feasall, Roydon Ramsay
Coaches: Dwayne Jacobs, Philbert Moffatt, Sharon Abrams, Sherwin Neblett
This action, in line with the GFF’s constitutional mandate and responsible governance duties, has been taken following notification of an unsanctioned football event at the Buxton Community Ground.
Further, GFF investigations into the participation of other individuals are ongoing and may result in similar disciplinary action in due course.
To defend the integrity of the game and protect the safety and wellbeing of its membership, the
GFF Constitution – approved by FIFA – contains specific clauses related to unauthorised football activity.
Under Section 5.3 of the Constitution, registered “players may not take part in football matches that are not under the jurisdiction of the Federation and/or FIFA and /or Concacaf”.
Under Section 13.1(a), “members must comply fully with the Statutes/Constitution, regulations, directives and decisions of FIFA, Concacaf, and the Federation at all times and to ensure by a statutory clause that these are also respected by its Affiliates”.
Under Section 13.1(h), members are obliged “not to maintain any relations of a sporting nature with entities (e.g. clubs, Leagues) that are not Members or Affiliates nor with Members that have been suspended or expelled”.
Section 13.2 states that the “violation of the above-mentioned obligations by any Member may lead to sanctions”.
Furthermore, under current official COVID-19 restrictions designed to save lives and protect communities, gatherings of more than 10 people are banned. Since the onset of the pandemic, the only football event the GFF has sanctioned with approval from the National COVID-19 Task Force has been the GFF “Bounce Back Classic”, which took place at the turn of the year behind closed doors without fans and under strict health protocols.
The GFF Disciplinary Committee is one of the three independent oversight bodies of the Federation and addresses any alleged breaches of the GFF Constitution. (GFF)
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WCQ: Guyana in “competitive”, “winnable” group- GFF Head
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Guyana’s National Men’s football team has been drawn in Group F for the Concacaf qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup, slated for Qatar from November 21 to December 18, 2022.
President of the Guyana Football Federation, Wayne Forde, in giving an update on the squad’s preparation for the matches, said while the group is a competitive one, the Jaguars are capable of emerging as the top team.
The senior men’s team, commonly called the Golden Jaguars, will face Caribbean rivals Trinidad and Tobago, St. Kitts and Nevis, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas in their first step to possible World Cup qualification.
Forde confirmed that the first two games against Trinidad and Tobago and the Bahamas would be played in the Dominican Republic, and the Golden Jaguars’ final squad would be announced on March 17, the same day the team and staff will depart for the Dominican Republic.
Forde said the Federation is investing heavily into this window, both in terms of training and operational costs for the matches.
He added that the Federation is confident in the Jaguars chances of progressing beyond this stage of qualification.
Guyana will play Trinidad and Tobago on March 25 and the Bahamas on March 30.
Wayne Forde- President of the Guyana Football Federation
“Our group is clearly very competitive, but it is also winnable. We all know that the first game against Trinidad and Tobago will be the crunch tie. Getting this campaign off to a good start is crucial – these matches will set the tone for the rest of the year, not just for our World Cup journey but also for the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup,” Forde said on Tuesday during a press briefing.
“Our expectation is to come away from the Trinidad and Tobago match with a win – and certainly nothing less than a draw – and to beat the Bahamas. We have the talent, both domestic and international, and the expertise in terms of our coaching staff to deliver these results.”
A group of 27 domestic-based players have been in training under Head Coach Marcio Maximo five days a week since January 10 with ongoing weekly COVID-19 testing.
The latest test results from March 4 showed that all staff and players were in the clear, Forde reported.
“Training has been progressing well, with the squad showing the professional commitment, discipline and passion that we expect at this level. We are investing G$3.3 million monthly to cover the cost of the domestic training programme. This includes, travel, meals, medical, equipment and staffing,” Forde explained.
The Football head further stated that the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association’s move to switch the game to the Dominican Republic has contributed to the Guyana Federation opting to have the Bahamas game there as well, noting that it was more feasible from a logistical and financial standpoint.
“We are also somewhat hamstrung by the UK’s decision to place Guyana on its COVID-19 “red list” of banned countries. This decision means that clubs would not be able or willing to release players for travel to Guyana. We are grateful to the Dominican Republic Football Association for accommodating us, and we have the full cooperation of the Bahamas Football Association, Concacaf and FIFA in this matter.”
“It is obviously disappointing to not be able to host a home match this time around, but we are hopeful that conditions will allow this in the next window in June.”
The switch to the Dominican Republic comes at an additional cost to the Guyana Football Federation, with the overall operating costs for this window being G$27 million, plus a further US$10,000 fee payable to the Dominican Republic Football Association for hosting the Bahamas contest.
Forde said he is confident the Dominican Republic FA will provide a professional and safe environment, alongside Concacaf’s strict match-day testing schedule.
The matches will be played behind closed doors, without spectators.