Soca Warriors Online Discussion Forum
Sports => Football => Topic started by: Tallman on October 06, 2011, 04:05:09 PM
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Blazer to resign CONCACAF post
By Ronald Blum (Associated Press)
Chuck Blazer is resigning as the No. 2 official of CONCACAF in December, a half-year after going public with bribery accusations against his then-boss.
The 66-year-old American has been secretary general of the Confederation of North and Central American and Caribbean Football since 1990. He said in May that CONCACAF president Jack Warner and Asian confederation head Mohamed bin Hammam attempted to bribe Caribbean delegates $40,000 each to vote for Bin Hammam in the FIFA presidential election. Warner's acting successor then tried to fire Blazer, setting off more disciplinary proceedings.
"I've been running a governing body long enough. We've been through a little bit of a stagnation period," Blazer said Thursday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "I want to do something entrepreneurial. It was the right time. I wanted to give them notice to let them start to look for somebody."
After Blazer made the bribery charges, Bin Hammam withdrew from the election, leaving Sepp Blatter to run unopposed for a fourth term. Warner resigned all his soccer posts in June, and FIFA imposed a lifetime ban on Bin Hammam, who was head of the Asian confederation and is contesting the penalty.
In the fallout, acting CONCACAF president Lisle Austin attempted to fire Blazer, but the group's executive committee said Austin lacked the authority. FIFA then suspended Austin, who went to court in the Bahamas and called FIFA a "corrupt cabal of arrogance and cronyism."
Blazer said he will retain his post on the FIFA executive committee. He was elected to soccer's most powerful body in 1997, and his current term runs through mid-2013. He said it was too early to determine whether he will run for re-election to the FIFA post.
As for the future, Blazer said he would consider taking a club post. He would not comment on the possibility that he could join one of the groups bidding for Major League Soccer's 20th team, which MLS would like to place in the New York area as a rival to the Red Bulls.
A group that includes Terry Byrne, a friend of Los Angeles Galaxy star David Beckham, bought the rights to the name of the old North American Soccer League Cosmos team and hired Eric Cantona and Cobi Jones.
During two decades with CONCACAF, Blazer moved its headquarters from Guatemala City to New York; started the Gold Cup tournament, which has been played every two years since 1991; and launched the CONCACAF Champions League.
Blazer's successor at CONCACAF will be chosen by CONCACAF's executive committee, which includes U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati, Alfredo Hawit of Honduras, Justino Compean of Mexico, Horace Burrell of Jamaica and Ariel Alvarado of Panama.
CONCACAF is to meet Friday in Miami to fill Warner's spot on the FIFA executive committee.
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Not surprised! He was tainted as much as Jack in this whole affair! It seems he is also jumping before he is pushed!
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Blazer to resign CONCACAF post
By Ronald Blum (Associated Press)
Chuck Blazer is resigning as the No. 2 official of CONCACAF in December, a half-year after going public with bribery accusations against his then-boss.
The 66-year-old American has been secretary general of the Confederation of North and Central American and Caribbean Football since 1990. He said in May that CONCACAF president Jack Warner and Asian confederation head Mohamed bin Hammam attempted to bribe Caribbean delegates $40,000 each to vote for Bin Hammam in the FIFA presidential election. Warner's acting successor then tried to fire Blazer, setting off more disciplinary proceedings.
"I've been running a governing body long enough. We've been through a little bit of a stagnation period," Blazer said Thursday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "I want to do something entrepreneurial. It was the right time. I wanted to give them notice to let them start to look for somebody."
After Blazer made the bribery charges, Bin Hammam withdrew from the election, leaving Sepp Blatter to run unopposed for a fourth term. Warner resigned all his soccer posts in June, and FIFA imposed a lifetime ban on Bin Hammam, who was head of the Asian confederation and is contesting the penalty.
In the fallout, acting CONCACAF president Lisle Austin attempted to fire Blazer, but the group's executive committee said Austin lacked the authority. FIFA then suspended Austin, who went to court in the Bahamas and called FIFA a "corrupt cabal of arrogance and cronyism."
Blazer said he will retain his post on the FIFA executive committee. He was elected to soccer's most powerful body in 1997, and his current term runs through mid-2013. He said it was too early to determine whether he will run for re-election to the FIFA post.
As for the future, Blazer said he would consider taking a club post. He would not comment on the possibility that he could join one of the groups bidding for Major League Soccer's 20th team, which MLS would like to place in the New York area as a rival to the Red Bulls.
A group that includes Terry Byrne, a friend of Los Angeles Galaxy star David Beckham, bought the rights to the name of the old North American Soccer League Cosmos team and hired Eric Cantona and Cobi Jones.
During two decades with CONCACAF, Blazer moved its headquarters from Guatemala City to New York; started the Gold Cup tournament, which has been played every two years since 1991; and launched the CONCACAF Champions League.
Blazer's successor at CONCACAF will be chosen by CONCACAF's executive committee, which includes U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati, Alfredo Hawit of Honduras, Justino Compean of Mexico, Horace Burrell of Jamaica and Ariel Alvarado of Panama.
CONCACAF is to meet Friday in Miami to fill Warner's spot on the FIFA executive committee.
Blazer is making a very clever strategic move for his benefit!
He still remains a member of the FIFA executive committee with his bread still buttered unlike Jack!
He probably realise that Jack still has too many hatchet men in CONCACAF and decided to protect himself by sliding out of CONCACAF while he is still looking untarnished in Blatter's eyes!
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Ah hope Horace Burrell win.
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Ah hope Horace Burrell win.
Only if he can totally disassociate himself from Jack! Yuh feel he could do that?! :-\
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Blazer is making a very clever strategic move for his benefit!
He still remains a member of the FIFA executive committee with his bread still buttered unlike Jack!
He probably realise that Jack still has too many hatchet men in CONCACAF and decided to protect himself by sliding out of CONCACAF while he is still looking untarnished in Blatter's eyes!
Pretty much... the spotlight too bright on CONCACAF right now and the Confederation is being knocked back to a lower profile. Not only that, Blazer still has his side deals with and relating to his work with CONCACAF.... he money fix. Why fight up with de small time wuk when yuh could slink off and continue thiefing in silence?
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Ah hope Horace Burrell win.
Jack twin
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Anybody but somebody from the caribbean for the CONCACAF top post
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CONCACAF congress to elect new president.
NEW YORK - CONCACAF will hold a congress on May 23 in conjunction with the annual FIFA congress in Budapest, Hungary, the confederation announced Friday.
The gathering of national association delegates, to be conducted at the Boscolo New York Palace a day before the start of the two-day FIFA congress, will elect a new president to complete the term of Jack Warner.
Warner, whose term was to run through 2015, resigned June 20. CONCACAF member associations may nominate candidates for the office up to 60 days before CONCACAF congress, March 25.
SOURCE: CONCACAF.COM
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We do not have a properly elected President and executive committee so what type of individual can Trinidad and Tobago nominate? Another lackey? Football is in a state of anarchy ! Oh when will it end?
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Check out Jack Boy- Captain Burrell- Done deal
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Jeffrey Webb to stand unopposed for CONCACAF Presidency
By Andrew Warshaw (insideworldfootball.biz)
Jeffrey Webb, President of the Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA), will stand alone for the Presidency of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) at its annual Congress on May 23 in Budapest, the confederation has confirmed.
As first reported by insideworldfootball, Webb (pictured) will take over from Trinidad and Tobago's former FIFA senior vice-president Jack Warner who resigned all of his positions last summer during the ongoing cash-for-votes scandal involving Caribbean members.
According to CONCACAF, Webb will initially complete the final four-year term of Warner, who was re-elected in May 2010.
Webb, who has been President of CIFA for the past 21 years, was nominated by 29 of the 40 member associations by the deadline last Sunday (March 25).
The 47-year-old Webb was appointed chairman of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Normalisation Committee in December, charged with rebuilding the regional football body in the wake of last year's turmoil.
He is also deputy chairman of the FIFA Internal Audit Committee, a member of the FIFA Transparency and Compliance Committee, Caribbean observer on the FIFA Executive Committee and a member of the CONCACAF Youth Committee.
"I would like to acknowledge and thank the CONCACAF member associations from across the confederation that have demonstrated their confidence in me through their support of my nomination for president," Webb said.
"I look forward to working with all of the members to strengthen our foundation and build on our unity which has always been our strength."
CONCACAF has had only three different Presidents in its 51-year history: Ramon Coll Jaumet, from Costa Rica who was in charge between 1961 and 1968, Joaquín Soria Terrazas , from Mexico who there from 1968 until 1990, and Warner, whose reign lasted from 1990 until 2011.
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Saw this yesterday... I can't help but get a queasy feeling when I think of Blazer and his Cayman connections.
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What this last story doesn't say is:
Mr. Webb is the Business Development Manager and a member of the Board of Directors of Fidelity (Cayman) Ltd., a position he has held since 2002. Fidelity (Cayman) Ltd. is one of the largest banks in the Cayman Islands, and acts as the national agent for Western Union. In his role as Business Development Manager, Mr. Webb acts also as the national manager of this industry-leading brand.
http://www.caymanactive.com/cifa-news/69-cifaprofiles/2476-jeffrey-webb-president
Wonder which bank Blazer has his accounts in. Anyway, he's on the FIFA Transparency and Compliance committee, so we'll be sure to know what's going on.
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Interesting. Horace Burrell withdrew, preffering to focus on CFU presidency and also running the JFF. However, Webb and Burrell are business partners, i believe i read something the papers a year or so ago where Web was the owber of the Caymen franchise of Burrels bakery/grill chain.
I cant say i blame Burrell for not seeking the role of CONCACAF presidency, then again, he might have been barred from the post as a result of his "involvement" in the Bin Hamamam controversy.
What really surprise me though is that there are no candidates from Central America?
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How do you opposed someone ?
I know a few interested people !!
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CFU adopts new statutes.
concacaf.com
The Caribbean Football Union adopted new statutes at a three-day extraordinary congress that will enable the 40-member organization to move forward, including the election of new officers.
In a release dated March 8, the CFU said the keynote address by Cayman Islands federation president and CFU Normalization Committee head Jeffrey Webb was "received with energetic applause demonstrating early the solidarity of the CFU."
The program included development session with each member by a FIFA delegation and meetings of the CFU's legal, football and finance committees.
"It was evident throughout the three days, that the CFU members continue to be focused on our
sport, accessibility and development," Webb said in the release. "Every member of the CFU continues to be committed to the union's solidarity, but it was the unanimous adoption of the CFU statutes that highlighted this message.
"We are embracing our future with purpose, passion and performance. It is a great day for football in the Caribbean, and steers our course for a great future."
The CFU has been without a president since June, when Jack Warner resigned the post.
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Fifa's Chuck Blazer 'may have acted unlawfully over TV contracts'
by Richard Conway (BBC Sport)
Chuck Blazer, the whistle-blower who reported corruption within Fifa last year, may have acted unlawfully over a multi-million dollar TV rights contract, according to lawyers acting for the football confederation he still represents.
Confidential memos - obtained by BBC Sport - from lawyers acting for Concacaf, the organisation that runs football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean - allege that Blazer is attempting to claim more than $7m (£4.5m) in unpaid commissions for TV rights and sponsorship deals.
It also alleges that Blazer - a member of Fifa's all powerful executive committee - was paid "a basic monthly fee" of at least $10,000 (£6,400) per month under the terms of a deal struck in 1994 with former Fifa vice-president Jack Warner, who was the then president of Concacaf.
CHUCK BLAZER FACTS
Fifa executive committee member since 1997
He supported Manchester United as a child
Mexico winning the Confederations Cup in 1999 is his favourite footballing memory
His hobbies include technology, video, internet, and finance
Source: Fifa.com
Blazer's deal with Warner granted commissions of 10% - known as an "override fee" - on all sponsorship and TV rights deals negotiated by the American, through his company Sportvertising.
The initial deal between Concacaf and Sportvertising expired in 1998. However the arrangement between both parties continued on after that date.
Concacaf confirmed last week that commissions and salary for Blazer equalled between $4m (£2.5m) and $5m (£3.2m) last year.
But the football federation now appears ready to robustly challenge any legal claim for the unpaid commissions by Blazer.
The memo, drawn up by the New York law firm King & Spalding, advises that the contract agreed between Warner and Blazer in 1994 could potentially be challenged along with any obligation to make payments.
King & Spalding provide an overview of Concacaf's potential legal claims, although they also warn that the advice is given "based on our limited information of the facts, as we have not reviewed Concacaf files or interviewed its personnel".
Significantly, the legal advice from King & Spalding, given to Concacaf on 6 December 2011, argues the agreement between Blazer and Warner could be construed as "fraud in the execution".
To do so the lawyers state that "... Concacaf must show excusable ignorance of the contents of the agreement. This argument is only available to Concacaf if it demonstrates that Blazer and Warner kept the agreement secret and never disclosed its terms to Concacaf. As with other fraud claims, this will require an intensive factual inquiry".
Fifa said the ethics committee case against him was closed and the "presumption of innocence is maintained"
These latest allegations come just days after a meeting in Budapest where Concacaf's legal counsel, John Collins, told confederation delegates attending Fifa's annual Congress that the organisation has reported itself to US authorities after failing to file tax returns for several years.
When contacted by BBC Sport over the contents of the confidential memos, Blazer declined to comment, stating he wished to seek guidance on the issue first.
But speaking last week in response to the revelations over Concacaf's tax affairs, he defended his record as general secretary saying: "I spent 21 years building the confederation and its competitions and its revenues and I'm the one responsible for its good levels of income.
"I'm perfectly satisfied that I did an excellent job. I think this is a reflection of those who were angry at me having caused the action against Warner.
"This is also a reaction by people who have their own agenda. I now have to consider what my options are but to say the least I am very disappointed."
King & Spalding's memo also advises Concacaf the contract could be argued as voidable with Blazer and Warner in violation of their "fiduciary duties to Concacaf".
Similarly they lay out how it may be possible for Concacaf to show that the contract "is void or voidable because Jack Warner did not have the authority to enter into the agreement on Concacaf's behalf".
Warner had not responded to BBC Sport's communications over the matter at the time of publication.
The legal advice goes on to point out how the contract between Blazer and Concacaf expired in 1998 and that, even if the agreement was valid, it could be possible to argue that no money is owed for "any contracts entered into after 1998".
However, in a follow-up briefing to four members of Concacaf's executive committee - also obtained by BBC Sport - John Collins warns that existing precedent in New York case law "will be problematic for Concacaf" in winning any potential action involving Blazer.
The advice is put forward on the belief that Blazer may potentially argue that, after the expiration of the original contract, a new contract was created based solely on the conduct of both parties. Such deals are known as "implied in fact" contracts under New York law.
According to the Collins memo, Blazer is seeking compensation for three deals he negotiated. He has yet to launch any formal legal action over the unpaid commissions.
Specifically, Collins alleges in the memo that Blazer is trying to claim $7.15m in separate commissions. This is made up of $5.2m relating to the broadcast rights for the 2013 to 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup, $700,000 for the expected net ticket revenues for the 2013 Gold Cup and $1.25m for authorising "teams from the Concacaf region to participate in the Copa Libertadores", South America's premier club cup competition.
The legal memos graphically demonstrate the internecine war at the top of the confederation as the fall-out from the corruption scandal that tainted last year's Fifa presidential election, which was eventually won by Sepp Blatter, continues.
Blazer reported Warner and former Fifa presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam to Fifa's ethics committee in May last year, following allegations that financial incentives were offered to members of the Caribbean Football Union at a meeting in Trinidad.
Warner subsequently resigned from all his positions in international football last June after being suspended by Fifa pending the outcome of the inquiry.
Following Warner's resignation, Fifa said the ethics committee case against him was closed and the "presumption of innocence is maintained".
Bin Hammam, who continues to deny the allegations, was then banned from football for life by Fifa in August. His case is currently under appeal at the Court for Arbitration in Sport.
In a separate development BBC Sport has also learned that two apartments, worth $800,000, located in Miami's exclusive South Beach district were purchased under Blazer's guidance in May 2010.
It is understood Concacaf's executive committee did not discuss their purchase. The apartments were bought - and registered - through Concacaf Marketing & Television - a wholly owned, Florida-based subsidiary of Concacaf.
Concacaf delegates last week voted to have Blazer removed from Fifa's executive committee but failed to get their motion added to the Fifa Congress agenda in sufficient time to gain its required approval.
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Fifa's Chuck Blazer 'used football funds' for New York apartment
By Richard Conway (BBC Sport)
Chuck Blazer - the Fifa official who blew the whistle on corruption within the governing body last year - has been accused of secretly funding the rent on a luxury New York apartment using funds from the football federation he ran.
The allegations were made to BBC Sport by Jack Warner, the former president of Concacaf, the football federation for North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
Blazer resigned as general secretary of Concacaf in December 2011 but is still a member of Fifa's executive committee.
Warner also alleges Blazer misappropriated quarterly payments of $12,000 from Umbro International, one of Concacaf's former commercial partners.
In a statement to BBC Sport Jeff Webb, the newly elected president of Concacaf, has promised to look into the "very serious" allegations.
In a series of emails to BBC Sport Warner claims that Blazer joined the $18,000 (£11,000) rent for his own Trump Plaza apartment in Manhattan together with that of Concacaf's US office, which is located in the same building.
Warner also alleged he and Concacaf's executive committee were unaware Blazer had overseen the purchase, through a Concacaf subsidiary company, of two apartments in Miami's exclusive South Beach district in May 2010.
The studio and one bed apartments, legally registered by Concacaf Marketing & TV Inc., were put up for sale in April this year.
Estate agents in the area describe the complex where the apartments are located as "luxurious" offering "panoramic ocean views" with "two bayfront pools, five-star Asia de Cuba restaurant, sunset lounge, aqua spa, marina, private beach and two swimming pools."
BBC Sport has learned that both properties are now under contract for sale for a collective sum of $800,000 (£510,000).
In response to a question about his knowledge of the Miami apartments Warner said:
"I did not know of Mr Blazer's purchase of the two apartments in Miami nor the form of payment for Mr Blazer's apartment at the Trump Plaza in Manhattan."
"I also do not believe that either was known by the Concacaf executive committee or senior officials of the Confederation."
"I do believe that Mr Blazer paid for his rent of this apt [apartment] at Trump Plaza from Concacaf's funds. In other words he lumped his $18,000 per month apt rental with Concacaf's."
Concacaf 's general legal counsel, John Collins, has confirmed to BBC Sport that a vehicle, believed to be an eight year old Hummer, is also for sale.
When contacted by BBC Sport over the allegations Mr Blazer declined to comment.
But Jeff Webb, the newly elected president of Concacaf, told BBC Sport:
"These allegations are very serious indeed.
"However, at this time, they are just allegations, and we must not jump to conclusions until all of the facts have been gathered and presented.
"I will undertake a review of the operations and finances of Concacaf, and if any irregularities are identified during that process, they will be reported to the Concacaf executive committee and the appropriate action taken.
"Additionally, if these allegations are proven to be true, they will be disclosed and the perpetrators will be held accountable.
"I am presently exploring options as to how best to investigate all the allegations, and will make my recommendation to the Concacaf executive committee, which is scheduled to meet on 14 June 2012."
BBC Sport exclusively reported last week that Blazer may have acted unlawfully over a multi-million dollar contract, according to lawyers acting for the football confederation he still represents.
Confidential memos - obtained by BBC Sport - allege that Blazer is attempting to claim more than $7m (£4.5m) in unpaid commissions for TV rights and sponsorship deals.
Under the terms of a deal struck in 1994 with Warner, who was the then president of Concacaf, Blazer was granted commissions of 10% on all sponsorship and TV rights deals he negotiated.
In response to questions over the deal Warner states: "At no point in time have I ever acted fraudulently with Mr Blazer nor have I ever knowingly violated my duties to Concacaf."
"It is however informative to note that, to the best of my knowledge, I signed only ONE contract for Mr Blazer and that was in 1994 - a four-year contract."
"At the expiration of Blazer's contract in 1998 I advised him that I will not be renewing his contract until and unless it is reviewed and I followed this up with a formal letter I sent to him in 2002, a copy of which letter I still have in my possession."
The claim will cast doubt on any argument from Blazer, if he undertakes legal action to recover the $7m commissions, that a new deal was formed after 1998 through the continuation of the arrangement between both parties, known in US law as an "implied in fact" contract.
It's during the period of the written contract, 1994 to 1998, that Warner also alleges Blazer misused or misappropriated quarterly payments of $12,000 from Umbro International, an America company that was a forerunner to the current UK-based company of the same name.
"As one of Concacaf 's early sponsors, Umbro [International] through Jack Stone, its chairman and owner, [agreed to] supply Concacaf with match balls and a quarterly grant of $12,000," Warner said.
"During the term of Mr Blazer's contract the head of Umbro [International] - our main sponsor at the time - said he will no longer sponsor Concacaf until and unless a forensic audit is being done on Mr Blazer's handling of Concacaf 's accounts.
"I had a choice to make then - it was either I follow the advice of Jack Stone and insist on a forensic audit of Chuck Blazer or I disregard the advice of Jack Stone and keep Chuck Blazer as Concacaf 's General Secretary. I chose the latter."
Asked by BBC Sport if he believed Mr Stone suspected the $12,000 payments from Umbro International were being misused or misappropriated by Blazer, Warner replied: "You are correct."
The latest allegations from Warner come one year on from the acrimonious Fifa presidential election that precipitated a raft of officials being brought before the governing body's ethics committee on corruption charges.
Blazer compiled a dossier of evidence and reported Warner, along with the then Fifa presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam, alleging that financial incentives were offered to members of the Caribbean Football Union at a meeting in Trinidad.
Warner eventually resigned from all his positions in international football last June after being suspended by Fifa pending the outcome of their inquiry, triggering a bitter power struggle for control of Concacaf.
Following Warner's resignation, Fifa said the ethics committee case against him was closed and the "presumption of innocence is maintained".
Bin Hammam, who continues to deny the allegations, was then banned from football for life by Fifa. His case is currently under appeal at the Court for Arbitration in Sport.
Concacaf delegates last month voted to have Blazer removed from Fifa's executive committee but failed to get their motion added to the Fifa Congress agenda in sufficient time to gain its required approval.
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The whole bunch of them are crooks. Now JW is not going down easy. Tra-la-la for so!
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The whole bunch of them are crooks. Now JW is not going down easy. Tra-la-la for so!
You crazy!! the only crook it have in Football is JW.
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Jack have Anand, Chuck have John Collins
Jack hustlin thru the COE, Chuck hustlin thru Miami apts
Ah wonder wuh Sepp have?
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The whole bunch of them are crooks. Now JW is not going down easy. Tra-la-la for so!
You crazy!! the only crook it have in Football is JW.
The only one we particularly concern about is JW. Yuh have to clean the yampee from your eye before yuh could clean other people yampee. Look how yuh boy have T&T football in bits. We eh have a national team. ut is not JW fault, is only 30 years he in charge with no developmental programs to show for it, but doh worry is Sancho and them who mash up de football.
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The whole bunch of them are crooks. Now JW is not going down easy. Tra-la-la for so!
You crazy!! the only crook it have in Football is JW.
The only one we particularly concern about is JW. Yuh have to clean the yampee from your eye before yuh could clean other people yampee. Look how yuh boy have T&T football in bits. We eh have a national team. ut is not JW fault, is only 30 years he in charge with no developmental programs to show for it, but doh worry is Sancho and them who mash up de football.
:heehee: :heehee: :heehee:when alyu was jumping up in Germany that's when yuh should of clean the yampee from yuh eyes,is JW fault we eh have no national team, some how like we never had one in the 30 yrs he was in charge.
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The whole bunch of them are crooks. Now JW is not going down easy. Tra-la-la for so!
You crazy!! the only crook it have in Football is JW.
The only one we particularly concern about is JW. Yuh have to clean the yampee from your eye before yuh could clean other people yampee. Look how yuh boy have T&T football in bits. We eh have a national team. ut is not JW fault, is only 30 years he in charge with no developmental programs to show for it, but doh worry is Sancho and them who mash up de football.
:heehee: :heehee: :heehee:when alyu was jumping up in Germany that's when yuh should of clean the yampee from yuh eyes,is JW fault we eh have no national team, some how like we never had one in the 30 yrs he was in charge.
Even ah clock with no battery......
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The whole bunch of them are crooks. Now JW is not going down easy. Tra-la-la for so!
You crazy!! the only crook it have in Football is JW.
:rotfl: :rotfl: :applause: :applause: :applause:
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Welcome to the CONCACAF News Thread
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Website: http://www.concacaf.com/
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Duo in line for CONCACAF Awards
On the back of an outstanding showing at the CONCACAF Women’s Championships, Trinidad and Tobago’s Kennya “Yaya” Cordner has been nominated for CONCACAF “Female Player of the Year” Award.
The Tobago-born striker who was T&T’s top-scorer was also named in the Tournament’s All-Star Team.
Among her rivals for the award is Abby Wambach, goalkeeper Hope Solo, midfielder Lauren Holiday, forward Alex Morgan, midfielder Carli Lloyd (USA); Canada’s Christine Sinclair; Costa Rican’s Raquel Cedeno and Shirley Cruz as well as Mexico’s Veronica Corral.
On the Men’s side, Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams is nominated for the Best Goalkeeper Award.
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Jan-Michael Williams
CONCACAF Awards honour players and achievements in CONCACAF-sanctioned tournaments and competitions involving the Confederation’s national teams at all levels, including FIFA World Cups and World Cup qualifying for both genders, in all age categories.
Performances also eligible for recognition include those achieved in professional club football leagues under CONCACAF’s stewardship as well as the CONCACAF Champions League.
Fans can have their say in the voting by visiting the fan voting page on CONCACAF.com. Voting is open till 5pm on December 19.
Source: Looptt
Link: http://looptt.com/2014/12/12/duo-line-concacaf-awards/
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CONCACAF nominates Caribbean players nominated for Goalkeeper of the Year
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Jamaican International Andre Blake and Trinidad and Tobago International Jan Michael Williams have been nominated by CONCACAF for the 2014 Goalkeeper of the Year Award.
Journalists, football analysts, coaching staff and fans are all encouraged via CONCACAF’s website to vote.
The CONCACAF Awards honour players and achievements in CONCACAF-sanctioned tournaments and competitions involving the Confederation’s teams at all levels, including FIFA World Cups and World Cup qualifying for both genders.
Performances also eligible for recognition include those achieved in professional club football leagues under CONCACAF’s stewardship in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, as well as the CONCACAF Champions League and Caribbean Cup tournament.
Twenty-four-year-old, 6’4-inch, Andre Blake made his debut for Jamaica in 2014 and has gone on to make nine appearances for Jamaica, keeping five clean sheets in the process. During that period, he saved two penalty kicks and Jamaica won the 2014 Caribbean Cup, qualified for the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2016 Copa Centenario in the United States.
Williams kept four clean sheets for Trinidad and Tobago in 2014 in 10 games. Williams, who played for Trinidad in the U-17 FIFA World Cup in 2001, helped Trinidad and Tobago to qualify for the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup after the team finishing second in the 2014 Caribbean Cup.
The two Caribbean shot stoppers are up against LA Galaxy's Jaime Penedo (Panama), Real Salt Lake's Nick Rimando (United States), Everton's Tim Howard (US) and Malaga's Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico).
There will be five other awards on offer at the CONCACAF end-of-year ceremony with Player of the Year, Female Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Referee of the Year and Goal of the Year, also up for grabs.
Source: http://www.sportsmax.tv/?q=articles/2014/12/12/concacaf-nominates-caribbean-players-nominated-goalkeeper-year
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Scotiabank Joins CONCACAF as Official Partner
Wide-Ranging Agreement Covers Multiple International Tournaments, Naming Scotiabank Title Sponsor of Champions League and Official Bank of CONCACAF
MIAMI (Tuesday, December 09, 2014) - The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) announced today an official partnership with Scotiabank, designating the international bank as title sponsor of the CONCACAF Champions League and official bank of the Confederation.
The multi-year agreement makes Scotiabank the first official partner of CONCACAF, and covers multiple tournaments through 2018 including the region’s most important club competition – the CONCACAF Champions League –now to be known as the Scotiabank Champions League beginning February 2015 with the Championship Round of the on-going 2014-15 edition.
"I am extremely proud to welcome Scotiabank to the CONCACAF football family and commemorate this strategic partnership," said CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb. "This agreement exemplifies the growing value of CONCACAF's properties and demonstrates the trust and confidence in our Confederation."
Headquartered in Toronto, Scotiabank is Canada’s most international bank, with a presence in over 55 countries including Latin America, the Caribbean and parts of Asia. The Bank offers a broad range of products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management, corporate and investment banking, to over 21 million customers.
“Scotiabank is proud of our deep roots and strong commitment in the CONCACAF regions – supporting customers, businesses and communities for over 180 years,” said John Doig, Scotiabank’s Chief Marketing Officer. “This partnership is a natural fit for Scotiabank. Football is a passion we share with our customers and we’re excited to support current and future football stars. We are looking forward to celebrating the sportsmanship and teamwork of this beautiful game."
In addition to title sponsorship of the Champions League, Scotiabank becomes an official sponsor for the CONCACAF Gold Cup – the Confederation’s flagship event for national teams – for 2015 and 2017.
Scotiabank will also support multiple additional CONCACAF tournaments through 2018, including 2016 Olympic Qualifying events, and men’s and women’s tournaments at the under-20 and under-17 levels, starting with the CONCACAF Men’s Under-20 Championship Jamaica 2015, set to kick off in January.
The deal further includes sponsorship for the next two editions of the CFU Caribbean Cup and the UNCAF Central American Cup, as well as upcoming CONCACAF championships in Beach Soccer, Futsal and at the Girls’ and Boys’ under-15 levels.
“When we extended our agreement with CONCACAF in late 2013, we focused on restructuring the sponsorship program in line with global standards led by CONCACAF Partners,” said Aaron Davidson, President of Traffic Sports USA, the sponsorship rights agency of CONCACAF. “Scotiabank is the perfect founding CONCACAF Partner thanks to their footprint across the region and their commitment to sport and the communities they serve.”
The partnership was announced in an event hosted at the Mexican Stock Exchange in Mexico City on Tuesday morning, with the presence of special invited guests from the Mexican and international soccer community including Mexican Football Federation President Justino Compean.
In addition to the participation of the President of the Mexican Football Federation and other dignitaries, players from Cruz Azul, the reigning champion of the CONCACAF Champions League, sent a video message of support. The team is currently in Morocco, preparing to represent the region in the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup.
The current edition of the newly-minted Scotiabank Champions League, a yearly regional championship disputed among the top club teams from countries across North America, Central America and the Caribbean, resumes in February 2015 with the Championship Round. Quarterfinal matches are set to take place in Canada, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico and the United States.
Financial terms of the partnership deal were not disclosed.
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Cordner, Jan-Michael nominated for CONCACAF awards
National forward Kennya “Yaya” Cordner has been nominated for CONCACAF “Female Player of the Year” after a stellar 2014 which saw the speedy Tobagonian and the Women Soca Warriors just miss out on a place in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Cordner, who was TT’s top scorer at the CONCACAF Women’s Championship, was previously named in the All-Star team of that tournament.
The 26-year-old will vie for the award alongside global star Abby Wambach, goalkeeper Hope Solo, midfielder Lauren Holiday, forward Alex Morgan, midfielder Carli Lloyd (USA); Canada’s Christine Sinclair; Costa Rican’s Raquel Cedeno and Shirley Cruz as well as Mexico’s Veronica Corral.
Meanwhile, national goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams, who also missed out on glory after losing on penalty kicks with the Soca Warriors in the Caribbean Cup final is nominated for the Best Goalkeeper award.
The awards, which will be presented for the second time in 2014, have been designed to recognise the top players, coaches and referees in women’s and men’s events from the CONCACAF region.
The CONCACAF Awards honour players and achievements in CONCACAF-sanctioned tournaments and competitions involving the Confederation’s national teams at all levels, including FIFA World Cups and World Cup qualifying for both genders, in all age categories. Performances also eligible for recognition include those achieved in professional club football leagues under CONCACAF’s stewardship in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, as well as the CONCACAF Champions League.
Fans can have their say in the voting by visiting the fan voting page on CONCACAF.com. Voting is open till 5pm on December 19.
Final votes in each of the six categories will be tallied and the winners announced by the end of the year, via CONCACAF.com.
Link: http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,204157.html
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T&T female striker lines up for CONCACAF Awards
On the back of an outstanding showing at the CONCACAF Women’s Championship, Trinidad and Tobago’s Kennya “Yaya” Cordner has been nominated for CONCACAF “Female Player of the Year” Award.
The Tobago-born striker who was T&T’s top-scorer was also named in the Tournament’s All-Star Team.
Among her rivals for the award are: Abby Wambach, goalkeeper Hope Solo, midfielder Lauren Holiday, forward Alex Morgan, midfielder Carli Lloyd (USA); Canada’s Christine Sinclair; Costa Ricans Raquel Cedeno and Shirley Cruz as well as Mexico’s Veronica Corral.
Link: http://www.sportsmax.tv/?q=articles/2014/12/12/tt-female-striker-lines-concacaf-awards
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Four-time Gold Cup champ Beasley retires from U.S.
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The USA's DaMarcus Beasley (pictured) announced his retirement from international football on December 15, 2014. (Photo: FIFA via Getty Images)
CHICAGO – United States defender DaMarcus Beasley announced Monday his retirement from international football after 14 years, 121 games and 17 goals. He will continue to play with the Houston Dynamo in Major League Soccer.
This past summer, Beasley became the first U.S. player to make an appearance in four FIFA World Cups (2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014), starting all four games in Brazil.
The 32-year-old has won four CONCACAF Gold Cups (2002, 2005, 2007 and 2013).
Beasley first made a name for himself on the global stage by winning the Silver Ball at the 1999 FIFA U-17 Youth World Championship as the tournament's second-best player. In 2001, he played in every minute of the 2001 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Professionally, Beasley was the first American to score in the UEFA Champions League for two teams - Rangers and PSV Eindhoven - and holds the U.S. record with 22 appearances in the competition.
He’s won two Dutch league championships with PSV and two Scottish titles with Rangers, as well as a pair of U.S. Open Cup crowns with the Chicago Fire.
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CONCACAF announces 13 host cities in US, Canada for 2015 Gold Cup
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The US national team will begin the defense of their CONCACAF Gold Cup title in July in Dallas, one of 13 North American host cities for the event unveiled by CONCACAF on Tuesday.
FC Dallas' Toyota Stadium will host the USMNT's tournament-opening match in the venue's first-ever Gold Cup game on July 7.
Toronto's BMO Field will also play host for the first time in the tournament’s history, marking the mark the first time the confederation’s flagship international event has been played in Canada.
The other host cities announced on Tuesday are Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and Phoenix. The tournament runs July 7-26, and the host city for the championship game will be announced early next year.
In addition to the stadiums in Dallas and Toronto, four other venues that serve as homes for MLS clubs will be used during the tournament: LA Galaxy's StubHub Center, New England's Gillette Stadium, Houston's BBVA Compass Stadium, and KC's Sporting Park.
“We would like to thank all cities and venues across the United States – and in fact North America as a whole --for their continued interest in our Confederation’s marque event, the Gold Cup. We congratulate those which have been selected to host the 2015 edition,” CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb said in a statement. “The explosive growth of the game across CONCACAF has been on display recently on the world’s stage, and we now look forward to bringing this success home to our regional fans during our premier tournament.”
The US team anchors Group A, and will play in Gillette Stadium outside Boston (July 10) and Kansas City’s Sporting Park (July 13) after they open the tournament at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas on July 7. The Americans won the 2013 Gold Cup crown, their first title since 2007.
Costa Rica, the seeded team in Group B, begin play at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., on July 8, then move on to Houston’s BBVA Compass Stadium on July 11 and Toronto’s BMO Field July 14.
Mexico will anchor Group C and play at Chicago’s Soldier Field on July 9, Phoenix’s University of Phoenix Stadium on July 12 and Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium on July 15.
The Georgia Dome (Atlanta), Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia), M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore), and MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, N.J.) will all host knockout round dates.
Complete groups and schedule including selection of dates and assignment of matches for the knockout round and the awarding of the final, will be announced in early 2015.
2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup Host Cities & Venues
Group Round
July 7 (Group A) - Dallas – Toyota Stadium (Frisco, TX)
July 8 (Group B) - Los Angeles – StubHub Center (Carson, CA)
July 9 (Group C) - Chicago – Soldier Field (Chicago, IL)
July 10 (Group A) - Boston – Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, MA)
July 11 (Group B) - Houston – BBVA Compass Stadium (Houston, TX)
July 12 (Group C) - Phoenix – University of Phoenix Stadium (Phoenix, AZ)
July 13 (Group A) - Kansas City – Sporting Park (Kansas City, KS)
July 14 (Group B) - Toronto – BMO Field (Toronto, ON)
July 15 (Group C) - Charlotte – Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, NC)
Knockout Round Venues (alphabetical order by city)
Georgia Dome (Atlanta, GA)
M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore, MD)
MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ)
Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA)
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/12/16/concacaf-announces-13-host-cities-us-canada-2015-gold-cup?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=News&utm_campaign=Unpaid (http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/12/16/concacaf-announces-13-host-cities-us-canada-2015-gold-cup?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=News&utm_campaign=Unpaid)
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CONCACAF Gold Cup knockout round venues unveiled
The knockout rounds of next year's CONCACAF Gold Cup will be played at Atlanta, Baltimore and Philadelphia along with East Rutherford, New Jersey, and part of the tournament will be played in Canada for the first time.
The United States will open its title defense in the 12-nation championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean on July 7 at Frisco, Texas, CONCACAF announced Tuesday.
The Americans, who are in Group A, play three days later at Foxborough, Massachusetts, and close their first round July 13 at Kansas City, Kansas.
Costa Rica will be in Group B and open July 9 at Carson, California, then play three days later at Houston and July 14 at Toronto.
In Group C, Mexico starts July 9 at Chicago, plays three days later at Glendale, Arizona, and then July 15 at Charlotte, North Carolina.
The site of the final is to be announced next year. The tournament also includes Canada, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Panama and Trinidad and Tobago. The final spot will be determined by a playoff between French Guyana and Honduras on March 25 and 29.
The U.S. won the 2013 title and if it wins next year's tournament will qualify for the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia. If another nation wins the 2015 Gold Cup, it would meet the Americans in a playoff for the Confederations Cup berth.
http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/story/concacaf-gold-cup-knockout-round-locations-atlanta-baltimore-philadelphia-121614 (http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/story/concacaf-gold-cup-knockout-round-locations-atlanta-baltimore-philadelphia-121614)
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Navas, Wambach named 2014 CONCACAF Players of the Year
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Four others honored in second-annual Confederation Awards
Miami (Tuesday, December 23, 2014) – The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) today named Costa Rica’s Keylor Navas and Abby Wambach of the United States the 2014 CONCACAF Male and Female Players of the Year, as the Confederation revealed honorees in six different categories for the second-annual CONCACAF Awards.
In an equally-weighted vote among Member Association women’s and men’s national team coaches and captains, media and fans, Real Madrid goalkeeper Navas comfortably outdistanced countryman Bryan Ruiz, the second-place finisher in the Male Player of the Year category.
Wambach, who last year finished second to fellow U.S. international Alex Morgan in the Female Player of the Year vote, this year edged out Shirley Cruz of the Costa Rica Women’s National Team and club side Paris St. Germain (FRA) for the top women’s honor.
In the other categories, Tim Howard (Everton & United States) was named as Goalkeeper of the Year for a second straight year, Jorge Luis Pinto won Coach of the Year for his exploits at the helm of the Costa Rican National Team, American Mark Geiger was named Referee of the Year and Bryan Ruiz’s historic World Cup strike against Italy in June was adjudged to be CONCACAF’s Goal of the Year.
The CONCACAF Awards are designed to honor the year’s outstanding performers and achievements in confederation-sanctioned competitions involving national teams at all levels and age categories, including FIFA World Cup matches and qualifying for both genders. Performances also eligible for recognition included those achieved in professional club football leagues within the CONCACAF Member Associations, as well as the CONCACAF Champions League.
The votes of three important stake-holding segments within the Confederation were counted in compiling the results. Member Associations’ national team coaches and captains (women’s and men’s), accredited media and fans each accounted for one third of the final vote.
A semifinal list of 10 nominees in each category was determined by a vote of Technical Directors from each of CONCACAF’s 41 Member Associations and the CONCACAF Technical Study Group, which analyzes tactics and rates performances at all official CONCACAF tournaments.
Here’s a closer look at each of the categories:
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Keylor Navas, Goalkeeper (Real Madrid/ESP & Costa Rica)
Second: Bryan Ruiz, Forward (Fulham FC/ENG & Costa Rica)
Third: Tim Howard, Goalkeeper (Everton/ENG & United States)
Navas was the standout goalkeeper at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, and followed up that outstanding performance with a high profile transfer to La Liga heavyweight Real Madrid.
FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Abby Wambach, Forward (Western New York Flash/USA & United States)
Second: Shirley Cruz, Midfielder (Paris Saint Germain/FRA & Costa Rica)
Third: Veronica Charlyn Corral (Merilappi United/FIN & Mexico)
Wambach enjoyed an outstanding season for both club and country, highlighted by a four-goal performance in the championship match of the 2014 CONCACAF Women’s Championship, during which she led her nation to victory over second place finisher Shirley Cruz and Costa Rica.
GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Tim Howard (Everton/ENG & United States)
Second: Guillermo Ochoa (Malaga/ESP & Mexico)
Third: Keylor Navas (Real Madrid/ESP & Costa Rica)
While these three CONCACAF goalkeepers all shone in Brazil, Howard’s sensational play proved to be pivotal for the United States at the 2014 World Cup. In a 2-1 extra time knockout round loss to Belgium, the Everton goalkeeper set a World Cup individual game record for saves.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Winner: Jorge Luis Pinto (Costa Rica)
Second: Luis Fernando Suarez (Honduras)
Third: Oscar Ramirez (LD Alajuelense/CRC)
Costa Rica’s exceptional quarterfinal run at the World Cup – coming up just short of the semis after a shootout loss to Holland – was more than enough to comfortably assure Pinto the CONCACAF Coach of the Year award.
REFEREE OF THE YEAR
Winner: Mark Geiger (USA)
Second: Marco Antonio Rodriguez (Mexico)
Third: Walter Quesada (Costa Rica)
Mark Geiger refereed three matches at the 2014 World Cup, including the Round of 16 match between France and Nigeria. He was also selected as the man in the middle for the 2014 MLS Cup earlier this month in Los Angeles. Geiger was additionally named 2014 Major League Soccer Referee of the Year.
GOAL OF THE YEAR
Winner: Bryan Ruiz, Costa Rica v Italy, 44th minute (June 20, 2014)
Second: Esteban Ramirez, Herediano v Saprissa, 20th minute (November 2, 2014)
Third: Joel Campbell, Costa Rica v Uruguay, 54th minute (June 14, 2014)
After an opening match defeat of traditional South American power Uruguay, Bryan Ruiz’s 44th minute strike against Italy set Costa Rica on the road to another scalping of one of world football’s giants, and proved a pivotal moment in the CONCACAF side’s enthralling World Cup quarterfinal run.
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So Navas win Player of de Year, but finished third in Goalkeeper of the Year? Strange.
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It is strange since Tim Howard won goalkeeper of the year. What did Navas do besides making it to the quarter finals?
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So Navas win Player of de Year, but finished third in Goalkeeper of the Year? Strange.
US fan voting probably ensured Howard got Goalkeeper of the Year... honestly I voted for him too. I think I voted for Ruiz for Player of the Year.
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Biggest setback of the year- TNT senior women's lost to Ecuador
Fullest goal of the Year- Ecuador Women's team against TNT
Most evident political ploy of the year TnT government trying to look like saviours after public shaming of underfunding fiasco
Disappointing showing by two senior teams "Caribbean" champions TnT men and women losing when it mattered most
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Just saw Club America from Mex. beat Montreal 4-2 for the Concacaf club final. MTL was leading 1-0 at half time and was playing fast attacking ball. But they left themselves vulnerable to the counter and paid the price. So another Mex. club going to the World championship.
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Where Concacaf and T&T football go from here.
By Alvin Corneal (Guardian).
Few would have expected that the wonderful game of football could have been so directly entangled with issues like bribery, racketeering, money laundering, and more complicated acts of individuals earning money illegally.
The shockwaves ran through 209 countries across the world faster than a nuclear weapon and discomforted many nations over the news which may have brought charges of indictment, immediate arrests, and promises of further charges as the United States authority continue their investigations for the sake of cleaning up football forever globally.
Superficially, the accusations which came from media who have been paying close attention to Fifa and their years of dubious financial accountability, were clearly working as hard as the legal luminaries to expose what they considered to be the wrong doings of deals of bribery, which crossed the boundaries between sports marketing companies and members of the Fifa executive.
The bubble has busted and the stench of dishonesty has made its way through almost every confederation, with Concacaf very prominent in the fold. The principle of the phrase, “innocent until proven guilty,” is carefully fitted in among comments for legal protection for the scribes, the initial image of the series of arrests in Zurich in the wee hours of the morning, plus persons pleading guilty, some been indicted, which the extended list has been concealed until further notice.
Because of the 20-year Fifa involvement of our local “Football Father,” Jack Warner, whose name has been publicly given to the world, we, as a nation, are now facing the wrath of those who already brand us as strangers to the truth and fanatics of getting rich in a hurry. Add to that, the universally constant practice of money laundering seems to have existed in this twin-island nation, even if not in the visible manner of the larger countries.
Maybe what we should do ourselves, concerning these allegations aimed in the directions of the Fifa executives, is some self searching with regard to the Caribbean people who have been drawn into the arena of indictment and arrest of both Jack Warner and the current Concacaf president and Fifa vice-president, Jeffrey Webb.
Having been attached to the organisation in a capacity of technical activity, especially involved in the actual game itself at World Cups, the jobs of the stakeholders are of no concern to persons in my capacity as a technocrat. However, my experiences of football in the Caribbean, from as early as the late 1950s to the present, have brought a number of issues which could have been shadows of some of the charges which have been laid by the US authorities.
Let me state here and now that the early days of our football development in T&T and in the Caribbean were controlled by people with impeccable integrity, whom were qualified to handle management of the sport in a most transparent way. Today, I could extend my respect to a number of persons in the region whose contributions can be heralded and even more appreciated, now that we have witnessed the performances of their successors.
Messrs Eric James, Ken Galt, Oscar Harvey, Ernil Paul of T&T, Harold Griffith and Val Mc Comie of Barbados, George Abrahams of Jamaica and Mr McIntyre of Grenada, please take a bow. The sadness which has been brought to us by the two Caribbean representatives must not necessarily be viewed in isolation, if only they have been the servants of Caribbean football and would have been influential wisely or adversely in the management of their decisions and their finances.
It is no secret that incidents of poor administration, inadequate financing and dubious money management have resulted in difficult times for many of the small countries in the region. Sometimes, the local association leaders were the catalyst for their demise, while advice shared between the exposed Concacaf leaders and the locals may have been errors of judgment.
Did the absence of proper administration bring the debilitating factors into focus and disgust? Quite possibly. Today’s dramatic fiasco in the house of Fifa in a general way must take some responsibility for the missteps, simply because more attention was needed from experts financiers, technocrats, and marketing personnel, as these small countries were in the learning process during their thrust towards better football capabilities.
Surely, there are lessons to be learnt by the CFU from this exercise. Mistakes are often some valuable lessons to those who wish to accept them. The desire to use this downfall must be to become more efficient and educate those who are given the responsibility to conduct proper management. Sitting and chastising the offenders will not help. We must look to the sky for a better football future.
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THE HOYOS FILE: Racketeering and football: a perfect union?
Pat Hoyos (Barbados Nation).
I was a little surprised to read comments attributed to Randy Harris, president of the Barbados Football Association (BFA), who was speaking to the Nation from his hotel in Switzerland shortly after the arrests of nine FIFA executives, including Jeffrey Webb, the head of the BFA’s parent organisation CONCACAF.
“We were just about getting our image and integrity back intact and then to hear this is devastating.”
I have read that FIFA officials seemed to think that they lived on a different planet, and surely have acted as if they were above the rules of mere mortals like us. Perhaps the BFA bas been able to fully inculcate the culture of denial emanating from the very top of FIFA itself, with Sepp Blatter saying he cannot be held responsible for the wrong doing of underlings.
How else can we explain the shock felt by Harris? Perhaps he did not know of the ongoing investigations into CONCACAF, at least generally, by the now United States Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch when she was a United States attorney based in Brooklyn and had been looking into possible corruption by FIFA officials there long after Jack Warner resigned as CONCACAF president.
FIFA, having shelved a 400-page report damning its, shall we say, MO in awarding the World Cup tournaments to Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022, had found no fault in the decisions of those very underlings (better known as FIFA officials to others), and refused to investigate further. It should be noted that Webb was one of only two FIFA top executives who called for the report to be made public.
FIFA’s refusal to even contemplate any fault in its selection process of Qatar as host of the 2022 World Cup was seen as symbolic of the organisation’s high-handed attitude, and led to this comment by a Telegraph columnist:
“Hell will host the 2026 World Cup after a FIFA report found ‘no reason’ to overturn the controversial underworld destination’s successful bid.”(Alan Tyers, London’s Daily Telegraph, May 28)
Here is an extract from the US Justice Department’s news release on the arrests and charges filed last Wednesday, May 27: “A 47-count indictment was unsealed early this morning in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, charging 14 defendants with racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies, among other offenses, in connection with the defendants’ participation in a 24-year scheme to enrich themselves through the corruption of international soccer.”
It went on to place two names above the others indicted, noting that “Jeffrey Webb and Jack Warner – the current and former presidents of CONCACAF, the continental confederation under FIFA headquartered in the United States – are among the soccer officials charged with racketeering and bribery offences”.
In fact, the organisation seems to be in the forefront of the investigation and its resultant arrests. According to the Justice Department, the racketeering and bribery were associated with “FIFA World Cup qualifiers in the CONCACAF region, the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the CONCACAF Champions League, the jointly organised CONMEBOL/CONCACAF Copa America Centenario, the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores and the Copa do Brazil, which is organised by the Brazilian national soccer federation”.
Please note: CONCACAF mentioned four times in that one paragraph. Other alleged schemes involve the alleged receipt of bribes and kickbacks related to the selection of the host country for the 2010 World Cup, and also the 2011 FIFA presidential election.
Even if you were stunned, as the whole world was, by the suddenness and depth of the Justice Department’s dawn raid on FIFA, you could not possibly take the view that CONCACAF or any other FIFA body was gradually seeing its reputation restored.
As the FBI’s director James B. Comey said Thursday: “As charged in the indictment, the defendants fostered a culture of corruption and greed...Undisclosed and illegal payments, kickbacks and bribes became a way of doing business at FIFA.”
Both of Warner’s sons involved in the corruption pleaded guilty two years ago, but that news was only released last week. No doubt whatever help they gave the investigators will help reduce the ten-year prison sentences they are contemplating. Warner’s assistant at CONCACAF, Chuck Blazer, whose lavish and unorthodox lifestyle was revealed four years ago in newspaper articles, has also pleaded guilty and no doubt has been assisting the US Justice Department in its enquiries.
With so many hummingbirds making beautiful noise at the same time, I wonder how Warner and Webb will defend themselves against whatever charges they are facing, the specifics of which have not yet been revealed.
But there is no shortage of seemingly credible newspaper accounts of how CONCACAF essentially carried on in the great tradition presumably started by Warner. I have read accounts of actions ascribed to Webb which were not flattering, which is all you can say, but there were quite detailed, and pertain to football tournaments taking place after the departure of Warner from CONCACAF.
We as a country are involved in this mess, along with the other 200-plus members of FIFA. Our hands may be unstained, but the regional and parent organisations have much to answer for. Now, thanks to Lynch, many of its top executives will finally have their day in court to answer a slate of charges often reserved only for the likes of the Mafia.
Racketeering and football, it is charged, formed a perfect union in FIFA.
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CONCACAF Executive Committee Selects Sonia Bien-Aime for Voting Position on FIFA Executive Committee
CONCACAF.com
Bien-Aime is the first woman ever to hold a non-female designated voting position on FIFA’s Executive Committee
Miami (July 8, 2015) – The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) announced today that Sonia Bien-Aime, President of the Turks & Caicos Islands Football Association (TCIFA) and a member of the CONCACAF Executive Committee, has been selected to serve in a voting position on FIFA’s Executive Committee. Bien-Aime joins Lydia Nsekera, President of the Burundi Football Association, to become the second woman ever to serve in a voting position on FIFA’s Executive Committee, and the first to be elected to a non-female designated seat. CONCACAF’s Executive Committee voted to appoint Bien-Aime on July 4, 2015 in Vancouver, Canada.
“Sonia has the full confidence of the CONCACAF Executive Committee and we are delighted for her to represent our Confederation on FIFA’s Executive Committee,” said Alfredo Hawit, Acting President of CONCACAF. “Sonia has demonstrated her significant leadership as a member of the CONCACAF Executive Committee, and will bring a diverse and fresh perspective to FIFA on how to promote and advance the game around the world.”
Bien-Aime will represent CONCACAF’s Caribbean Zone as a FIFA Executive Committee member with a full voting rights position. She joins CONCACAF Acting President, Alfredo Hawit, and U.S. Soccer Federation President, Sunil Gulati at the global executive body.
“My selection to the FIFA Executive Committee with full voting rights is a ground-breaking decision by CONCACAF that demonstrates our Confederation’s commitment to be forward-thinking and our ability to make bold, yet reasoned, decisions,” said Bien-Aime. “My goal is to represent the best interest of the Confederation, while contributing to the objectives of FIFA as we all take collective strides to develop and grow the game that we love."
Bien-Aime is one of three women on FIFA's Executive Committee, having been co-opted to the top table of world football at the 63rd FIFA Congress in Mauritius in 2013. Since then, her mandate has been extended on two occasions. Her work on the FIFA Executive Committee has focused primarily on developing women's football internationally.
She currently serves as Deputy Chairwomen of the Organizing Committee for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. Additionally, Bien-Aime is a member of the Organizing Committee for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, and the Committee for Women's Football and the FIFA Women's World Cup.
As a member of CONCACAF’s Executive Committee, Bien-Aime has served on the Gold Cup Committee and Women’s Football Committee. She has been a keen supporter of advancing the Confederation’s initiatives in the grassroots development of women’s football, including the CONCACAF Under-15 Girls' Championship, the successful Let’s Develop Women’s Football Seminar, and the first-ever Women’s Football Day held on May 23, 2015.
A former athlete, Bien-Aime was the captain of the Turks & Caicos Islands Women’s National Football Team. In 2006, she was appointed to the position of General Secretary of TCIFA, and became the first woman elected to an executive post in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) in 2012.
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Sunil Gulati, U.S. Soccer Leader, Misses a Hearing and Draws Ire From Congress
Rebecca R. Ruizjuly (The New York Times).
WASHINGTON — Congress turned its attention to world soccer for several hours Wednesday afternoon as a Senate subcommittee convened a hearing to examine what the United States Soccer Federation had known about widespread corruption within FIFA, the sport’s global governing body.
But one of the senators’ most persistent lines of inquiry was simpler: why had U.S. Soccer’s top official, Sunil Gulati, declined to show up?
“What did U.S. Soccer know?” asked Senator Jerry Moran, Republican of Kansas and the chairman of the subcommittee on consumer protection, who had called the hearing. “What should you have known?”
Daniel Flynn, chief executive and secretary general of U.S. Soccer, answered those questions in place of Mr. Gulati, the president of U.S. Soccer and a top executive in FIFA. Mr. Flynn, who was not under oath, fumbled at times and once paused to consult with an adviser sitting behind him in the hearing room.
He repeatedly sought to distance U.S. Soccer from FIFA, painting the national organization as a dissenting member that had lobbied for more transparency in the global body.
“I knew nothing about any corruption,” Mr. Flynn said, though he later added that he had experienced “a level of discomfort” with the way FIFA did business but had not had “cold facts” on which to act.
Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee, said that U.S. Soccer should have acted on its discomfort.
“There had to be either willful ignorance or blatant incompetence,” he said, noting that he hoped U.S. Soccer would conduct an internal inquiry on top of complying with investigations by the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service.
In May, the Justice Department unsealed an indictment against 14 soccer officials and marketing executives on charges including bribery, money laundering and racketeering. That action also revealed that several other soccer executives had pleaded guilty to similar charges and cooperated with the government. Prosecutors have suggested more indictments are likely.
Asked repeatedly why he had been sent to testify rather than Mr. Gulati, who sits on FIFA’s governing executive committee and has long associations with several of the indicted officials, Mr. Flynn said it was at the advice of an outside lawyer, and because he had greater familiarity with U.S. Soccer’s daily operations than Mr. Gulati does.
Staunchly defending his organization’s integrity, Mr. Flynn invoked FIFA’s recent presidential election as an example in which U.S. Soccer had taken a principled stand. Sepp Blatter, the longtime FIFA president, won a majority vote days after his close associates were arrested; in that election, U.S. Soccer supported Mr. Blatter’s challenger, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan.
“We did so notwithstanding the potential political risks, including the potential impact on our possible bid to host the 2026 Men’s World Cup,” Mr. Flynn said. But he failed to note that U.S. Soccer had supported Mr. Blatter in his previous election, in 2011, in a vote that took place under the cloud of an earlier corruption scandal.
Mr. Blatter, too, was invited to testify on Wednesday by Mr. Moran’s office but declined to appear. He has not been accused of a crime in the current scandal, though investigators have said he is under continued scrutiny. Mr. Blatter’s lawyer, Richard Cullen, did not respond to request for comment on why Mr. Blatter chose not to attend the hearing.
U.S. Soccer is one of the 209 member associations that belong to FIFA, but it is also a leading member of Concacaf, a regional confederation within FIFA that oversees the federations in North America, Central America and the Caribbean. The recent charges brought by the United States centered on criminal activity within Concacaf, which is headquartered in Miami.
On Wednesday, Mr. Flynn lauded Concacaf’s recently proposed reforms, including term limits for executives and public disclosures of their pay, as a sign of change. He called those proposed changes “sweeping” and suggested they would make a strong framework for FIFA to use as it seeks to reinvent itself.
But witnesses and senators alike questioned whether such reforms — many of which have yet to be enacted — were possible before determining how much knowledge the current FIFA leadership had of decades of criminal activity.
Andrew Jennings, an investigative reporter who has made his career exposing corruption in soccer, was chief among them.
“U.S. Soccer had to know,” he said, referring to the accusations of a far-reaching criminal plot.
“Where’s Sunil?” he asked. “He’s the man who takes American values supposedly to FIFA, to Concacaf, and he’s not here to talk about it today.”
And it was not just the soccer leadership that came under criticism. Mr. Blumenthal called current FIFA sponsors, from Coca-Cola to Visa, “enablers” for not suspending their support and demanding dramatic change.
He likened FIFA in its current form to a “Mafia-style crime syndicate,” adding: “My only hesitation in using that term is that it is almost an insult to the Mafia, because the Mafia would never have been so blatant.”
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Power, politics, the two-choice equation and why U.S. Soccer sells itself short
By Paul Kennedy (Soccer America).
According to U.S. Soccer's latest Form 990 return, secretary general Dan Flynn was its second highest-paid employee after Jurgen Klinsmann with compensation of $630,459.
He'll be in line for a nice raise after stepping in for his boss, U.S. president Sunil Gulati, to testify at Wednesday's Senate consumer protection subcommittee hearing into the FIFA scandals. For a good part of two hours, Flynn was grilled by senators on the bribery scandals that have ripped FIFA and Concacaf apart. He was asked about what he knew or didn't know and why didn't U.S. Soccer do more to initiate reform.
Three chairs to his left sat Scottish investigative reporter Andrew Jennings, who raised the question, "Where's Sunil?" It was one of many questions Flynn struggled to answer. "He's the man who takes, supposedly, American values to FIFA and Concacaf, and he is not here to talk about it today," noted Jennings.
Flynn, U.S. Soccer's chief executive, said he, not Gulati, was picked to testify because he was more knowledgeable about its day-to-day operations in the event they came up but when asked what U.S Soccer knew about the FIFA scandals, he said, "I knew nothing about any corruption." Nor, he added, could he be expected to know anything about what he termed "private, individual, secret transactions" that took four years and the full resources of U.S. authorities to bring to light.
Was Flynn surprised by the indictments of 14 FIFA officials and sports executives? "I just wasn't involved." Pressed on the issue, he said he experienced "moments of discomfort" during meetings with former Concacaf president Jack Warner and Concacaf general secretary Chuck Blazer. He couldn't state how long he had those moments of discomfort and he had no cold facts to back them. "The discomfort was all in a general feeling," he said.
Jennings' position: "U.S. Soccer had to know that Blazer and his fellow crook Jack Warner from Trinidad, fighting extradition now, with the approval of [FIFA president Sepp] Blatter were looting regional football and evading rightful taxes but they looked the other way. If American soccer leaders had taken action when they should have, Blazer and Warner would have been in jail, Blatter would be seeking asylum in Zimbabwe and the USA would be hosting the 2022 World Cup, not some graveyards in the gulf."
At the heart of the mater, why didn't U.S. Soccer take action? Perhaps speaking in terms the senators could relate to, Flynn said it all came down to votes. "We pride ourselves in our leadership," he said, "but understand at times our limited capacity for reform."
He rattled off the voting totals. U.S. Soccer's direct representation on FIFA consists of one member -- Gulati -- out of 25 on the executive committee. U.S. Soccer is just one of 209 members of FIFA. And it is one of just of 35 voting members of Concacaf, where voting control, Flynn noted, was held in the Caribbean with its 25 votes Warner held in his back pocket for many years.
Flynn said it came down to a "two-choice equation." Within FIFA, the choice was to participate or opt out.
"Find a way to participate," Flynn said, "in a manner consistent with our mission and core values." To participate was to get "a louder voice and seat at the table" in April 2013 when Gulati was elected to replace Blazer on the FIFA executive committee. To opt out, he said, was to risk the "hundreds of millions of dollars, if not billions of dollars" that had been invested in building American soccer over the last 20 years.
(The rub, Flynn didn't mention, is that to participate in the game is to play the game. Gulati beat Mexican Justino Compean, in an 18-17 vote many expected Compean would win. Gulati needed 16 of the 25 Caribbean votes to overcome Compean's bloc support in Central America. The vote was not decided in Gulati's favor until the final vote registered by Anguilla -- a British overseas territory with a population of 13,600 -- breaking the 17-17 tie.)
Within Concacaf, the choices were to get what U.S. Soccer needed and keep quiet or face exclusion.
Flynn said U.S. Soccer needed to host events to grow the game, events like the Gold Cup, which has been held in the United States every year since its inception since 1991, and men's qualifying for the Olympics, which will again be held in the United States in October.
"We had to at times balance that with the potential to opt out," Flynn said of the USA's choices. "I felt with Mr. Blazer we had other things to do that could help build the sport and there was some concern that if I brought it to Mr. Blazer's attention, I may feel some level of discomfort in a different way."
Connecticut senator Richard Blumenthal, who had Flynn in his cross-hairs all afternoon, suggested there was a third choice: "Begin to ask questions. Begin an inquiry. Begin to shine the light. Begin to blow the whistle. Begin essentially holding accountable officials who might be guilty -- and we now know they are -- of wire fraud, conspiracy, money laundering and bribery that directly impacted the quality and integrity of the sport that you are responsible for upholding."
Jennings called U.S. Soccer "gutless" for not speaking out. Blumenthal said U.S. Soccer was guilty of "willful ignorance or blatant incompetence." Whatever it was, it sold short what Flynn has done in his 15 years as secretary general and Gulati in his 30 years working for the federation and everyone else has done to build up the sport in the United States.
By whatever standard you want to pick -- television revenues, fan support, FIFA sponsors, stadiums, infrastructure and, yes, results on the field -- American soccer is a powerhouse that shouldn't have to worry that it will be excluded if it speaks out.
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No deal done to back Platini
T&T Express
FIFA presidential hopeful Michel Platini has not secured the formal backing of the CONCACAF region, the head of the influential Caribbean Football Union (CFU) said yesterday suggesting the claim was “just politics”.
CONCACAF has 35 votes in February's election to replace outgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter and while there have been some media reports that the governing body for North and Central America and the Caribbean has backed Platini, CFU president Gordon Derrick told Reuters that is not the case. “I know that no-one has spoken to us collectively, we haven't had a collective meeting, there is no way anybody can have (promised) anything,” said Derrick by telephone from Antigua.
The CFU has 25 of the 35 votes from CONCACAF and was a stronghold of support for Blatter.
Sources close to Platini suggested last week that the Frenchman had secured backing from four of the six confederations but Derrick was sceptical about how much real support had been declared at this stage. “I think it is just politics, people are trying to create an atmosphere. If they can create an atmosphere, a perception, sometimes perception becomes reality and you run with that,” he said.
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(Within Concacaf, the choices were to get what U.S. Soccer needed and keep quiet or face exclusion.
Flynn said U.S. Soccer needed to host events to grow the game, events like the Gold Cup, which has been held in the United States every year since its inception since 1991, and men's qualifying for the Olympics, which will again be held in the United States in October.
So allyuh see why the GC has been held in the US exclusively. All them CFU heads and them have been paid off by the US so that they can keep the GC for "eternity".
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(Within Concacaf, the choices were to get what U.S. Soccer needed and keep quiet or face exclusion.
Flynn said U.S. Soccer needed to host events to grow the game, events like the Gold Cup, which has been held in the United States every year since its inception since 1991, and men's qualifying for the Olympics, which will again be held in the United States in October.
So allyuh see why the GC has been held in the US exclusively. All them CFU heads and them have been paid off by the US so that they can keep the GC for "eternity".
lets face it though, would the gold cup work anywhere else? you see what happens with the concacaf champions league where stadiums near empty except in mexico and the united states. it is my opinion that the same would be true if it were held elsewhere in the region. at least in the united states there are huge migrant populations from each of these nations who would not have to travel very far to support their teams as oppose to traveling abroad.
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(Within Concacaf, the choices were to get what U.S. Soccer needed and keep quiet or face exclusion.
Flynn said U.S. Soccer needed to host events to grow the game, events like the Gold Cup, which has been held in the United States every year since its inception since 1991, and men's qualifying for the Olympics, which will again be held in the United States in October.
So allyuh see why the GC has been held in the US exclusively. All them CFU heads and them have been paid off by the US so that they can keep the GC for "eternity".
lets face it though, would the gold cup work anywhere else? you see what happens with the concacaf champions league where stadiums near empty except in mexico and the united states. it is my opinion that the same would be true if it were held elsewhere in the region. at least in the united states there are huge migrant populations from each of these nations who would not have to travel very far to support their teams as oppose to traveling abroad.
valid points..
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Valid points. But how you all know it would not be success in let's say Costa Rica. We don't know until it happens. We understand the realities of the financial benefits of playing in the US. All the associations get a big payout. That is great for the CFU members. But it comes with caveats. People complain about the tournament being setup for Mex - US final. Also the U.S. could ban people who may have a "criminal" record or just plain don't like them.
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The tournament has to make money. Plain and simple.
The Copa Centenario is going to be an interesting experiment. If it is a success, I guarantee it will be held every four years, as opposed to every 100 years. I think Concacaf and Conmenbol see this tournament as a future opportunity to generate dollars and rival the Euros. Even if the Copa Centenario becomes regular, at the end of the day, it will probably be held in America, or maybe Brazil.
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Cochrane Appointed New CFU General Secretary
By Neto Baptiste (Antigua Observer).
Antiguan businessman Neil Cochrane has been appointed General Secretary of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU).
Cochrane’s appointment was made public on Wednesday via a release from the CFU which said the Antiguan comes with a wealth of experience in management having spent the last 13 years at Kennedy’s Club Limited as marketing manage.
In his first interview in the new role, Cochrane said first on his agenda, is transforming the CFU into a more financially viable organisation.
“The majority of the funding for the Caribbean Football Union comes through CONCACAF and at the end of the day, the monies are not necessarily close to what the CFU requires to execute all of its programmes so therefore we have an obligation to do our endeavour best to increase and improve the revenue machinery of the Caribbean Football Union so that the member associations and can be supported stronger,” he said.
Dialogue, Cochrane said, will also be opened with the union’s members as they seek to improve both the level of communication and the quality of the sport at all levels.
“We have to understand and have dialogue with the associations to understand their strengths and their weaknesses and to see how we can improve and enhance their weaknesses and further develop their strengths so that when they have their leagues in St Lucia or in Guadeloupe or in Haiti that they are all of a particular standard,” he said.
“We have to make sure they are all tapping into as many resources as possible to fund the various programmes that they have so it is about getting to the member associations and really understanding their needs,” he added.
Cochrane replaces Anguillia’s Damien Hughes who had announced his intentions to leave the position since 2014.
Some operations related to the daily functioning of the CFU, Cochrane revealed, will be moved to Antigua.
“There will be some reduction in staff in Jamaica and the size in the current facility that we rent. And then there will be the establishment of an office here in Antigua with some support staff and in particular the media; the PR machinery will be placed in Antigua,” he said.
Cochrane has served in executive positions on several sporting organisations, primarily football, horse racing and volleyball.
He was also chairman of the then Carnival Development Committee tasked with producing the country’s annual carnival, and is a partner in the promotions company, DSC Promotions.
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CFU officially replaces Watson
By Kevin Morales (Cayman 27.com).
(http://www.cayman27.com.ky/files/2015/07/Canover-Watson-L-300x249.jpg)
The Caribbean Football Union (CFU) announced Tuesday (26 August) that it has formally replaced Caymanian Canover Watson on its Executive Committee.
The moves comes nearly one year after the former CFU Fourth Vice President and former FIFA Audit and Compliance Committee member was arrested on money laundering charges.
A press release sent from the CFU reads that the Caribbean’s football governing body recently ratified Puerto Rico’s Eric Labrador to fill Watson’s role. The move was made during a recent meeting of the Executive.
Watson was arrested in September 2014 and promptly suspended from his role at FIFA.
Also at the meeting, Curacao’s Rignaal Francisca was ratified as CFU Second Vice-President.
The CFU also announced Antigua and Barbuda’s Neil Cochrane was named General Secretary.
Cayman now has no representation on the CFU Executive.
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Good. Very good.
Caymanians crooked up to dey nosehole.
Sad news is the Antiguans are prone to be similar with the same Offshore Bank Mafia culture.
Good luck!
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Cayman Gov’t halts funding to local football association as police probe begins
Jamaica Observer
GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (CMC) – The Government here has suspended funding to the Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) after the organisation refused to accept the nomination of two new members to its executive committee.
Renard Moxam and Sharon Roulstone were told their nomination papers were not in order and CIFA re-elected Bruce Blake as its vice-president, in its recent elections.
Blake will continue as acting CIFA president since former president Jeffrey Webb, also the former CONCACAF president and FIFA vice president, is facing trial in the United States on a series of corruption related charges.
“In the light of all that has happened in the recent past with FIFA, CONCACAF and by extension CIFA, one would have thought we could have gotten past this to allow some possible changes,” Sports Minister Osbourne Bodden said in a statement.
“As a Government we have therefore decided that regrettably we cannot financially support CIFA any further under the current circumstances”.
Meantime, the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission has confirmed that a police investigation has been launched into CIFA.
The probe appears to be linked to corruption in the sport with the local media reporting that CIFA’s auditors had reported “suspicious transactions” to the authority.
“The Anti-Corruption Commission can confirm that a matter involving the Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) has been brought to the Commission’s attention,” a spokesman for the body has been quoted as saying.
“This matter is being reviewed and no further information will be released at this time”.
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US Court allows Webb to return to Georgia home
By Paul Nicholson (InsideWorldFootball).
(http://www.insideworldfootball.com/images/2015/09/Jeff_Webb23.jpg)
Former FIFA vice-president and CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb has had his bail conditions altered allowing him to return to his US home in Loganville, Georgia. Webb had been restricted to living within 20 miles of the Brooklyn, New York, courthouse where the case against him is being heard.
Webb is accused of soliciting bribes in exchange for marketing rights for Caribbean and CONCACAF tournaments.
The application made to the US federal court by Webb's legal team claimed that the costs of living in New York City were proving unaffordable.
"This financial burden is worsened by the fact that nearly the entirety of Mr. and Mrs. Webb's cash savings is maintained in bank accounts that are encumbered as a result of the indictment and forfeiture allegations in this case," the application stated.
US court records allege that part of the money Webb received in bribe payments was used to pay for a swimming pool at the Loganville address.
US District Court Judge Raymond Dearie ruled that Webb could live in his Georgia home, assuming he would be able make it to court in New York for the relevant dates and that his other release conditions of electronic monitoring, home detention, a 24-hour security detail and two additional sureties to the government were met.
Webb is currently on bail having posted $10 million in property and luxury goods.
At his most recent court hearing in August assistant US Attorney Evan Norris told the court that materials had begun to be turned over to Webb's legal team and that the case was proceeding. Norris told the judge that he's hopeful the talks will result in more defendants appearing in court to face racketeering and other charges.
It appears the change in bail conditions were not challenged by the US prosecutors which in turn suggests that Webb's co-operation is being viewed positively by the US authorities.
His hearing is currently scheduled for October 9.
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Webb heads to Georgia for cheaper house arrest
Cayman News
(https://caymannewsservice.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/The-Daily-Telegraph-captures-the-image-of-Webbs-Atlantis-home.jpg)
(CNS): A New York judge has granted permission for Cayman’s Jeffrey Webb to move his house arrest to his home in Atlanta, Georgia. The former FIFA vice president and CONCACAF president had applied for a change in his $10 million bail conditions so he could live at his house in Loganville, as he said he could not afford to live in the area close to the Brooklyn courthouse in New York where the FIFA corruption case, in which he has been indicted, is being heard.
Webb (50) is accused of taking millions of dollars in bribes regarding marketing and broadcasting rights for CONCACAF tournaments. Having agreed to extradition from Switzerland, where he was arrested and jailed in May, Webb was bailed when he arrived in New York after stumping up some $10 million in luxury goods, including high-end cars, Rolex watches and his wife’s diamonds.
With his assets frozen and no job, Webb was finding the cost of living and covering the cost of security for his house arrest increasingly difficult and asked to move to Georgia and to the home where, according to the indictment against him, some of the cash he is alleged to have gained via the alleged bribery was supposedly spent on a swimming pool.
In a letter to the court last month, Webb’s attorneys stated, “This financial burden is worsened by the fact that nearly the entirety of Mr and Mrs Webb’s cash savings is maintained in bank accounts that are encumbered as a result of the indictment and forfeiture allegations in this case.”
The judge hearing the case, Raymond Dearie, ruled that Webb could live in George as long as he made it to court in New York when required and he remained on home detention with an electronic tag and 24-hour security.
Webb is next due in court on 9 October. Next Monday US Attorney General Loretta Lynch and her Swiss counterpart, Michael Lauber, will be holding a press conference in Zürich to update the media on the ongoing FIFA probes.
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BVIFA To Host CONCACAF D License
Caribbean Football Union
The British Virgin Islands Football Association (BVIFA) will host a Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) “D” License Certification Course for Coaches from Thursday 17 to 20 September, 2015 at the BVIFA Head Office and at Capoons Bay.
The course will be conducted by CONCACAF’s Jonathon Martinez, Vin Blaine and Marcos Santillan and will cover a wide range of areas, including Principles of Coaching, Training by Age, Fundamentals of Planning a Training Session, Physical Training, Health and Security, the Development of Community Clubs, as well as other elements related to coaching Youth Football.
CONCACAF launched its first “D” License coaching course in 2013, serving to reinforce the governing body's vision and commitment to education, so that the standard of the game can be raised throughout the region.
The new licensing system designed and executed by CONCACAF’s Development Office and funded by the Confederation as part of its on-going commitment to the growth of the sport, will provide coaches from across the region with a valuable, internationally recognized license, as well as the tools to impart that knowledge at the local level.
Sixteen participants have been confirmed, with an additional four awaiting confirmation, for the four-day course. Certification is dependent upon passing an examination given at the end of the session.
The 16 participants are Thomas Albert; Glen Bascombe; Brendan Boult; Jevon Carty; Jeffrey Demming; Kevin Fisher; Gavin Foster; Lenroy Henry; Charlie Jackson; Gregory James; Rohan Lennon; Richie Morton; Wendoll Nichols; Anreco Ramsay; Vivian Roach; and Timon Robinson.
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Dominican Republic physical education teachers, from various regions across the country, are currently participating in a weeklong training course under the auspices of the Dominican federation and the National Institute of Physical Education. The course is being led by José David Turcios, a FIFA instructor and is focused on equipping teachers with the necessary methodology to grow the game in the school environment.
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Burrell not keen on top CONCACAF job
Jamaica Gleaner
Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president, Captain Horace Burrell, revealed that given the recent corruption investigations which rocked world football and threw the regional body into chaos following the arrest two former presidents, he is not keen to be head of CONCACAF.
Caymanians Jeffrey Webb and Alfredo Hawit have been arrested in football's ongoing scandal and another former CONCACAF president, Trinidad and Tobago's Austin 'Jack' Warner, has been implicated in the corruption probe, with a US extradition request sent to his Government.
The JFF boss, in the past, had declared his ambitions to assume the CONCACAF top job.
He was recently appointed to an interim CONCACAF body to govern the affairs of the region's football until a new president is elected at the confederation's next congress in Mexico City in May.
Give others a chance
However, Burrell now insists that to be president of two demanding associations would be time-consuming and challenging.
"Look at what people have been saying? So I won't hang around until I am thrown out," Burrell noted.
"Many people now want the post, so at times you have to step back and give others who have asked for the opportunity the chance to serve," he told The Gleaner.
"I have a business which I have built for many years, and it's time to start paying attention to that. After a while, you realise that you need time for family, business and other things," he added.
"I am not going to step back fully (from football administration), I will always be around. Right now, I am the JFF president and I am going back for another four years, as I have been nominated unopposed.
"That, in itself, is a lot of commitment and to give that commitment to the regional body is going to take up more of the time. So to hold both posts is a huge task.
"Right now, I am a vice-president of the organisation (CONCACAF), but to vie for the head would mean complete devotion, and with my federation, business and family, it would be very difficult," he explained.
CONCACAF'S interim committee comprises Justino Compean (Mexico), Sunil Gulati (USA), Pedro Chaluja (Panama), Luis Hernandez (Cuba), Victor Montagliani (Canada) and Sonia Bien-AimÈ (Turks & Caicos) and Burrell.
The Jamaican said the focus is to rebuild the organisation's reputation and get reforms.
"We have collectively decided to remain as one strong body, to operate as a unit until next May when the election is due. This was a unanimous decision and we have been pursuing a number of reforms to make the confederation emerge stronger.
"We feel it is the right thing to do and we are certain that in the months ahead, things will return to normal and the confederation will be much stronger and transparent," he commented.
"This is a voluntary position and times may come when others want an opportunity and they should be given the opportunity. But at this time, I am just concentrating on working with the group, getting the reforms in place and passed by congress, so that when we go forward, the problems that we have experienced recently, the reform process will prevent a lot of these from happening again," he stated.
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Burrellito, yuh soundin' like a man who might have something else on yuh mind.
Yuh sure iz family time yuh need?
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Hmmm???? The Gleaner describes Hawit as Caymanian ...
Intriguing.
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´I have no fear’ – Burrell not worried about prosecution in FIFA probe
Jamaica Gleaner
Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president, Captain Horace Burrell, said his hands are clean and does not fear being prosecuted in connection with the ongoing investigations into corruption at football’s world governing body FIFA and has vowed to oversee changes that will restore CONCACAF’s reputation.
Since May this year, two presidents – Jeffrey Webb and Alfredo Hawit – of CONCACAF, the confederation representing football bodies from the Caribbean and North and Central America, have been arrested as the United States Justice Department in conjunction with Swiss authorities investigate malfeasance amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.
Webb, who was arrested in May, and Hawit, jailed in early December, were among an estimated 30 football officials who were arrested between May and December this year. Webb has pleaded not guilty to corruption charges in US Federal Court. Arising from the arrests, Burrell, a close friend and business partner of Webb, was among several officials appointed to an executive committee at CONCACAF that will oversee the running of the confederation until elections are held in May 2016.
Asked if there were fears among the committee members about further arrests, Burrell said he was not fearful of being implicated of anything sinister.
“I can only speak for myself; I have absolutely no fear or concerns and I am sure my other colleagues would feel the same way, but you just can’t swear for anyone in this case, so we just have to hope,” he said.
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Ricketts surprised after losing JFF VP post
By Sanjay Myers, Jamaica Observer
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Michael Ricketts, the outgoing Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) third vice-president, says he was surprised after losing the post at a JFF Special Congress on Sunday.
It had promised to be a tight election run-off at the JFF headquarters in New Kingston, but some insiders had given Ricketts the nod due to his track record in the South Central Confed and his sheer popularity.
“It was a surprise, but that's what elections are about — surprises,” Ricketts told OBSERVER ONLINE.
“The process was fair and democratic, but the major disappointment was the deceit from my colleagues. A number of persons assured me that they would vote for me and obviously they didn't,” he added.
Ricketts, president of the Clarendon Football Association and chairman of the JFF competitions committee, won eight votes.
Bruce Gaynor and Raymond Anderson, the respective first and second vice-presidents during the previous administration, received 10 votes a-piece.
Garfield Sinclair, managing director of telecommunication firm Flow and treasurer of the JFF during the last term, got nine votes.
Captain Horace Burrell returned unopposed as JFF head after Orville Powell, the club president of Montego Bay United, failed in his nomination bid in November.
There was special interest in the vice-president race once it was announced that FIFA guidelines meant one of the spots had to be held by the local federation's head of finance. That left the trio of incumbents plus Sinclair to vie for three positions.
The election process allowed each association to vote for three of the four people running for vice-president. Ultimately, two parishes voted for only two candidates.
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Wha is the deal with next year Caribbean Nations Cup? Which country hosting the final round? seeing T&T didn't win the final of last tournament I am expecting us to have to qualify fuh this ting next year, so how d grouping look like?
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CONCACAF suing California company over alleged kickbacks.
(AP) - LOS ANGELES—CONCACAF is suing a California company for at least $50 million in an alleged kickback scheme involving two former executives of the soccer body.
The Confederation of North, Central America and the Caribbean Association Football filed a lawsuit in federal court in Los Angeles, USA on Monday. The lawsuit names Los Angeles area-based Cartan Tours, its owner, an executive and three related companies.
Messages left for an attorney and an executive at Cartan Tours were not immediately returned Wednesday.
The lawsuit alleges "a clandestine, kickback-based and parasitic relationship" between Cartan and two former CONCACAF executives, president Jeffrey Webb and general secretary Enrique Sanz. Webb and Sanz were not being sued.
Webb has pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges after his arrest with other FIFA officials in Switzerland in May. Webb also was a FIFA vice president and executive committee member.
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Wha is the deal with next year Caribbean Nations Cup? Which country hosting the final round? seeing T&T didn't win the final of last tournament I am expecting us to have to qualify fuh this ting next year, so how d grouping look like?
Breds, you jumping ahead ah time. You to fass for your self. Have a Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year. ;D ;D ;D. But seriously, yes we need to find when the Carib Nation Cup is. This might be the right tournament for the socalled fringe players to decide if they want to played for TT. The Iniss, the Bostock, Deleon,etc. is now or never.
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Rodrigues prepares challenge for CONCACAF presidency
By Paul Nicholson, InsideWorldFootball
(http://www.insideworldfootball.com/images/2016/01/Mark_Rodrigues.jpg)
Guyanese Mark Rodrigues is the first candidate to declare he will run for the presidency of the North and Central American and the Caribbean confederation in elections expected to take place May 12 in Mexico City.
Rodrigues, who has a strong history of administration, football development and coaching, has issued a manifesto in which he says he will usher in a new style of leadership at CONCACAF, "one that leads with honesty and integrity where playing football is at the heart of everything we do and stand for."
His entry into a leadership contest dramatically changes the presidential playing field in a confederation that historically has preferred to have its elections stage-managed.
The CONCACAF executive committee chose not to promote one of its vice-presidents to the role of interim president following the arrest of the serving interim vice president Alfredo Hawit in Zurich in December while attending FIFA meetings.
Without anyone fulfilling the presidential role, this left the executive committee and its consultants in charge of decision making, with the statement that they believe that it is in the best interests of the confederation to wait until new elections in May. This situation has been challenged by Caribbean members who strongly feel that it is a breach of the confederation's statutes.
The arrival of Rodrigues, backed by Guyana but who will need the support of three further member associations before he can officially stand, opens up the challenge for the presidency. It is believed that the North and Central American preferred candidate for the presidency is Canadian president Victor Montagliani, while from the Caribbean region, Caribbean Football Union president Gordon Derrick also has privately expressed ambition for the position in the past and is expected to step forward.
The Caribbean, if they vote as a block can be king makers in the region with their 31 votes out of a total of 41 in the confederation.
It is rumoured that there may also be another Caribbean candidate in the running, the popular Luis Hernandez of Cuba who is a member of CONCACAF's executive committee.
If three Caribbean candidates stand (and assuming the Caribbean does not follow through on talk of breaking away from CONCACAF and reforming itself as its own confederation within FIFA's jurisdiction), then the regional vote could be split which, ironically, will likely lead to the long term splitting of the Caribbean's power base and regional voice which the associations are keen to protect.
Rodrigues brings an alternative dimension to CONCACAF's presidential options. Having had a career in business where he handled over $110 million of real estates sales in Canada, as well as being president and COO of several multi-franchised fast food stores. He returned to focus on football, building the largest youth soccer club in Florida in five years.
In 2009 he started the Guyana Women's National Team programme, qualifying for the 2010 CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying Championships, returning in May last year to the women's set-up and has again qualified the team for the CONCACAF Olympic Championships in Texas, February 2016. He works this job pro bono.
Having worked across multiple CONCACAF member associations he has experienced first hand the challenges member associations face. This is reflected in his manifesto which proposes to get more of the confederation's money directly to its member associations. "50% of CONCACAF's revenues should be distributed directly to the Member Associations for Solidarity over 4 years - including the $100,000 that was initiated and stopped in 2014."
He also says the confederation needs to establish a sufficient reserve to cover operational needs of CONCACAF and that there needs to be a greater transparency of running costs and development funding. All of this he says must come with much greater auditing and compliance procedures.
Rodrigues also puts integrity at the heart of his proposal saying that "an independent governance and audit and compliance committee will be in charge of supervising the CONCACAF President and the entire CONCACAF organization to ensure good governance is implemented."
He also proposes the "creation of the CONCACAF Football Council whose role will be to advise the CONCACAF President and the CONCACAF Executive Committee on strategic football matters such as:
• Improving the Confederations way of governance
• Competition formats
• Calendar
• Strategies for football development
• Council will be composed of highly respected members of football and the football business community to ensure credibility
Not surprisingly given his history of football development and grassroots experience, he has a separate set of five proposals that he says are iron-clad:
1. Increase Participation of All Ages and Genders in Grassroots Football – via structured schools projects in conjunction with governments and targeting a 10% increase in registered boys and girls
2. Increase Expertise in Elite and Grassroots Football Development – through knowledge sharing programmes funded by CONCACAF
3. Establish a System Where the Cost of the Technical Director is Supported or Covered by CONCACAF
4. Expand Infrastructures and Distribution of Football Material
5. Developing Women's Football – he says the women's game must have it's own budget.
Rodrigues says he has worked at various levels within CONCACAF but has not participated at the top levels of the confederation's structures where it has been most exposed to the corruption that brought it to its knees earlier this year. He says this is a positive as he is "not beholden to anyone in any way. Therefore I can serve as CONCACAF President exclusively in the interest of football, while representing all 41 Member Associations and their future."
The challenge for Rodrigues will be to convince member association voters that he has the expertise and skills to lead the confederation into a new era. He will need to overcome some high profile opposition in CONCACAF football administrative circles to do that.
paul.nicholson@insideworldfootball.com
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As of yesterday, Alfredo Hawit is to be extradited by the Swiss to the US, within the next ten (10) days.
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Head of Webb's Cayman office claims unfair dismissal
By James Whittaker, Cayman Compass
The head of former CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb’s Cayman-based office was one of three people suspended from work by the regional soccer body in the aftermath of Webb’s arrest, according to allegations in a lawsuit.
Lerina Bright, who earned US$100,000 a year as “head of international affairs and the president’s office” is suing CONCACAF, claiming she was unfairly treated and effectively forced out of the job.
Ms. Bright, who ended her employment in November, claims the organization’s decision to place her on required leave cast unfair suspicion on her conduct and integrity. She is claiming the actions of CONCACAF amounted to unfair dismissal and damaged her reputation, and is seeking compensation.
A statement of claim, filed with the Grand Court on behalf of Ms. Bright, reveals for the first time the internal investigation that took place at CONCACAF’s offices at the George Town Financial Center, formerly the Admiral Financial Center, in George Town following Webb’s arrest. It suggests that three employees at the office were put on required leave within weeks of Webb’s arrest in Switzerland last May.
It states that Ms. Bright was informed on June 11 that CONCACAF was going through a “period of transition following much publicized recent events.” According to the statement, she was told in writing that her role was under review as part of a “rationalization of operations in the Cayman Islands” and she would be placed on required leave.
The suit alleges that Dr. Laila Mintas, who at the time was director of sports integrity for CONCACAF and based in Cayman, told staff that Ms. Bright was being criminally investigated.
It states that Dr. Mintas said in the presence of staff that “the plaintiff (Ms. Bright) and two other members of staff had been sent home because investigations were under way into their roles in the case relating to Jeffrey Webb and stated ‘as far as I am concerned all three of them are thieves’ or words to that effect.”
The statement of claim later alleges that Dr. Mintas told staff “they have been trafficking cash for Jeffrey.”
The court filing states that these comments amounted to slander and along with the decision to place Ms. Bright on administrative leave caused distress and embarrassment and damaged her reputation as a sports administrator. These issues, along with the “global exposure and disgrace” of CONCACAF following the arrest of some of its leading figures, including Webb, have impacted and will continue to impact her chances of gaining employment, the court document states.
Ms. Bright was refused permission to return to work at CONCACAF on Nov. 10, it adds.
“The plaintiff was wrongfully dismissed from her employment,” the suit states.
It claims she is owed nearly $40,000 in severance pay, lost earnings and pension contributions, as well as further damages for slander and breach of contract.
It adds, “The plaintiff has further suffered detriment in the labor market and damage to her future career prospects in the sports industry and claims damages as a result of the stigma resulting from her association with the unlawful conduct of the defendant.”
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Cayman bank lent $240,000 to company owned by disgraced former FIFA officials
Curacao Chronicle
GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands — Former Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) president, Jeffrey Webb, borrowed money from Fidelity Bank in the Cayman Islands on behalf of a sports firm he owned with Jack Warner, his predecessor at CONCACAF, with the help of Webb’s former business partner Canover Watson.
Brett Hill, Fidelity’s chief executive, gave evidence in Watson’s fraud trial that officials at the bank approved a loan in 2011 to JD International for US$240,000 at the request of Webb, who was working at the bank at the time, Cayman News Service reported.
That firm, which was owned by Webb, Warner and Costas Takkas, has also been embroiled in the ongoing FIFA corruption probes.
The jurors heard Monday that Webb had sent questions from the bank about the loan to Watson for help in answering them and securing the money, which the bank was led to believe would be invested in AIS Cayman Ltd, which had won a lucrative contract with the local hospital, but was really owned by Watson and Webb, fronted by two sham directors.
However, the crown maintains in its case against Watson and Webb that the money was never invested in AIS but was used instead to pay off another loan on a house that Webb owned in Atlanta, Georgia.
The loan was granted by the bank for three months and the cash went first into the AIS Cayman Ltd account at Fidelity, which was controlled by Webb, the only signatory on the account, and then on to his account with Wells Fargo in the US. Hill confirmed that the loan was paid in full after the three months.
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Canadian Soccer Association president Victor Montagliani assesses program after "very successful" 2015
MLSsoccer.com
The action never really stops in the global sport of soccer, and no one knows this better than the president of a national governing body.
So at the end of a busy and exciting year for Canadian soccer, we caught up with Canadian Soccer Association president Victor Montagliani for a one-on-one chat about the successes and disappointments of 2015, as well as what footie fans up north can expect in the year ahead.
MLSsoccer.com: In a general sense, how would you characterize the year that was for Canadian soccer?
Montagliani: From a results standpoint, we would have liked some better results at the club and country level. At the end of the day, you’re talking about the game as the sharp edge of the knife, and ultimately, I think you always want to win championships or get as far as you can in tournaments. From that perspective, there was some success.
Quarterfinals [at the Women’s World Cup] is not bad, although it wasn’t our goal. We missed an opportunity. Gold Cup, although I thought we looked tight, we looked prepared, but things didn’t bounce our way. And our clubs, although they had good regular seasons, didn’t perform the way they wanted to—or we wanted to—in the playoffs.
It’s more of a glass half full than half empty, because I think the entities I just spoke about have come a long way, in terms of how we manage and govern our own businesses. I think soccer is not only on the map in this country, but in the consciousness of Canadians, and I think the professional clubs and the CSA should take some credit for that, for managing the soccer properties the right way. So I think all in all, it’s been a very successful year.
MLSsoccer.com: One of the events you just mentioned was the Women’s World Cup, with the home team making it to the quarterfinals. But from an organizational perspective, how successful was Canada 2015?
Montagliani: A home run. The numbers speak for themselves. Attendance-wise, economic impact-wise, and then the last stat that came out was TV audience, when three quarters of a billion people tuned in, worldwide. Those are ridiculous numbers. So I think saying that it was anything short of a home run is probably understating it.
MLSsoccer.com: In terms of the Canadian women’s team itself, this was maybe a bit of a “last hurrah” for some of the veteran players…
Montagliani: Absolutely. Not to get into specifics with names, but I think it’d be a bit of a stretch to think that a handful of the players that our fans saw here in Canada this year, and probably will see in Rio next year, I would struggle to think that they’re going to be wearing a Canadian jersey in 2019 when we go to France for the World Cup.
You’ve seen a change. The player of the year for the women [20-year-old Kadeisha Buchanan], I think that was an obvious choice, but it’s also a symbolic choice, because that’s the beginning of what we’re going to see in the future. You’re going to see Kadeisha and Ashley Lawrence, Jessie Fleming and that whole new generation of players, as the candidates moving forward for player of the year. They’re going to be the core of the program, just like [Christine] Sinclair and [Melissa] Tancredi and all of them have been the core of the program for the last 15 years.
MLSsoccer.com: It’s kind of remarkable to see Kadeisha win the women’s award and then see Cyle Larin come second in voting for the men’s award in just his rookie season, a pair of 20-year-olds there. Do you see that as a sign that the pipeline is really turning into overdrive in terms of Canadian talent?
Montagliani: I think the pipeline is as full as it’s ever been. There’s still some things we need to do to make it better, especially at the early stages of development, that’s where we need to get better. I think we’re starting to fill in at the top end of things, with high-performance leagues and getting our players exposed. But you’re starting to see players come through, whether it’s Cyle Larin, Michael Petrasso, you’re starting to see players come through—and dynamic players, as well.
One of the issues that maybe we’ve had in the past is we haven’t developed dynamic players, but I think that’s starting to change. You’ve got young kids like Marco Bustos and Kianz Froese, they’re not cookie-cutter type players, they all have a unique talent. I like what I’m seeing in terms of what’s coming through.
MLSsoccer.com: This year, the talk has moved a little more public about the possibility of a new Canadian professional men’s league. What can you tell us about where that stands?
Montagliani: We want to give us the best opportunity for that to come to fruition, which is why we haven’t rushed to making any assumptions. We want to make sure we’ve dotted every “i” and crossed every “t” in terms of the best model moving forward for this country, from a feasibility standpoint, from a business model standpoint.
We’re continuing our due diligence in that. We’ve talked to the various ownership groups that would be interested—actually, more than just interested—so what we want to do is, I think, 2016 we’ll be in a position to go public with more details and even have more of a date going forward, in terms of when we would start.
But it’s something that I think is very important because it’s something that is needed in this country. I think relying on five teams to carry the load of player development in a country like ours is asking a lot of those guys. I think they do more than their fair share, quite frankly; we need to help out that equation in terms of finding more expressions of professional football in this country.
MLSsoccer.com: You spoke about those pro teams a bit earlier, and in 2015 we saw all three MLS teams make the playoffs, and the Ottawa Fury went to the NASL final. Do you feel that Canadian clubs having such success is, in and of itself, a good step forward for Canadian soccer?
Montagliani: Absolutely. I think the more successful they are, the more it raises the profile of the game. But I think ultimately this success, you could even double down on that success, in terms of the power it would have if that success is coupled with a significant contribution from Canadian players.
So, having success without Canadian players contributing significantly, it’s good. But if you add Canadian players contributing significantly to that success, you’re doubling down on that success.
MLSsoccer.com: So is it safe to say you’re a fan of Toronto FC signing Will Johnson?
Montagliani: I’m a fan of Will, to start with. He’s got to make the best decision for his family, first and foremost. But yeah, I’m a fan of that move because I think he’ll do very well there.
MLSsoccer.com: Looking at World Cup qualifying, the game in Vancouver last month against Honduras drew a crowd of over 20,000 people. For you, not just in the role you’re in with the CSA but also as a west coaster, it must have been gratifying to see a crowd like that, especially since it had been so long since Vancouver had hosted a men’s game. How was it for you to see that crowd, as well as the result?
Montagliani: I remember when we announced the game, I fielded a few questions about “well, do you think it’s a hard sell?” because we were ranked whatever we were ranked back then. I did bristle at that question a little bit. But I was really happy because the city that I grew up in and love responded exactly the way I thought it would respond.
And they actually upped the ante because we’re already past that number for [the March 25 qualifier against] Mexico, and I think we’ll probably be very close to a lower-bowl sellout [by the end of the year].
MLSsoccer.com: Some would say that a lot of those tickets sold are probably to Mexican fans. What are your expectations for that game?
Montagliani: Actually, to be honest, from what we can gather from the data of the sales, a significant portion—I’m talking 80 percent, from what we can track; obviously we don’t have control on resale—are Canadian fans, not Mexican fans. So, taking that number, if the lower-bowl sellout is 27,000, I would think 24,000 of that would be Canadian, from the data that’s coming through Ticketmaster.
Now, the question is, are we going to look into opening the upper bowl or not? We’re not sure yet. We’ll have to consider it, but the consideration is not just about giving access to an upper bowl to sell out, we’re also going to be considering the dynamics of what’s going to be in the upper bowl. There’s a lot of factors before we make the decision about the upper bowl.
MLSsoccer.com: It sounds to me that if thousands of Mexican fans wanted upper-bowl tickets, you’d rather keep the upper bowl closed. Is that what you’re getting at?
Montagliani: Yeah.
MLSsoccer.com: We had a chat in 2013 and you told me that expanding the Canadian Championship tournament in the years ahead was “a must”. Now you’ve got USL teams in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, you’ve got League 1 Ontario and PLSQ doing well—where do you see the Voyageurs Cup heading in the next few years? Do you see further expansion in 2016 or 2017?
Montagliani: I’m not sure about the USL teams, because they are reserve teams of the MLS teams. That’s a challenge in itself, because it’s the same club. So I’m not sure, from a governance standpoint, how that would work; I would actually be against it, because they’re moving players up and down all the time. I’m not saying we can’t do it, unequivocally, but I think there’s some challenges there.
In terms of the semi-pro option, absolutely. I would hope by 2017 we would have that option. I would even think by 2018 we’d chuck in an amateur option at the senior level, where they’d have an opportunity to play into it. And ultimately, if we expand our own professional league or have more teams playing in Canada, you have an opportunity of having a five- or six-team tournament turn into a 12-, 13-, 14-team tournament. It just makes it a lot more exciting and a lot more palatable in terms of quantity and, hopefully, quality for the fans.
MLSsoccer.com: What would you say Canada Soccer’s top priorities are for 2016?
Montagliani: If you’re looking outwards, there’s obviously qualifying for the Rio Olympics on the women’s side, doing well at the U-20 Women’s World Cup, and qualifying for the U-17 [Women’s World Cup] and doing well. Doing well is for our women to get to semifinal, and medal at the Olympics.
On the men’s side, well, you and me both know what that is: to get to the Hex. That would be the ultimate success.
Looking inwards, it’s an increase in terms of priority investment on the technical side of the game, domestically. We’re looking at more boots on the ground and streamlining in technical areas; we’re looking at the high-performance leagues. We’re not just letting our membership wallow; they’re trying to do their best, obviously, but I think there’s some guidance that’s necessary from the national body. To me, that’s the No. 1 priority domestically.
MLSsoccer.com: There has been some resistance to some of the changes that the CSA has been trying to make at the grassroots level. How successful has that push towards higher and more centralized technical standards been in 2015?
Montagliani: The truth is, we barely started. We started in some areas more than others, but I think we need to completely relook at our coaching education and investment in it, a relook in terms of making sure we’re involved in high-performance leagues, making sure we’re pushing down into that Under-12 area to ensure that the right environment is created for players—and de-mything a lot of the ignorance that’s out there sometimes in those areas.
I think where we’ve done a good job, and what I committed to—and you can’t do everything in three years—was to really clean up and refresh the national team program in terms of consistency of off-field quality. I think we’ve done a really good job, where youth teams and senior teams are playing all the time.
When you go behind the curtains, it’s a five-star program in terms of how we treat the players, what the players get. If you speak to the players, on or off the record, I’m pretty confident of the answer you’re going to get. We played on pretty much every FIFA date, which is something that wasn’t happening before. If you don’t play on every FIFA date, it’s hard to bring in young players and have a look at them.
Now the focus domestically is what I’ve talked about, and that needs to be pushed over the next two years, which is the end of the cycle of our strategic plan. We need to increase the speed of that, so that we can meet the marks we set for 2018.
MLSsoccer.com: Do you think that off-field treatment is connected to what we’ve seen with the men’s team in terms of players choosing Canada in 2015? I’m thinking of guys like Tesho Akindele and Junior Hoilett, and Lucas Cavallini, who was away for a few years but came back. Is that coincidental or is it the byproduct of work that’s been put in?
Montagliani: I don’t think it’s coincidental at all. The best form of advertising for a business is word of mouth. If you tell you, ‘Hey, they make an unbelievable pasta over there’, you’re going to go, right? Especially if I say it.
MLSsoccer.com: Well, if a guy named Montagliani tells me where to get good pasta…
Montagliani: But you know what? That’s what’s happened. You can’t worry about what people think; all you can worry about is what you do. So we worried about what we do, in terms of making sure we look after every detail, in terms of the program, right down to the way we transport our equipment. Now it’s done five-star, even little details like that.
The players feel it when they come in, and players talk. They chat. When they know, and when you sit down with a player—like the many times I’ve sat down with Junior over the last three years—it’s obvious to these guys that we run a good ship. Although sometimes you’re not getting the results on the field that you want, you have to be patient and confident during the process. I think we’ve done that, and hopefully the soccer gods smile on us and give us a few results, too.
MLSsoccer.com: That would help, of course. We’ve heard a few more names of guys kicking around who are thinking of suiting up for Canada on the men’s side. Do you think this trend will continue into 2016?
Montagliani: I’m confident we’re going to have at least two, maybe three more announcements in 2016.
MLSsoccer.com: In time for the Mexico games?
Montagliani: Hopefully, yes.
MLSsoccer.com: Are you willing to give any hints?
Montagliani: …No.
MLSsoccer.com: How about first letter of a first name?
Montagliani: Well, you can speculate. I’ll put it that way.
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Webb’s CONCACAF salary was stopped after arrest
Cayman News Service
(CNS): Former CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb is no longer receiving any cash from either FIFA or the regional association, CONCACAF has confirmed. Although a number of other football officials caught up in the massive FIFA corruption probe are still being paid, Webb, who has pleaded guilty to corruption charges connected to kickbacks and bribes from sports marketing companies, saw his salary and contract terminated immediately after his arrest in May.
According to international press reports, banned UEFA president Michel Platini is still being paid “until further notice” and banned FIFA president Sepp Blatter is also still receiving his salary until FIFA elects a new leader next month. But after Webb was arrested in Zürich in May, his contract was terminated and he is no longer getting his lucrative salary.
Webb was also terminated from the Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) following revelations of his conviction after the admitted his role in the bribery and corruption scandal. Webb remains under house arrest in Atlanta on a $10 million bond raised with the help of luxury cars, jewellery and property. He is expected to be sentenced in June.
Webb is still wanted in the Cayman Islands to face charges relating to corruption offences here over the hospital CarePay contract.
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Derrick to run in CONCACAF presidency race
By Neto Baptiste, Antigua Observer
(http://antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Gordon-BANKS-Derrick.jpg)
Caribbean Football Union (CFU) President Gordon “Banks” Derrick (right) chats with CONCACAF Acting General Secretary Ted Howard during the recent CFU General Meeting in Antigua.
Gordon “Banks” Derrick, General Secretary of the Antigua & Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) and President of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), has confirmed he will contest the CONCACAF presidency race when it comes up in May.
The CONCACAF Ordinary Congress is slated for May 12 in Mexico City.
“At our congress over the weekend a lot of the delegates had mentioned to me that they think I should run and I indicated that I will take up the challenge, but we will make a public announcement of it in short order,” he said.
Derrick, however, stopped short of detailing any planned campaign strategies, stating that following acceptance of the organisation’s revised constitution in February, his team will set the wheels in motion.
“In February (there is an) extraordinary congress just before the FIFA one, which would ratify and approve the constitution of CONCACAF, probably. Once that happens then everything is in place, because they have made some changes with regards to the management of CONCACAF, so it would be called CONCACAF Council, and there are lots of different things that go along with that,” he said.
Partial article due to Antigua Observer subscription policy. (http://antiguaobserver.com/derrick-to-run-in-concacaf-presidency-race/)
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CONCACAF Committee Shares Statutes Reform
Bernews
The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football’s [CONCACAF] Executive Committee submitted for consideration of its Member Associations a package of reforms and amendments to the Confederation’s statutes.
CONCACAF is the governing body of football for the Caribbean and Central American region, covering a number of nations and islands including Bermuda, and Bermuda Football President Larry Mussenden is currently running for CONCACAF President.
“The amendments to CONCACAF’s statutes will be discussed in advance of CONCACAF’s XXI Extraordinary Congress, and voted on by Member Associations in Zurich, Switzerland, on February 25, 2016,” the group said.
“The statutory changes under consideration were developed by CONCACAF’s Statutes Reform Committee to incorporate recommendations made by the FIFA Reform Committee and commitments made in the CONCACAF Reform Framework.
“The CONCACAF Reform Framework was unanimously approved by CONCACAF’s Executive Committee on July 4, 2015, and put in place to guide the Confederation’s reform process to separate politics from the business and administration of the game, and align the Confederation’s governance and business operations with corporate best practices.
CONCACAF said the specific reforms include:
Governance: The establishment of the CONCACAF Council to replace the current Executive Committee. The CONCACAF Council will consist of up to fifteen members with representation from each of CONCACAF’s three geographic Unions, including a proposal to require three members to be independent.
Independent Committees: The creation of a Compensation Committee, Governance Committee, Audit and Compliance Committee, and Finance Committee. The Compensation and Audit and Compliance Committees are to be comprised entirely of independent members. The Governance and Finance Committees are to be chaired by and comprised of a number of independent members.
Ethics: A requirement for all candidates for the CONCACAF Council, CONCACAF President, standing committee members, members of judicial bodies, and senior Confederation officials to undergo eligibility checks to be conducted by an independent Ethics Committee.
Term Limits: The introduction of term limits of twelve years [consecutive or non-consecutive] for CONCACAF Council members and members of independent committees.
Transparency: The Congress is given authority to review and approve on an annual basis, upon the recommendation of the independent Compensation Committee, the remuneration and other compensation of CONCACAF Council members, CONCACAF representatives before FIFA, the chairpersons of the Audit and Compliance Committee, Finance Committee, Compensation Committee and the Governance Committee, and senior officials including the General Secretary, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer.
Accountability: The right of CONCACAF to audit any Member Association or Union receiving CONCACAF funds for a specific purpose to ensure that such funds are being used for said purpose.
Reforms to CONCACAF’s statutes are intended to bolster the operational changes that have been implemented since July 2015, including:
The implementation of a “pre-approved” vendor system for all contracts with CONCACAF, including credit and background checks for all vendors.
The enactment of a new process to for negotiating and approving all vendor contracts, including sports marketing and sponsor contracts, and new requirements that all contracts pass a conflict-of-interest check, which ensures that no vendor has personal ties to a CONCACAF employee.
The adoption of new protocols so that no single employee of CONCACAF has final say over approving vendors or awarding contracts. All contracts are now required to go through CONCACAF’s operations, legal, and finance departments before approval.
The implementation of standard policies to manage and control cash inflows and outflows to ensure proper controls and transparency.
The introduction of a Partner Code of Conduct to govern partner relations in accordance with the highest standards of ethical conduct, social and environmental responsibility, and compliance with applicable laws.
The introduction of a comprehensive RFP process and hiring of independent consultants to oversee the bidding for the Confederation’s commercial rights, audit counterparties for bribery and fraud, and review internal controls.
The amendments that were shared with CONCACAF Member Associations follow below [PDF here] (http://cloudfront.bernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Executive-Summary-of-Proposed-Statute-Revisions_1-25-16.pdf).
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CONCACAF faces reform as Blake faces questions
Cayman News Service
(https://caymannewsservice.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Bruce-Blake.jpg)
The executive committee of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) has submitted a package of reforms and amendments to its members ahead of the extraordinary congress next month, when they will vote on the new clean-up package. Meanwhile, Bruce Blake, the president of the Cayman Islands Football Association, is facing criticisms over the failure to reform CIFA as it continues to reel from the FIFA scandal and the significant involvement of former CIFA president Jeff Webb in the corruption.
Question marks remain over Blake’s leadership following last year’s controversies surrounding the nomination process at the annual elections (https://caymannewsservice.com/2015/08/challengers-call-foul-on-cifa/) as well as questions raised by auditors (https://caymannewsservice.com/2015/08/cifa-audit-stalled-over-suspicions-transactions/) about CIFA’s books. Blake is also in the firing line over the latest revelations about how cash from FIFA for a new pitch was handled.
During the current trial of Canover Watson evidence has emerged that CIFA funds were embroiled in the alleged hospital corruption case and may have been used by the disgraced former CONCACAF and CIFA president, Jeffrey Webb, to fund his home in Atlanta, where he currently remains under house arrest. Blake, who claims to know nothing about this revelation, recently told the local press he would be working with FIFA to determine the credibility of the claims.
The jury heard that a $250,000 payment was made from CIFA to Black Holdings, a company owned by Peter Campbell, another local football official, which had secured the contract to build the new football pitch funded by FIFA. The cash was then paid into an AIS Cayman Ltd Fidelity bank account controlled by Webb. Watson said that money then went to an account in the US, which his friend and business partner used to buy the Atlanta mansion.
Because of the mounting issues surrounding CIFA, Sports Minister Osbourne Bodden has again called for a thorough independent investigation into the sport association’s dealings over the last fifteen years and for the entire current executive to step down and start with a clean slate of new officials. Last year Bodden pulled the government funding from the association until its house was in order.
Against the backdrop of controversies at home, with more FIFA-related controversies expected on the world stage, Blake will be joining the remaining officials from CONCACAF that are still in post at its congress next month. They will vote on the reforms, which are based on recommendations made by the FIFA reform committee and the CONCACAF reform framework, approved by what was left of the executive committee last summer.
CONCACAF officials said the aim was to separate politics from the business and administration of the game and align the Confederation’s governance and business operations with corporate best practices.
Among the reforms will be the establishment of a council to replace the current executive committee, which will consist of up to fifteen members from each of CONCACAF’s three geographic unions, with a possible requirement for three members to be independent. All candidates for the council, the president, members of committees, judicial bodies and all senior officials will have to undergo eligibility checks to be conducted by an independent ethics committee and there will be a 12-year term limit for members.
Under the proposed reforms there will be reviews of compensation paid to officials and the right to audit any member association receiving cash from CONCACAF. A “pre-approved” vendor system will be implemented for all contracts with CONCACAF, with credit and background checks for all vendors, as well as a new process for negotiating and approving contracts, including those for sponsorship or marketing. Conflict-of-interest checks are expected to improve transparency and accountability.
The adoption of new protocols will ensure that no single employee of CONCACAF has final say contracts. Other new measures proposed include the implementation of standard policies to manage and control cash inflows and outflows, and a Partner Code of Conduct to govern. There will also be a comprehensive request for proposals process and independent consultants to oversee the bidding for commercial rights.
CONCACAF said reforms to the statutes are intended to bolster the operational changes that have already been implemented.
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FIFA, CONCACAF organise successful club licensing seminar in Panama
FIFA.com
(http://img.fifa.com/mm/photo/footballdevelopment/leagues&clubs/02/75/73/84/2757384_full-lnd.jpg)
Karina Le Blanc makes a statement at the club licensing seminar in Panama.
On 27 and 28 January 2016, FIFA and CONCACAF joined forces to organise a club licensing seminar in Panama for all Member Associations in the CONCACAF region.
The seminar followed the CONCACAF club licensing launch in early 2015, and continues the efforts by the world governing body, the confederation and the national associations to globalise club licensing and establish systems in each corner of the world.
The two-day seminar involved two representatives from each Member Association, including general secretaries, league CEOs and dedicated club licensing managers. Several well-known guests were invited to participate in the seminar, including Karina LeBlanc (recently retired professional footballer with Chicago Red Stars and the Canadian women's national team), Enrique Bonilla (Executive President of Liga MX) and Juan Carlos Rojas Callan (President of Deportivo Saprissa in Costa Rica), in an effort by FIFA to promote stakeholder inclusiveness and lift the level of overall governance.
This move is in line with the decision by the FIFA Executive Committee to approve a set of proposals by the 2016 FIFA Reform Committee that will be put before the Congress in its extraordinary session on 26 February. In particular, a key point is to promote “Greater transparency and inclusion through broader stakeholder representation: creation of a dedicated Football Stakeholders Committee to include members representing key stakeholders in the game, such as players, clubs and leagues.” In order to compliment and administer the Football Stakeholders Committee, the FIFA Executive Committee also decided to establish a Professional Football Department.
“Professional football starts at the desk,” Bonilla said during the two-day event. “Many in football focus on great coaches, referees and players. You also need great professionals who make the difference every day in organising the leagues. This point needs to be understood by all clubs who are seeking to develop and club licensing is the tool that can nurture this development."
The seminar, which included presentations by FIFA, CONCACAF, Member Associations and key football stakeholders, aimed at clarifying the outlines of the club football structure at national level and presenting a way forward towards greater professionalism in the entire CONCACAF region by using club licensing as a development tool, regardless of the participating country’s size and current development status.
It also extended the consultation process currently being carried out by FIFA with the confederations on reviewing the FIFA Club Licensing Regulations in order to create a club licensing system that is global in nature. The system respects different club football structures that exist in each region, is realistic and flexible enough to be adapted region to region and includes, as well as promotes, women's football. Karina LeBlanc shared this view to the participants, saying “For us athletes, professionalising football is in details – if you want us to be professional athletes, you have to treat us as professionals. Secure and fair employment conditions, proper travel arrangements, and the little things, like ensuring even laundry is done. And for us women athletes, promoting women's football through club licensing means so much more: it’s about giving young girls, 12 or 13 years old, a brighter perspective. Getting them to believe in themselves, that they can become an athlete, an Olympian, and even more – a doctor, a businesswoman, anything they’d like. By including women's football in club licensing, FIFA and CONCACAF are moving in the right direction."
Juan Carlos Rojas weighed in on the benefits of including the club’s perspective in club licensing and, more generally, decision making processes: “The clubs can help governing bodies arrive at better decisions if our views are considered when taking decisions. If we do things right as clubs we can have a huge impact on our community. But we also thought at Saprissa that if we aspired to excellence we could be a really good business too. For instance we have a project in the club that we call “stadium experience”; we want people coming to our stadium to get a wonderful experience, so much so that they want to come back. Security, infrastructure or pricing are all crucial aspects. Understand that people can find other things to do than going to the stadium, so we need to invest in bringing them to us.”
UEFA and the AFC have established successful club licensing systems in Europe and Asia, while over the past 12 months FIFA has prioritised and dedicated its attention to growing club licensing in CONCACAF, CAF, and OFC in order to develop club football on and off the pitch in each region. Club licensing is evolving rapidly in these regions. CONMEBOL is also scheduled to adopt a club licensing system before the end of 2016.
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Cayman CONCACAF offices shuttered
By Brent Fuller, Cayman Compass.
(https://www.caymancompass.com/core/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/CONCACAF-office-WEB.jpg)
The Cayman Islands CONCACAF president’s offices in George Town closed down on Feb. 1, the Cayman Compass learned this week.
Furniture was being moved out, and the remaining staffer said Monday that she was trying to arrange the sale of some of it.
Operations at the office, on the second and third floors of the George Town Financial Centre (formerly the Admiral Financial Centre), had been slowly scaled back since the May 2015 arrest of then-CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb in connection with the FIFA racketeering and bribery investigation in the U.S. It is believed that CONCACAF has a lease agreement at the building through December 2017.
CONCACAF representatives in Miami were contacted Monday for comment. They confirmed that the former president’s office had been closed, but said a “small presence” would be maintained in Cayman.
“CONCACAF’s operations in the Cayman Islands have been restructured as a result of the closure of the former President’s office,” read the statement from CONCACAF Deputy General Secretary Jurgen Mainka. “However, the confederation still maintains a small presence focusing on specific pan-regional functions, such as broadcasting, tournament execution, member services, and press operations.”
CONCACAF, FIFA’s regional governing body for the Caribbean, North and Central America, has seen its last three presidents – Webb, Jack Warner of Trinidad and Alfredo Hawit of Honduras – arrested and charged in connection with the FIFA probe. Webb pleaded guilty in November to seven counts in the U.S. indictment, including racketeering, money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy. Hawit was extradited to the U.S. and was recently released on bond. Warner is fighting extradition from Trinidad.
The agency said late last year, following Hawit’s Dec. 3 arrest in Switzerland, that it would leave the president’s post vacant for the time being and await new internal elections in May 2016 prior to selecting anyone to run the agency.
Following dozens of arrests and criminal charges in the probe of world football’s governing organization, CONCACAF appears to have lost significant funding from FIFA, which announced in early February it put funding for two of its confederations in the Americas – CONCACAF and CONMEBOL – on hold “until further notice.”
CONMEBOL President Juan Angel Napout was also arrested with Hawit in Switzerland on Dec. 3. In addition, CONMEBOL’s past two presidents were also charged in the U.S. investigation of FIFA.
Reuters news service reported at the time that CONCACAF sources indicated the agency had not received US$10 million in FIFA payments, some of which was related to FIFA’s financial assistance program.
Some funds from the global financial assistance program are received by Caribbean national football organizations, including the Cayman Islands. It was not known whether the Cayman Islands Football Association would be directly affected by the funding cut.
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Lawyers warn of serious risks if CONCACAF reforms fail
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/20160215/sports/lawyers-warn-of-serious-risks-if-concacaf-reforms-fail
CONCACAF, the corruption-plagued soccer organisation for North and Central America and the Caribbean, could face dramatic consequences, including being disbanded, if it fails to reform, the organisation's lawyers have told its members.
Miami-based CONCACAF, one of the six confederations within FIFA, has been at the centre of the FIFA scandal which has seen 41 individual and entities indicted by the US Department of Justice. The last three presidents of CONCACAF are among those who have been indicted along with former general secretary, American Chuck Blazer. The charges include bribery, money laundering, racketeering and conspiracy.
Trinidadian Jack Warner, who was president of CONCACAF for 21 years until 2011, has been charged by the Department of Justice and is currently fighting extradition to the USA. Representatives of CONCACAF's 41-member associations were given a briefing by the body's lawyers in Miami on Friday where they were urged to back a comprehensive reform package which will be voted on later this month.
The lawyers warned of difficulties with broadcast partners, sponsors and banks, FIFA itself and the risk of government action if change is not enacted. CONCACAF is currently viewed as a victim by the Department of Justice and is conducting an internal investigation in coordination with the department. But the legal presentation, a copy of which has been seen by Reuters, warned the members that they risked losing that status if they did not enact changes.
“Without reform CONCACAF risks — criminal convictions or deferred/non prosecution agreement; disbanding CONCACAF as an organisation, freezing of accounts and/or forfeiture of CONCACAF assets; US government imposing a Monitor to closely regulate CONCACAF compliance with anti-corruption laws for up to five years or more,” read the presentation.
The members were also reminded that they risked losing access to forfeited funds, potentially in the millions, if CONCACAF does not retain its status as 'victim'. Among the cases involving CONCACAF officials are a series of broadcasting and sports marketing deals that included kickbacks and bribes.
Since the arrest of Warner's replacement as CONCACAF president, Jeffrey Webb, on May 27, the organisation has terminated all media rights agreements with Traffic Sports and Datisa, two of the companies that feature in the indictments. CONCACAF has also ended 18 “bogus vendor relationships”, the lawyers said.
A series of changes to the organisation's statutes, including term limits and the introduction of independent members of oversight committees, will be put to the vote.
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CONCACAF drops kickback lawsuit: Settles out of court with travel firm
By James Whittaker, Cayman Compass.
Regional soccer governing body CONCACAF has dropped its lawsuit against California travel company Cartan Tours, which it accused of paying kickbacks to its former president Jeffrey Webb to secure a lucrative business arrangement.
The lawsuit has been settled out of court without any money changing hands, both parties confirmed this week.
The agreement ends the business relationship between CONCACAF and Cartan, which had an exclusive contract to provide travel, accommodation and event planning for the organization’s many tournaments, events and meetings.
CONCACAF had alleged in the original suit that this contract was the result of a corrupt agreement between Webb, his general secretary Enrique Sanz and the Los Angeles based travel firm.
It said the “clandestine, kickback-based and parasitic relationship” had left the organization saddled with a one-sided contract that allowed Cartan to use the soccer confederation as a “cash cow.”
Cartan denied any wrongdoing, saying the allegations were irresponsible and unfounded and were designed to put pressure on the company to renegotiate the terms of its exclusive contract.
A spokeswoman for the firm said in December it would be asserting its own claim for damages against CONCACAF.
However, the two parties have now agreed to settle their differences out of court, in an agreement that CONCACAF says ends the business relationship.
CONCACAF declined to release details of the settlement Tuesday but said, in a statement, that it would save millions of dollars as a result.
“CONCACAF is very pleased to have resolved all issues concerning the complaint filed against Cartan Tours, Inc. and other associated defendants on Dec. 22, 2015.
“The settlement will save CONCACAF millions of dollars and allow the Confederation to continue to move forward from the misconduct of past management to focus on football and governance reforms.”
In its own statement, Cartan said both parties had agreed to “release the claims they asserted against each other in pending proceedings.”
The spokeswoman for the company said, “Neither side made any payment to the other in connection with the settlement.”
In the original lawsuit filed against Cartan and its affiliates, CONCACAF alleged that kickbacks were paid to Webb in the form of a “fictitious gift” to the Cayman Islands Football Association’s Center of Excellence.
CIFA received matching $600,000 loans from Cartan and another company Forward Sports, signed by its then general secretary Bruce Blake, ostensibly for work on the Prospect field.
In the case of Cartan, the lawsuit alleged this was not a gift, but payback to Webb for helping orchestrate an “outrageously lucrative agreement” for the company with CONCACAF.
“Cartan never provided any material amount of services to CIFA, nor did Cartan widely publicize its fictitious charitable gift – which is what typically would be expected of a corporate sponsor,” the lawsuit alleged. “That is because it was not a gift at all, but yet another form of graft and illicit dealing between [the lawsuit defendants] and Webb.”
Mr. Blake, now acting president of CIFA, has acknowledged he signed the loan agreements, but had no part in the negotiations over the loans.
He said he believed they were to be loans to CIFA to assist with paying down on its loan with Fidelity Bank.
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CFU chief Gordon Derrick steps up to challenge for CONCACAF presidency
By Paul Nicholson, Inside World Football.
A fourth candidate has announced that he will run for the vacant presidency of the regional governing body for the north and central Americas and Caribbean, CONCACAF. Gordon Derrick, president of the Caribbean Football Union since 2012, has thrown his hat into the ring.
Derrick's entry, if not unexpected, brings a different complexion to the election, coming from the heart of Caribbean football, traditionally the power brokers in the region with their 31 member votes out of a total of 41 votes in the confederation.
He will be up against Canadian FA president Victor Montagliani, and two other contenders from the Caribbean; Bermudan FA president Larry Mussenden (currently on duty in Zurich hearing the appeals of Michel Platini and Sepp Blatter) and businessman and Guyana U20s Women's coach Mark Rodriguez.
Derrick came to prominence in the CFU taking over from Jack Warner following the cash for votes scandal in the Caribbean when Warner supported Mohammed Bin Hammam for the FIFA presidency.
In a letter to national federations Derrick acknowledges the troubled position CONCACAF finds itself in. "CONCACAF is scandal-tarnished," he says. "The reputational damage threatens the commercial viability of football, undermines confidence in administrators, unfairly impacts players and officials and has turned off supporters."
But he says this is a situation he has been through before as an administrator and that he knows how to come out the other side: "I came to office amid the first wave of scandal in football, which unfolded at the level of the CFU. The Caribbean, in this regard, was ahead of the curve, instituting complete reforms four years ago. I know firsthand that effecting change is no easy feat."
Derrick has been a member of the CONCACAF Statutes Reform Committee and a key player in the final draft reforms that will go before the confederation's extraordinary general meeting in Zurich on February 25, ahead of the Extraordinary FIFA Congress the following day. CONCACAF will vote for a new president in May at their annual Congress in Mexico City.
Reflecting a background that saw him represent Antigua and Barbuda as a player, Derrick's proposals for the confederation have a strong emphasis on developing playing opportunities across the region under his campaign banner 'A time to build up'.
Included in a list of 11 commitments are promises to: "Develop Women's football at the institutional and sporting levels; to develop and support Grassroots initiatives with laser-like focus on female and youth programmes; and Infrastructural development across the countries."
He also signals a shift in the way regional funding is allocated "to design equitable development programs based on need".
Perhaps the most basic commitment he makes is the one that this region probably needs to demonstrate it respects more than any other: "Fidelity to the CONCACAF Constitution".
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Mexico is said to be considering a bid for the 2026 WC.
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Mexico is said to be considering a bid for the 2026 WC.
Welcome news ...... but ....
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Mexico is said to be considering a bid for the 2026 WC.
Welcome news ...... but ....
Long time from now?
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Loans, gifts and graft: CIFA and CONCACAF’s Panama connections
By Michael Klein, Cayman Compass
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A Panamanian company set up by Canover Watson that was allegedly used to receive a $1.1 million bribe payment from Traffic Sports to Jeffrey Webb is the same entity that had a controversial $600,000 loan agreement with the Cayman Islands Football Association, documents reveal.
Forward Sports International Management Inc. granted a $600,000 unsecured loan to CIFA, according to the loan agreement dated Dec. 31, 2013.
The agreement, which was signed by Bruce Blake on behalf of CIFA and nominee company secretary Irina Abrego de Espinosa on behalf of Forward Sports International, included a seven-year repayment plan at an interest rate of 1 percent above U.S. prime, or 4.25 percent.
In 2015 the loan was controversially re-designated by the Cayman Islands Football Association as a “gift” from Forward Sports. As a result, CIFA’s audit firm Rankin Berkower refused to sign off on the football association’s financial accounts and reported the case to police.
Pakistan-based Forward Sports is one of the largest manufacturers of footballs in the world and maker of the Brazuca, the football used in the 2014 World Cup Finals.
Shakeel Khawaja, who at the time was a global sales manager for Forward Sports (pvt) Ltd., Sialkot, Pakistan, told The Cayman Islands Journal that Watson had helped set up a company in Panama under the Forward name with the objective of using the entity as a distribution company for Forward Sports products in Central America and the Caribbean.
However, Khawaja says he was not aware until late 2014 that in addition to Forward Sports Inc., Watson had created a related entity, Forward Sports International Management. Khawaja claims he never made a payment to CIFA and was not aware of such a payment. He also says he never had signature authority over the company’s bank accounts.
Emails from Watson to Asiaciti Trust, the corporate service provider that set up the companies, show that Watson instructed the Panamanian nominee directors of the entities and received their invoices. Watson is also named on Asiaciti’s internal company application form for Forward Sports as the main contact person, but his name does not appear as a director or shareholder.
Instead, stock certificates show the shareholders of Forward Sports Inc. are Shakeel Khawaja (51 percent) and Green Day Foundation (49 percent), an entity that Khwaja says he was unaware of until he requested the company’s constituting documents from Watson in November 2014.
An organizational structure generated by service provider Asiaciti shows Green Day Foundation was created using two Asiaciti entities, Latam Foundation Services Inc. and Latam Council Services, respectively, as founder and foundation council, presumably in an effort to preserve the anonymity of the owner or owners.
However, Watson informed Khawaja in a phone conversation in August 2015 that he [Watson] is the owner of Green Day, Khawaja claims. He says, until then Watson had acted as if he was representing the interests of other investors.
Traffic Sports alleged bribe for Jeffrey Webb
Panama-based company Forward Sports appears also to be implicated in the indictment of former CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb, as the entity that received a $1.1 million bribe payment for Webb from Traffic Sports.
The superseding indictment of Webb alleges he instructed former CONCACAF General Secretary Enrique Sanz to solicit a bribe from Traffic Sports for the award of a $15.5 million contract for the exclusive worldwide commercial rights for the 2013 edition of the Gold Cup and the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons of the CONCACAF Champions League.
When Webb and Sanz discussed the best ways to effectuate the bribe payment, the indictment alleges, Webb decided to use an overseas company that manufactured soccer uniforms and soccer balls. It noted a close associate of Webb, co-conspirator #24, had a connection to “Soccer Uniform Company A.”
“Webb eventually instructed [Sanz] to submit a false invoice to Traffic USA for $1.1 million to be paid to Soccer Uniform Company A, which [Sanz] did,” the indictment alleges.
“On or about December 4, 2013, the $1.1 million bribe payment for Jeffrey Webb was made by wire transfer from Traffic International’s account at Delta National Bank & Trust in Miami, to a Wells Fargo correspondent account in New York, New York, for credit to an account in the name of Soccer Uniform Company A at Capital Bank in Panama City, Panama.”
Forward Sports (Panama), which was created on the instruction of Watson, had an account with Capital Bank, according to an organizational structure diagram generated by Asiaciti.
Co-conspirator #24 is described in the indictment as a high-ranking official of one of FIFA’s national member associations, an official of FIFA and CFU, and a businessman. Watson was the treasurer of the Cayman Islands Football Association at the time Forward Sports in Panama loaned $600,000 to CIFA. He was also a vice president of the Caribbean Football Union and a member of FIFA’s Audit and Compliance Committee.
Football connections
Khawaja says he met Watson and Blake, the CIFA vice president at the time, in May 2012 after the FIFA Congress in Budapest. Both Watson and Blake “showed great interest” in purchasing footballs, shirts and other sporting goods from Forward Sports for the grassroots programs of CIFA and the Caribbean Football Union.
At a presentation later that year in London set up to inspect samples of the customized products, Watson and Blake wanted to arrange free deliveries in the form of sponsorship agreements with CIFA and CFU, Khawaja claims.
When he informed them that the company’s finances would not allow for that, Khawaja says, Watson promised orders of $750,000 per year from CFU and Blake promised $150,000 in purchases of goods per year from CIFA for the period of the sponsorship agreement.
“These promises were not kept,” Khawaja says.
Instead of the $2.7 million the company budgeted for over the three years, it made only $800,000. According to unaudited accounts for Forward Sports Inc., which was renamed Gol Sports Management in July 2014, the company did pay more than $150,000 in cash sponsorships and more than $200,000 in equipment sponsorships between July 2013 and October 2014 to various football associations across the Caribbean, including Cayman.
For instance, Forward Sports entered into a $100,000 cash sponsorship with the Central American Football Association (UNCAF) on the recommendation of Watson, the company’s former sales manager says. This sponsorship agreement further included the supply of sportswear and sporting equipment for a retail value of $120,000 per year.
According to Khawaja, Blake and Watson put Forward Sports in contact with a local company to sell football shirts of the Cayman Islands National Team, footballs and other fan merchandise on island to generate extra revenue, and Watson later became involved in setting up companies under the name Forward Sports.
He says, “In October 2012, Mr. Watson suggested to establish a distribution company in Cayman under the name Forward Sports to distribute CIFA and CFU replica products to Cayman and the entire Caribbean region. Because we did not have the financial means for the startup, I asked Mr. Watson if he could find an investor who would be a partner and 49 percent shareholder, as well as managing director for the company.”
Watson promised he would take care of it, and during Khawaja’s next visit to Cayman in 2012, he was presented with photocopies of the memorandum and articles of association and the certificate of incorporation of a Cayman company named Forward Sports International. He also received the minutes of the first meeting of the board of directors, the register of directors and officers and the register of members.
The problem, according to Khawaja, was that the constituting documents were drafted without his consent and knowledge. When he inspected the documents, he found that in addition to himself, Joscelyn Morgan was named as a company director and shareholder. “This happened without my consent or knowledge,” Khawaja says.
“The constituting documents were compiled without my consent and knowledge. I was not aware that a certificate of incorporation had been issued. The minutes of the meeting were compiled without my knowledge or consent. There is no date on the document. It mentions incorrectly that I had participated in a telephone conference. That was not the case.”
When he complained about these issues to Watson, Khawaja says, Watson assured him that he “need not worry” because it was “only necessary for the paperwork” and “had no legal implications for [Khawaja].”
Forward Sports Cayman was incorporated on Nov. 15, 2012, with its registered office at Admiral Financial Centre – Canover Watson’s office. One day later, Forward Sports signed a sponsorship agreement with the Caribbean Football Union, the organization for which Watson acted as a vice president.
The sponsorship agreement with the Cayman Islands Football Association was concluded one month earlier in October 2012.
The whereabouts of Joscelyn Morgan, the director of Forward Sports International (Cayman), are unknown. He left the Cayman Islands in 2014 and is wanted for questioning by police in connection with an investigation into Advanced Integrated Systems Ltd., another Cayman company, which prosecutors allege was a front for Watson’s and Webb’s interests in a
Cayman Islands public healthcare contract known as CarePay.
Watson and Webb were accused of jointly siphoning millions of dollars from the CarePay contract.
In the CarePay case, it was alleged that Morgan and another close Webb associate, Eldon Rankin, were used as “sham” frontmen to cover up the involvement of Webb and Watson in AIS Cayman.
Watson informed Khawaja in an email on Nov. 3, 2014, that “Forward Sports Cayman Islands was not active – never started operations as we decided to set up in Panama instead.”
Khawaja acknowledges that the Panamanian entity was set up as a distribution company for Forward mainly to sell UNCAF replica products in those markets, but he says that he did he know anything about the loan agreement with CIFA until he was informed about it by the company’s auditors last year, nor does he know where the $600,000 for the loan to the Cayman Islands Football Association came from and whether the amount of the loan was actually paid out.
The loan scheme
The Forward Sports loan mirrors a similar $600,000 loan by another Panamanian company, Cartan International Inc. This loan had the same terms as the Forward Sports loan and was signed on the same day, Dec. 31, 2013, by the same people – Blake on behalf of CIFA and Abrego on behalf of Cartan.
The companies Forward Sports Inc., Forward Sports International Management, Green Day Foundation, Cartan International Inc. and Cartan International Management Inc. were all set up at the same time, around May 23, 2013, using the same organizational structure and the same nominee directors.
CONCACAF sued Cartan’s parent company Cartan Tours and related entities Elmore Sports Group and iSports Marketing, as well as the company’s owner, David Elmore, and former sales manager and executive vice president Daniel Gamba in December 2015. CONCACAF alleged that Cartan obtained a contract to arrange all of the football confederation’s travel and event logistics at inflated prices because “it had a secret deal with Webb and Sanz to pay them off.”
Panama’s company register reveals that Gamba and Elmore are named as directors of Cartan International but not of Cartan International Management, effectively replicating the setup of Forward Sports that saw Khawaja as a director of Forward Sports Inc. but not of Forward Sports International Management Inc.
According to the CONCACAF writ, “Elmore admitted to the auditors [of CIFA] that Cartan made a charitable donation of $600,000 to CIFA in 2013, but apparently denied any affiliation with Cartan International, a company incorporated in Panama on May 23, 2013.
“Elmore further stated that Cartan does not have an account or office location in Panama, but that the money was wired from a U.S. bank account,” CONCACAF stated.
Neither the Cartan nor the Forward Sports sponsorship was ever publicized, as would be typical in these circumstances.
CIFA’s financial statements also did not name the companies that extended the loan, even after the loan was re-designated as a gift, mentioning only “two private companies” that are “strategic partners.”
In its writ, CONCACAF claimed “that is because it was not a gift at all, but yet another form of graft and illicit dealing between defendants and Webb.”
In Forward’s case, another possibility could be that the $600,000 loan to CIFA was related to the $1.1 million alleged bribe payment from Traffic to Webb that, according to the U.S. indictment of the former CONCACAF president, was allegedly paid to the Panamanian soccer uniform maker.
In February, CONCACAF and Cartan settled their lawsuit out of court. Webb pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, three counts of wire fraud conspiracy and three counts of money laundering conspiracy in November 2015. He is awaiting sentencing in the United States.
The loans to CIFA are still under investigation by the Anti-Corruption Unit of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service.
Watson was sentenced to seven years in prison in February after he was found guilty of five of six criminal charges in connection with the CarePay hospital contract investigation. He has filed an appeal in the case.
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Attack mode
Barbados Today
Wharton Going Affter Harris' job on Sunday
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Barbados’ senior team football manager Fabian Wharton is challenging Randy Harris’ presidency of the Barbados Football Association (BFA).
And today (Tuesday/yesterday) at a media briefing held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Center, Wharton painted a litany of woes as the reasons why he should replace the long-serving football administrator at the helm of the BFA.
He described Harris’ tenure as one of incompetence, financial mismanagement and draconian dictatorship. The presidential candidate gave a brief synopsis of how he proposed to right the perceived wrongs hindering the development of football in Barbados. Wharton pointed to mounting debt which he placed at more than $700 000, poorly organised women’s and youth leagues and the undervaluing of ‘Out of Season’ tournaments as areas of major concern.
“For the past four years the BFA has become a rudderless ship with a lack of vision, no accountability, financial madness and general lack of professionalism. We have a president that seems to believe that the organisation belongs to him. Football is owned by all of us…We must understand that as administrators we have a social responsibility to ensure that we do not put any prohibitive measures in place like stopping all out-of-season football, essentially creating an environment where our young people become idle,” Wharton charged.
He added: “What we need to do instead of using these draconian measures such as stopping the out-of-season tournaments, we need to find a way to embrace all of these organs.”
Wharton revealed a number of short to medium term plans that he said would fix the financial haemorrhaging he claimed occurred despite the BFA receiving $2.2 million from FIFA. These measures, he suggested, would lead to eventual implementation of the long-term goal of transforming the premier league into a semi-professional one.
“If you look at St. Kitts, Antigua, even look at Guyana with the December tournament, these are things that the other islands are doing and it is said that Barbados is supposed to be one of the strongest countries in the region with the best brains in the region. So why are we lagging so far behind with regards to development of the game especially at the senior level?” queried the longstanding Brittons Hill team manager.
Wharton also took aim at the BFA for last year’s embarrassment of fielding a player in a World Cup qualifier who was ineligible to play because of suspension.
“We have a situation where persons are still sitting in the BFA despite being responsible for the recent World Cup fiasco. Everybody treated the World Cup disaster as if it was a minor situation. How can you explain to a group of young men that trained so hard that an administrative error cost them the opportunity to not be seen by international scouts, cost them an opportunity to continue to represent their country? They (BFA administration) have effectively embarrassed the nation and left a stain on Barbados’ football.”
Wharton currently has the endorsement of BFA treasurer candidate, Adrian Mapp, as well as first vice-president candidate, Jabez “Jack” Bovell.
However, Wharton’s chances of replacing Harris at this Sunday’s election of officers appear slim to none.
Today Barbados TODAY was informed that this was perhaps the first time in the history of the BFA where a candidate was seeking the presidency of the organisation and had no endorsement or backing from any member of that body’s executive council. Neither Mapp nor Bovell is on the BFA’s executive council.
A BFA source also revealed that far from financial mismanagement, that under Harris there had been a marked improvement in financial accountability and record-keeping at every level of the association’s operations since he took up office in 2012.
The source pointed to a number of initiatives introduced by Harris to improve women’s football and the increase of participants at various age-group levels. The BFA source also highlighted the increased training for officials in several levels of the sport, as well as closer interaction between clubs and the association and efforts to facilitate them with computer technology.
“Harris has the backing of the executive council and the general membership and has been doing an excellent job. Wharton’s mission is a mystery,” the source noted.
Contacted today about Wharton’s charges, Harris said he would respond to all of his allegations on Sunday at the BFA elections. (WG/CM)
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Contract inked for second phase of SKN FIFA’s Goal Project
SKNVibes.com
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE development of a Technical Center for Football in St. Kitts and Nevis is taking shape as the local Football Association has seen the completion of the first phase of the FIFA Goal Project.
On Saturday last (Mar. 5), officials from the for SKNFA, FIFA’s representative Howard Mackintosh and contractor Lennox Warner took local media representatives on a guided tour of the completed aspects of the facility, which is located in St. Peter’s.
“For us, the Goal Project is a very, very important project as far as the sport of football is concerned here in St. Kitts and Nevis,” SKNFA President Anthony Johnson said. “Of course it is not yet fully completed but we thought that it was important to give you the members of the media and also members of the clubs a tour so that you can see the progress that has been made so far.”
The officials also used that time to sign a contract to commence construction of the second phase, which will see the completion of the entire facility and the development of a playing facility adjacent to the technical center.
According to the FIFA’s representative, the contract for phase two is US$600,000.
“We have had an excellent relationship with phase one and we are continuing with the consultant and the contractor,” Mackintosh disclosed.
Phase one of the project, which started some eight months ago, was also funded by FIFA to the tune of US$500,000, SKNVibes Sports was told.
The first phase saw the development of the complex and the building which will house the referees department; a conference room; training facility (gym); a security area; and also an area to host visiting teams, clubs and match officials.
Officials Tour Training Complex Site
ZIZ News
Football officials have given the media an early look at new training facilities under construction at St. Peters.
The building falls under the Fifa Goal Project, and Howard McIntosh of Fifa’s Development Office explained the purpose of the site.
“The Fifa Goal Programme is a programme designed to ensure that all member associations, and we have 209, have the opportunity to have a technical home and an administrative home, and then look at the infrastructural development in the country. As you may be aware, the St. Kitts Nevis Football Association has an administrative home and now this will be the technical home,” he said.
McIntosh said the SKNFA’s performance over the years was one factor that led Fifa to support this project.
SKNFA President Anthony Johnson spoke of some of the recent achievements.
“Initiatives such as player insurance. For the very first time in our history all of the players in the Premier League are insured. And we’re not just speaking about the players, but the coaches as well. We have for the first time, over the past few years, started a Female League. Last year the National Team travelled to Europe and became the first Caribbean team to defeat a European team on European soil,” he said.
The facility is entering its second phase of development and following the tour Mr. McIntosh signed a contract to complete the project
While in St. Kitts Mr. McIntosh was also scheduled to meet with government representatives to discuss partnerships that would further the development of football in the country.
(http://zizonline.com/resources/uploads/2016/03/SKNFA-31-660x480.jpg)
(http://zizonline.com/resources/uploads/2016/03/SKNFA-34-660x480.jpg)
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Digicel, platinum partner for Super League 2016
Digicel Press Release
(http://www.stlucianewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/3fa24e53-846b-432a-929b-db3ac26e0f76.jpg)
The region’s leading telecommunications provider, Digicel, on Wednesday revealed a new and ground breaking partnership in national sports development in St. Lucia.
Digicel has partnered with Vizions Entertainment in the presentation of the Super League Football Competition 2016. At a press launch held on Wednesday March 2nd at the National Cultural Centre, Digicel pledged its commitment as Platinum Sponsors to the league.
Super League brings many innovations to the football arena in St. Lucia. The tournament standards have been set based on International standards of decorum and discipline which included strict adherence to dress code by teams and coaches, support for the Feed the Poor Programme, educational scholarships to young promising players among others.
Director of Vizions Entertainment, Mr. Didus Fedee spoke of the organizations commitment to contributing significantly to the development of the sport in St. Lucia through the league.
“Recognizing that the knockout format of football does little to contribute to the overall development of the sport as not enough is being played, this year the competition will be changed to a Round-Robin format. Teams will therefore be divided into four groups and will compete on a round robin basis. This format will also foster greater development of the players’ skills, technique, discipline and overall self-development through the game. ”
Marketing and Communications Executive at Digicel, Miss Louise Victor who delivered remarks at the press launch said “Digicel remains committed to contributing to national sports and youth development in every way. Under our Be Extraordinary philosophy we believe in celebrating and promoting the extraordinary talent that lies within the young people of our country, in this case our young men.
This investment however is beyond just an investment in sports but it is also aligned to our philosophy of youth development and contributing to changing lives in everyday in every way. We are cognizant of the impact that such programmes like Super League have specifically at the grass root level and as a corporate citizen with a deep social consciousness we affirm our commitment to continue investing in youth and sports development in St. Lucia. “
Digicel encourages St. Lucians’, sports fanatics, football lovers and persons within the communities to come out in full support of their teams and to witness “football at another level.”
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http://antiguaobserver.com/derrick-to-push-for-caribbean-pro-league-if-elected/
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http://freeport.nassauguardian.net/Sports-Scope/Local-soccer-body-could-qualify-for--400-000-annually-from-FIFA
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Barbados Football Ass'n president Randy Harris discusses Infantino's election and the proposed regional pro league. (http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2016/03/03/harris-verdict/)
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Randy Harris has retained the presidency of the Barbados FA by a vote of 87-46.
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CONCACAF hires firms in seeking general secretary, compliance officer
Sports Illustrated
CONCACAF, the regional soccer confederation that is trying to clean up its image in the wake of the FIFA scandal, has hired two executive search firms to select a new general secretary and chief legal/compliance officer, SI.com has learned.
The firm Korn Ferry is in charge of the search for a new general secretary, while Major, Lindsey & Africa will lead the search for a chief legal/compliance officer.
The general secretary is in charge of day-to-day operations for the confederation. The last (non-interim) CONCACAF general secretary was Enrique Sanz, who was fired after being named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the ongoing U.S. Department of Justice investigation. His predecessor, Chuck Blazer, pleaded guilty in the U.S. probe to 10 counts of racketeering, wire fraud, money laundering and tax evasion.
One candidate for CONCACAF general secretary is likely to be Jurgen Mainka, the current deputy general secretary, who recently emceed the Copa América Centenario draw. Mainka has worked in the past as the head communications officer for several MLS teams and the U.S.’s bid to host World Cup 2022. It’s possible, though, that the search committee will recommend someone from outside the CONCACAF organization.
CONCACAF will also elect a new president in May. The candidates are Victor Montagliani (Canada), Larry Mussenden (Bermuda), Mark Rodríguez (Guyana) and Gordon Derrick (Antigua and Barbuda).
Three recent CONCACAF presidents—Jack Warner, Jeffrey Webb and Alfredo Hawit—have been indicted in the U.S. investigation. Webb and Hawit have pleaded not guilty. Warner has denied wrongdoing and is fighting extradition from Trinidad and Tobago.
CONCACAF passed a significant reform package at its most recent meeting on February 25. The organization says it wants to hire chief officers with impeccable reputations for integrity and ethics.
CONCACAF begins search for key positions
Soccer America
Concacaf hired executive search firms Korn Ferry and Major, Lindsey & Africa to oversee its search for a general secretary and chief legal/compliance officer.
Candidates for general secretary must have a proven track record of running a successful business, managing profit and loss statements, overseeing a regional staff, organizing large-scale events and managing broadcast, commercial, and digital media rights, in addition to a passion for soccer.
The chief legal/compliance officer must have appropriate legal credentials, extensive experience working in legal or compliance positions within multi-national corporations, and strong management skills.
Additionally, candidates for both positions are required to have experience with and an understanding of cross-cultural work, and impeccable reputations on issues relating to integrity and ethics.
Governance and compliance are, of course, huge issues, given Concacaf's recent record. The last three presidents have been indicted or pleaded guilty on Federal corruption charges, while the last two secretaries general (Chuck Blazer and Enrique Sanz) were at the center of the conspiracies.
Sanz was hired from Traffic to replace Blazer but it turned out, according to the allegations in the Federal complaint, he had been in effect a plant to further Traffic's widespread scheme of kickbacks to buy up commercial soccer rights in the Americas. Blazer was the first person to plead guilty in the corruption case, while Sanz, who suffers from leukemia and left Concacaf last year, was named an unindicted co-conspirator.
Longtime soccer executive Ted Howard, who has worked for many years in the old NASL, NBC and at Concacaf, is serving as acting secretary general. Jurgen Mainke, Concacaf's director of marketing and communications since 2012, was promoted to deputy secretary general in December 2015.
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St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF) elects three new committee members. (http://www.iwnsvg.com/2016/03/17/football-federation-elects-committee-members/)
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CONCACAF Announces Women’s Football Leadership Group
Boxscore News
Female experts will examine further opportunities to promote the sport and achieve growth
The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) announced today (March 24) the formation of the Women’s Football Leadership Group that will be composed by female leaders from within the region, with the aim of supporting the Confederation’s efforts to further develop the women’s game in addition to raising awareness about the opportunities that football offers women beyond the pitch.
“The growth potential within the CONCACAF region represents an extraordinary opportunity for the Women’s Football Leadership Group to exchange best practices and analyze strategic actions to help promote the sport’s development,” said CONCACAF Acting General Secretary Ted Howard. “We look forward to working closely with this task force, in order to create a strong foundation while increasing opportunities for women on and off the field.”
Ms. Sonia Bien-Aime will chair the group. Bien-Aime, who serves as President of the Turks & Caicos Islands Football Association (TCIFA) and a member of the CONCACAF Executive Committee, is one of three women on FIFA's Executive Committee.
“On the heels of the recent FIFA reforms to promote gender equality and empowerment of women worldwide, CONCACAF is already putting the wheels in motion by utilizing the knowledge, skills and expertise of this group of very talented women, all of whom are recent graduates of the FIFA Female Leadership Development Programme (FLDP), to assist the Confederation with growing the women's game in the region,” said Bien-Aime. “It's no doubt a much needed and long awaited step of which I am very honored and excited to be a part of.”
The Women’s Football Leadership Group is composed by graduates from FLDP. Members include the following individuals:
Ms. Monique André, Executive Committee Member and President of Women’s Commission, Fédération Haïtienne de Football (Haiti)
Ms. Elieth Artavia, Women’s Football Development Director, Federacion Costarricense de Fútbol (Costa Rica)
Ms. Chantel Bird, Women’s Committee Chairperson, U.S.V.I Soccer Federation (US Virgin Islands)
Ms. Lyndell Hoyte-Sanchez, National Women Teams Manager, Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (Trinidad and Tobago)
Ms. Ana Rabell, Executive Committee Member and President of Women’s Football Commission, Federación Puertorriqueña de Fútbol (Puerto Rico)
Ms. Shequita Parson, Chairperson for Security and Executive Committee Member, Bermuda Football Association (Bermuda)
Ms. Gwendolyn Salmon, Vice President, Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (Antigua and Barbuda)
Ms. Mildred Wever, Women’s Football Coordinator, Arubaanse Voetbal Bond (Aruba)
Ms. Malaika Church (Grenada)
The FLDP initiative is part of FIFA’s Women’s Football Development Programmes for 2015-2018 and is aimed at:
Identifying, supporting and developing strong female leaders in football
Providing opportunities for women to access senior decision-making levels in football
FIFA and CONCACAF are working together and enhancing their efforts towards women’s football development. The creation of this group is a key action to ensure the vision of both organizations.
Further initiatives to promote the women’s game include the launch of the campaign “It’s Our Time”, which is geared towards increasing awareness of women’s football and promoting its benefits, while encouraging the continued investment in the sport.
Additional information on the group’s meetings and the “It’s Our Time” campaign will be available in the coming weeks.
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Malaika Church is as Trini as can be. She and her sister were raised in Trinidad. Went primary and secondary school here. (Providence).
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Who is considered the front runner for the CONCACAF presidency?
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Our vote for CONCACAF President is as precious as any other
By Wayne Ford, Kaiteur News.
The race to fill the vacant Presidency of the beleaguered CONCACAF seems to be a straight fight between three individuals, Canadian Victor Montagliani, Bermudan Larry Mussenden and Antiguan Gordon Derrick.
The three men, Montagliani, Mussenden and Derrick, are all current Presidents of the Canada Soccer Association (CSA), Bermuda Football Association (BFA) and Caribbean Football Union (CFU) respectively, with ambitions of returning CONCACAF on course after the corruption scandal that saw previous President Jeffrey Webb and his successor Honduran Alfredo Hawit, who has acted as CONCACAF Head following Webb’s sensational arrest in Zurich, Switzerland indicted by US Department of Justice in the ongoing probe.
Guyana as a member of the CFU and by extension CONCACAF, just like all of the other affiliates, will have the opportunity of determining who the next CONCACAF President becomes so therefore our vote could be seen as crucial in choosing the next Head of that Organisation.
Traditionally, a country’s vote is in large part premised on the level of support that is promised by the respective candidates vying for the top job, thereby rendering the vote a vital component for collective viability and future development.
It also means that those who lead their respective countries associations have a right to seek broad consensus among their General Council to arrive at the best suited candidate in exchange for the vote.
It must be noted that in-spite of getting the approval of their General Councils for the candidate of choice is no guarantee for support; a President could feel at ease that in the absence of promised assistance, the choice was not independent, but received broad endorsement.
In the past, the act of seeking agreement among affiliates (General Council) was clearly absent considering the overwhelming feedback accumulated.
There were examples of those with the responsibility of conveying our vote to Congresses overlooking the General Council and unilaterally declaring their choice of candidate.
This should not be since Guyana’s vote is as precious as any other nation and should be guided by the input of all the local stakeholders after meeting with them.
It was reported not so long ago in one of the dailies that sitting President of the Guyana Football Federation Wayne Forde was scheduled to meet Montagliani for discussions which is a very good step, but will he meet with the other candidates or is it an early endorsement.
Mussenden has already made it clear that he intends to lobby for the approximate US$190 million seized or confiscated by the US Department of Justice to be used for development programmes.
Our vote for CONCACAF President is as precious as any other.
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REVIEW The website of Víctor Montagliani, candidate for the CONCACAF presidency.
http://www.oneconcacaf.com/
EDIT: Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Puerto Rico have formally endorsed Mr. Montagliani.
No lack of northern exposure there. Northern Caribbean axis built. Gordon Derrick and Larry Mussenden will have to look south.
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No one should be surprised of this coalition.
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FIFA Boots Derrick Out of CONCACAF Presidential Race
By Mark Bisson, World Football Insider.
The general secretary of the federation, who is also president of the Caribbean Football Union, is now banned from running for CONCACAF’s top job.
Canadian Soccer Association president Victor Montagliani and Bermuda Football Association president Larry Mussenden are the eligible candidates for the CONCACAF presidential election on May 13.
In a FIFA statement, Domenico Scala, chairman of FIFA's audit and compliance committee, said his panel had conducted eligibility checks for the candidates vying for the CONCACAF presidency and the FIFA vice-president slot. The new president will also be part of the FIFA Council, the new name for the federation’s ruling body which will take shape at the FIFA Congress in Mexico City in May.
"The Audit and Compliance Committee has concluded that one candidate, Mr Gordon Derrick from Antigua & Barbuda, could not be admitted as a candidate for the office of CONCACAF President nor FIFA vice-president nor the FIFA Council,” Scala said.
“For privacy reasons we are not in a position to go into further details with regard to this decision. The person concerned has been informed."
Derrick’s disqualification is likely related to a sanction handed out by FIFA’s ethics committee in November 2011.
He was reprimanded and fined him 300 Swiss francs for ''apparent violations'' of FIFA’s ethics code during the now infamous Caribbean Football Union meeting in May 2011 when football officials were offered or received $40,000 cash payments from FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam.
The Canadian federation chief Montagliani is considered the frontrunner to become the next president of CONCACAF.
Interim CONCACAF president Alfredo Hawit, who replaced disgraced Jeffrey Webb indicted on U.S. corruption charges last year, on Monday entered a guilty plea to four counts of corruption including racketeering, wire fraud and obstructing justice. He could face a maximum of 20 years in prison on each count of corruption.
NOTE: According to other reports, Luis Hernandez (Cuba) and John Krishnadath (Suriname) are running for FIFA council member from the Caribbean, and Pedro Chaluja (Panama) is unopposed for council member for the same dunction.
Also, Sonia Bien-Aime (Turks and Caicos) who was elected as the Caribbean’s member of the FIFA executive committee last July, is running for CONCACAF’s female member of the new council against Joanne Salazar of Trinidad and Tobago.
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http://m.goal.com/s/en-us/news/1616/concacaf/2016/04/18/22518142/montagliani-confident-ahead-of-concacaf-election
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REVIEW The manifesto of Larry Mussenden (Bermuda), candidate for the CONCACAF presidency.
http://www.royalgazette.com/assets/pdf/RG350036418.PDF
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Barbados Pioneers CONCACAF C License
Barbados Advocate
After receiving their first CONCACAF D License Coaches course back in 2014, 30 local coaches have begun their journey to the next level as the first-ever CONCACAF C License course got off the ground yesterday.
Set to run for just over a week, Barbados has been selected for the pilot project for the programme as no other territory under the CONCACAF banner has had a C License course delivered.
With CONCACAF launching their coaching education programme in July of 2014, Barbados has since had three D License courses with the first being delivered in October of 2014. Now, the ‘Gem of the Caribbean’ is the envy of all CONCACAF territories as the Barbados Football Association plays host to the first C License course rolled out. Thirty-one participants, 30 males and one female, are set to go down in history as the first persons to take on the programme which is geared towards players aged 13-19.
Speaking during the opening ceremony held yesterday at the Usain Bolt Sports Complex, where the course is being run for the first few days, Coaches Instructor, Neal Ellis stated that it was a historic time for the participants and he hoped that they made the most of it.
“I think that when you guys look back 10 years from now, you’re going to have license number 01, 01, 03, 04 when we are in the 10 000s. You are going to look back and see that you were one of the first ones to take this course. And it’s exciting for us to be here because we can set the standard from this point forward for what the CONCACAF License programme means to each country. I think we need to find a way to separate ourselves to show that this is the standard,” he said.
Giving fair warning that the course was not going to be easy, Ellis added that he expected big things from the island as they were first out of the blocks.
“We are going to push you, we are going to challenge you throughout the nine days and I hope that you will do the same with us. It is not just listening and saying ‘yes’. It is challenging us with your ideas, with your methodology because you guys are going to be the ones to go back out there and make a difference. Those are the things that we are hoping to leave you with. To give you the power to go back and do what is right for these kids and hopefully we can get a World Cup team out of this small little island.”
Lenny Lake, also a Coaches Instructor, has special relationship with the island and some of the candidates as he has delivered the D License in Barbados. Due to his familiarity, Lake said that he expected only the best from the crop.
“I know that, if not all of you, most of you will do well. I have seen it in the D License and what I have seen is not just your ability to come and sit, but your ability to transform yourself after you get the information to get better. Every group that I have worked with when I was here, they have showed that. They start out struggling and by the fourth day, there is a transformation,” he said, before adding that he expected the coaches to leave a legacy.
“My advice would be to think about what you did in the past and go back to it. Be confident about what you can do. We are here to help you. Don’t burden or pressure yourself. In closing, just set the standard. The Caribbean needs it. We need great coaches. Let it begin with you,” Lake said.
President of the BFA (ag) Captain Al Walcott was on-hand to officially open the course, and during his address he noted that he was sure that hard work was going to be put in and also reaped.
“I think the evidence of the hard work that these instructors and the hard work that CONCACAF has done in setting up these courses for the development of the football in the region, will be evidenced by your hard work when you go back to your different clubs. And not just going back to the clubs and doing any old thing, but trying to put together all the information that you have received from these instructors,” Walcott said. (MP)
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Video of Larry Mussenden discussing his bid to be CONCACAF president. (http://bernews.com/2016/04/larry-mussenden-appeared-sportsmax-zone/)
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BFA to host End of Season football symposium
Bernews
On Saturday April 23th, the Bermuda Football Association [BFA] will host its 6th annual End of Season Football Symposium at the Bermuda College.
“Last year we had a panel discussion on the role of the coach,” said a BFA spokesperson. “This year the symposium will feature a breakout session to discuss and provide solutions to some of the challenges that face youth football.
“In addition those in attendance will review the 2015 -2016 Appleby Youth Leagues and hear presentations from Maurice Lowe, Technical Development Director; Scott Morton, President of the Bermuda Football Coaches Association [BFCA]; Anthony Francis will provide and update on all of the rules changes implemented by the International Football Association Board [IFAB]
“The day will start at 9.00am and will continue into the afternoon with a full lunch provided. The BFA symposium forms a vital part of coaching education as well as allows coaches to come together, discuss football and to play a role in shaping the new season that will start in September 2016.”
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Draw Determines Groups for the SCCL Under-13 2016
CONCACAF
The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and Scotiabank today (Wednesday, April 27) conducted the draw for the Scotiabank CONCACAF Under-13 Champions League 2016, at the World Trade Center in Mexico City.
The draw, which determined the groups for the tournament to be played from July 23-30 in Mexico City, was opened with a welcoming address from Jurgen Mainka, CONCACAF Deputy General Secretary. Also present in the conduction of the event were Scotiabank Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations Richard Mainella, and Adalberto Lopez, Director of Amateur Programs of the Mexican Football Federation.
The event sorted the twelve participating club teams, representing ten CONCACAF nations, into three groups of four, for round robin play starting in July.
Group A will consist of Mexican club Buhos de Hermosillo FC, as well as Real Esteli from Nicaragua, and two Caribbean teams: Harbour View FC (Jamaica) and San Juan Jabloteh (Trinidad and Tobago).
In Group B, Menor Tijuana (Mexico) is joined by Central America clubs Comunicaciones FC (Guatemala) and Liga Deportiva Alajuelense (Costa Rica). Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Canada) rounds out the group.
Pungarabato Guerrero, the final Mexican club in the competition, heads Group C, and will compete with Sporting KC (USA), Chorrillo FC (Panama) and CD Santa Ana (El Salvador).
The defending Champion of the Scotiabank CONCACAF Under-13 Champions League is CD Toluca, from Mexico. This year’s event will be played at sites to be determined in Mexico City.
The second leg of the Final of the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League 2015/16, the first team version of the region’s most important club tournament, will be played this evening at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Defending champion Club America takes a 2-0 lead into the return match versus Liga MX rival Tigres UANL.
Scotiabank CONCACAF Under-13 Champions League 2016 Groups
(in order of group position)
Group A
Buhos de Hermosillo FC (MEX)
Real Esteli (NCA)
Harbour View FC (JAM)
San Juan Jabloteh (TRI)
Group B
Menor Tijuana (MEX)
Comunicaciones FC (GUA)
Liga Deportiva Alajuelense (CRC)
Vancouver Whitecaps (CAN)
Group C
Pungarabato Guerrero (MEX)
Sporting KC (USA)
Chorrillo FC (PAN)
CD Santa Ana (SLV)
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Question that will arise: why did both Caribbean teams have to be in the same group?
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Derrick may appeal Fifa ethics ruling
By Josh Ball, The Royal Gazzette.
Gordon Derrick is considering appealing Fifa’s decision not to allow him to run for the Concacaf presidency at the Court of Arbitration for Sports.
The Caribbean Football Union president was declared ineligible for next month’s election after failing an ethics test run by the Fifa audit and compliance committee.
According to the Antigua Observer, Derrick is preparing to appeal that ruling, and is hoping for a speedy resolution, one which would allow him to re-enter the fray.
However, given that there is little more than two weeks until the vote at the Concacaf Ordinary Congress, the chances that Derrick could be reinstated and campaign effectively seem slim.
At the moment the race for the region’s top job in football is between Larry Mussenden, the Bermuda Football Association president, and Victor Montagliani, his Canadian counterpart.
Derrick has served as CFU president for the last four years, after replacing Jack Warner in 2012, following the cash-for-votes scandal which rocked Caribbean football.
Warner has been charged as part of the sweeping United States Department of Justice investigation into corruption in football.
Part of the investigation centred on the $40,000 that some regional officials were accused of taking in return for voting for Mohamed bin Hammam in the Fifa presidential election.
Derrick, who is also the general secretary of the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association, was one of several officials reprimanded and fined over “apparent violations” of its ethics code.
Should Derrick be reinstated, then the path to the presidency would become a little more complicated.
With 31 of the 41 votes available held by Caribbean members, Mussenden is a firm favourite to defeat Montagliani at the election in Mexico City on May 12. A split in the Caribbean vote could change all that.
Not that Montagliani sees it that way.
The Canadian claims to have already secured the backing of regional powerhouses Mexico and the US, and says that he does not believe voting will split along traditional lines.
“The numbers dictate that you need to get a significant amount of the Caribbean votes,” Montagliani said.
“Yet, I think one of the things that I’ve found on a lot of my travels to our members is that this election is not being seen as a Caribbean versus Central American versus North American thing. A lot of those walls that were put up in the past are gone. Now, each member is looking for a leader.
“In fact, you saw two weeks ago, four Caribbean countries — Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Cuba — announce their support of me, which is something you might not have seen in the past.
“I know I have support of others as well, and we’ll see what happens on May 12.”
Mussenden has been equally confident when discussing his chances, and has travelled to the West Indies several times over the past month to drum up support for his bid to become the next Concacaf president.
Any candidate may find their hopes rest on a meeting of the CFU, which is reportedly being planned for May 11 in Mexico, the day before the election.
As one Mussenden supporter noted: “This looks like going right down to the wire.”
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Mussenden Begins Director Of Prosecutions Job
Bernews
The Governor George Fergusson met with Larry Mussenden today (April 13) to welcome him on his first day in office as the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Mr Fergusson said, “It was good to see Mr Mussenden today as he begins his new and challenging job. I wish him very well and have every confidence that he will be excellent in the role.”
Mr Mussenden is returning to the Department of Public Prosecutions, where he worked earlier in his career. After being admitted as a barrister in England and Wales in 1995 and in Bermuda the following year, Mr. Mussenden served as a Crown Counsel in the Attorney-General’s Chambers in 1996 and then as a prosecutor in the Office of the Department of Public Prosecutions. He has also served as an Acting Magistrate in criminal matters.
More recently he has worked in private practice, specialising in criminal and civil litigation matters. He also served as Attorney General and Minister of Justice from January 2004 until October 2006.
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Compelling credentials to have in the aftermath of big tiefing.
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FIFA blasts the Caribbean Mockingbird with its heavy artillery
By James Dostoyevksy, InsideWorldFootball.
Double jeopardy, denial of the most basic due process and defamation of character seems to be the latest modus operandi of a FIFA compliance outfit that makes statements about the person’s life and livelihood with an acute and present danger of destroying not only his career in football but his ability to make a living.
On April 12, 2016, FIFA issued a statement that Caribbean Football Union (CFU) president Gordon Derrick, one of three remaining contestants for the CONCACAF presidency, had apparently failed an integrity check and was therefore banned by FIFA to run for office in an organisation that is properly upside down, fraught with corruption and not a FIFA member.
For two years the former FIFA leadership forcefully tried to make the point that what is called a FIFA scandal was actually a scandal of CONMEBOL and CONCACAF and had nothing to do with FIFA, “because FIFA had no influence over any of the six confederations” as they were not FIFA members.
This seems to have rapidly changed now that both CONCACAF and FIFA are seemingly run by US law firms, new FIFA president or not.
FIFA’s tired attempt at a hopeful declaration, which would underline that there could have been not any wrongdoing at the governing body itself, but that all the nefarious wrongdoing happened in faraway lands and by two regional competition organisers (Blatter’s mantra was always to underline that the confederations had no rights as governing bodies but only as competition organisers) has been kicked out of the window per April 12.
So, what happened? With respect to double jeopardy one needs to highlight that Derrick was banned from running for the confederation’s presidency because of the 2011 scandal in Trinidad, where Bin Hammam had allegedly provided funds to CFU members, funds that were apparently distributed by Jack Warner and his team in Port of Spain after a presentation (it needs to be pointed out that Bin Hammam won his appeal before CAS on this case).
A number of CFU members were sanctioned, suspended and banned from football for differing amounts of time. Quite a few of them also had to return the money ($40,000) to FIFA’s investigators (Freeh and company), and on top of it had to pay a fine.
Derrick was one of those, who got away with the simple reprimand and laughable CHF 300 fine, which was “too small of a punishment to appeal”, FIFA said at the time. So the man was neither suspended nor banned, but got a slap on the wrist for a lack of cooperation with Freeh and his people.
This was not the case for one of regional football’s big boys, Horace Burrell of Jamaica, who was suspended for all football activities for several months, fined, but miraculously returned to the FIFA Olympic Football Committee moments after his ban was over.
Derrick, never banned, had been prevented by FIFA to run for a non-FIFA office, while Burrell is a vice president of the same body – CONCACAF – and a member of the Executive Committee.
Odd, isn’t it?
Clearly, both FIFA and CONCACAF operate with two separate concepts of law: it doesn’t take long for the overriding feeling to grow that the little guy gets ‘shafted’, while the big boys with their network of relationships are quickly allowed back into the fold of the old boys network.
But it gets worse.
FIFA has banned the man for something that happened five years ago for an offense so minor – in FIFA’s own reasoning – that it did not allow for an appeal. Derrick gets punished twice. Once in 2011 and the second time in 2016 five years later, for the same wrongdoing. This smacks of double jeopardy.
But it gets worse still. Insideworldfootball has seen information written by CONCACAF’s external chief lawyer, sent to FIFA’s compliance tsar Domenico Scala (pictured), where the CONCACAF man says that after completion of the integrity check CONCACAF finds no fault with Gordon Derrick running for CONCACAF president.
Wait a minute!
So CONCACAF decides that the integrity check, which is predominantly based on newspaper articles, is not justification to ban Derrick from running for office, says so in writing in correspondence to FIFA on April 6, 2016, only for FIFA to turn the whole thing upside down and declare that Derrick is banned from running because he did not pass the integrity check.
But it gets better. To make a bad situation worse, Scala resorts to a further point and pompously proclaims that Derrick is also banned because of another matter, presently under investigation, by FIFA, and which allegedly involves financial mismanagement.
So in complete denial of any due process, a man is found guilty by a FIFA bureaucrat who acts as prosecutor, judge and jury, declares that there was financial mismanagement and rules that this is the second reason why Derrick can’t run.
All of this without having heard from Derrick himself, and after the man complied with all requests for information, and all of this without a verdict having been passed, nor a judgement by the adjudicatory chamber of FIFA, or Ethics being anywhere in sight.
The presumption of innocence, a fundamental concept even in US law, which seems to be governing world football, is clearly dead. A person who has not even been charged with wrongdoing is apparently guilty before anything and has to prove his innocence instead of the prosecution having to overcome the burden of proof.
There is a problem with this concept and the view is shared by several lawyers in Europe and the Caribbean, who have a substantial issue with this saga where a man has been convicted without trial.
But dig a little deeper and it becomes clearer what’s going on behind the scene. Derrick, at times an outspoken questioner of the present CONCACAF ‘leadership’ (and previously an even more outspoken critic of the Jeff Webb dictatorship), has become a convenient scapegoat, having been an inconvenient representative of the 31 Caribbean countries that form the 41- strong CONCACAF membership.
It seems increasingly that the US-led regional body demands a leadership that is convenient to US football. Whether there are undertones of racism involved is another matter that needs to be investigated.
With Derrick gone and Burrell (Jamaica), Luis Hernandez (Cuba) and some of the other heavy hitters of the CONCACAF ExCo vigorously promoting Canadian Victor Montagliani, Bermudan prosecutor and life long law enforcer, FIFA Appeals Committee member Larry Mussenden, originally a Caribbean man until Bermuda joined the North American sub-region, seems to have an increasingly difficult stand to preside over corruption shaken CONCACAF.
The following questions need to be asked:
Why is Derrick banned from standing when CONCACAF had no issue with his integrity?
Why do FIFA make a public statement about alleged guilt without any due process, and solely to cast a very bad light on a man whose integrity is put in to question without any ruling about alleged misconduct having been made?
How can FIFA resort to a ridiculously meek argument, namely a future hypothetical reality that would make the CONCACAF president automatically a FIFA vice president, at a time when a president is nowhere near to having been elected (surely, FIFA would have had ample time to refuse Derrick’s appointment to the FIFA Council if there was evidence at such time when he was nowhere near to have been elected to the CONCACAF presidency)
Why do FIFA resort to what can only be called global defamation of character by dragging a ridiculous reprimand to the foreground and alleging financial mismanagement, when such a mismanagement is nowhere near proven?
It will be interesting to see how Derrick reacts and how his own CFU deals with the situation that is clearly flawed, prima facie very problematic in law and in stark contradiction to CONCACAF’s own ethics findings.
It is not quite enough to publicly announce an increase of the financial assistance programme from $250,000 to $1.25 million (and to quickly forget that campaign promise), but allow this kind of interventionism by FIFA in an organisation that is not even a member and destroy a man’s life in the process without any factual proof given or available.
The new FIFA seems to be the old FIFA except that the network of those who call the shots has rapidly changed.
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UNCAF elige su candidato para presidir la CONCACAF
La Prensa Grafica
La Unión Centroamericana de Fútbol (UNCAF), que reune a las siete federaciones del área, anunció esta tarde que dará su apoyo al canadiense Víctor Montagliani en la elección para elegir al nuevo presidente de CONCACAF.
El ente indicó, a través de una carta en la que pueden verse las firmas de los presidentes de las siete federaciones de Centroamérica (incluída la de Jorge Rajo, presidente de la Federación Salvadoreña de Fútbol) que decidieron endosar su apoyo a Montagliani en su ultima reunión celebrada el pasado 25 de enero en la Ciudad de Panamá.
"(UNCAF) otorga su apoyo y confianza al Señor Victor Montaglini, para presidir la Confederación y su objetivo de tener una sola CONCACAF", puede leerse en el comunicado emitido por UNCAF y en el que no se explican los motivos que llevaron al ente a inclinar su balanza a favor del norteamericano.
Montagliani preside la federación canadiense de fútbol (CSA, por sus siglas en inglés) desde 2012. Competirá en la elección por el trono de CONCACAF ante Mark Rodrígues, de Guyana; y Gordon Derrick, de Antigua y Barbuda. La elección se llevará a cabo el próximo 12 de mayo, en México, previo al congrego de FIFA para elegir al sucesor de Joseph Blatter, en la cual UNCAF ya comprometió su apoyo al italiano Gianni Infantino.
Luego, pese a obtener el apoyo de UNCAF, el reto de Montagliari será convencer al Caribe para su candidatura, ya que las islas poseen 31 de los 41 votos válidos de la elección.
http://www.laprensagrafica.com/2016/02/09/uncaf-elige-su-candidato-para-presidir-la-concacaf
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... in other words, doh buy what Montagliani is selling about voting outside of traditional blocs. The UNCAF presidents signed a letter of collective support for Montagliani following meeting with him in January in Panama City. This is what he means by the "support of others".
The play: consolidate votes in North America and Central America ... then divide and conquer in the CFU bloc.
As this is largely our historical experience in the Caribbean since 1492 ... over to the man who will be casting T&T's vote.
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WATCH Larry Mussenden, candidate for the CONCACAF presidency discuss his record.
https://www.youtube.com/v/NY9_gLl4t2U
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If the inappropriate ban of Derrick persists, the 31 Caribbean members have to support Mussenden. We having enough trouble with Canadians in gymnastics not to mention Calder Hart.
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CFU General Meeting sparks debate on CFU and CONCACAF Elections
Barbados Football Association
Wednesday, May 11, 2016 - Mexico City
The Caribbean Football Union (CFU) today held a general meeting hastly called among its members to discuss several issues before the election of the new CONCACAF President tomorrow in Mexico City.
President of the CFU Mr Gordon Derrick chaired the meeting here in Mexico, of which 28 of its 31 members were present. Mr Derrick indicated that the CFU Executive had endorsed and will support the candidature of Bermudian Larry Mussenden as the new President of CONCACAF and he urged the members to support one of their own citing Mr Mussenden as the right man and highly qualified for the job.
This call however didn’t go down so well with some of the members with one member of the CFU Executive Council openly declaring his support for Canadian Victor Montagliani.
Also on the agenda which attracted a lot of debate was the CFU Ordinary Congress. Mr Derrick informed the members that the Executive had set a date for October 2016, some five months after the four year period for the current Executive would have elapsed. He indicated that this was to allow for the completion of the financial statements and to coincide with a CFU event during that time. Some members saw this as unconstitutional and urged the Executive to come up with a date as soon as possible when the Congress would be held considering it was an election congress. After a motion tabled and passed, the Executive was asked by the General Body to hold the Congress by the end of July 2016.
The CFU President informed the meeting that the long awaited TV Rights payments would be paid by August 10, 2016 and that all the members should be paid in full. This was welcoming news for the members.
An update of the operations of the Secretariat was given and special praise was given to the current General Secretary Neil Cochrane by the President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Association for the work he has been doing. President Derrick also updated the meeting on the U17 and senior men and women’s CFU Caribbean Cup comeptitions happening this year.
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Montagliani wins the CONCACAF presidency.
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With 31 of the 41 votes, that's 76% of the votes. How can the Canadian candidate win with 61% of the voters 25-16. Wi real backwards as a people.
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The implosion of the Jack Warner era is having its effect. It will be very difficult for a West Indian and specifically a Trini to win the trust of his fellow Carib. mates. That will be forever toxic because of his administration. All TT has to do now is to see about their own development. Just win. All you have to do is win home and away and they will respect you. Nothing else matters.
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Yes JW was incredibly corrupt but so was all of FIFA. If they cant trust a Trini because of JW, how can they trust a Cayman (Webb), French(Plantini) , American (Blazer), I can go on and on until the break of dawn with about every damn nationality. Jack was nimble and Jack was quick but Jack was not even in the top 20 of the brightest theifing bulbs in FIFA. However, he was the highest black that would take the fall. We can never accept JW as the symbol of FiFA corruption, that is pure white washing.
We however have the right to chastise him for what he did to us and our FA
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I agree with you, but CFU and Concacaf is where we are based. Web was chosen because there were no suitable, appropriate or whatever to choose to fill Jack position. Webb was a temporary solution. Blazer is a yank, money talks. And Michel is Euro.
....he was the highest black that would take the fall. We can never accept JW as the symbol of FiFA corruption, that is pure white washing...
This may be true. But his management of Concacaf, CFU and TTFA and his final downfall has had serious negative perception of "blackman holding and wielding power". They are not to be trusted. I honestly don't care about the US, Mex or Euro. They always have their way. Is we Antillians, we must be concerned about. You may want to make excuse for Jack because he black. I ain't.
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CONCACAF Elects New President, and Members of CONCACAF and FIFA Councils
Caribbean Football Union
The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) today held its XXXI Ordinary Congress in Mexico City where elections were conducted for CONCACAF President and positions on the CONCACAF and FIFA Councils. All of the Confederation’s 41 Member Associations participated in the elections for CONCACAF positions and with a majority of votes, Victor Montagliani, President of the Canadian Soccer Association, was elected as President of CONCACAF. Rodolfo Villalobos of Costa Rica was elected to the CONCACAF Council as a Vice-President.
Additionally, CONCACAF’s 35 FIFA Members elected Luis Hernandez of Cuba, Pedro Chaluja of Panama, and Sonia Bien-Aime of Turks and Caicos to represent the Confederation on the FIFA Council.
The Congress is being chaired by CONCACAF Council Vice-President Justino Compean of Mexico, and the elections were conducted by CONCACAF’s Ad-Hoc Electoral Committee. Members of the Ad-Hoc Electoral Committee included Ted Howard, CONCACAF’s Acting General Secretary, Marco Leal, CONCACAF’s Head of Member Associations and Legal Affairs, and Sam Gandhi, CONCACAF’s Legal Adviser.
In accordance with the Confederation’s Statutes, the mandate of the new CONCACAF President and CONCACAF Council Members will start after the conclusion of the Congress.
The official election results are included below.
CONCACAF Council (Former Executive Committee):
President (ex officio FIFA Vice-President)
• Mr. Victor Montagliani (Canada)
Vice-President - Central America (UNCAF)
• Mr. Rodolfo Villalobos (Costa Rica)
FIFA Council (Former Executive Committee):
Member – Caribbean (CFU)
• Mr. Luis Hernandez (Cuba)
Member - Central America (UNCAF)
• Mr. Pedro Chaluja (Panama)
Female Member
• Ms. Sonia Bien-Aime (Turks and Caicos)
NOTE: Luis Hernandez of Cuba defeated John Krishnadath of Suriname as the CFU's FIFA Council Member 24 votes to 11 and Sonia Ben-Aime of Turk and Caicos defeated Joanne Salazar of Trinidad & Tobago as the Female Member on the FIFA Council 27 votes to eight.
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Deeks, I start by saying Jack was incredibly corrupt however so was Sepp, Blazer and Platini. You make my point that no one is saying that whites were so corrupt that they can not be trusted with power. Why is it we need a Canadian because 1 blackman was corrupt. We have held or are holding ourselves to a standard that does not exists. I make no excuses for Jack but by accepting white corruption then excusing it as a non qualifier to be trusted is hypocrisy.
Jack may have been corrupt from birth but him entering FIFA is like a young prisoner entering the Oxford prison of criminals. FiFa wnd partly still is a University for corruption, poor governance and double standard. I not excusing Jack because he is black same way I am not exucong Blazer because he is white. Therefore the presence of a black oand white corrupt official can not lead to to think blacks can not be trusted with power while excusing white corrupting then claiming them trust worthy.
None feel then pain of loss opportunity because of what Jack stole and squandered but the powers at be then to pick socially, politically and economically those they know will sell us out. Then tturn around and blame the ones they chose.
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Let me put it this way. If the Canadian don't help "us, Antillians", then it is incumbent on we Antillians to use our vote against him next time around. Let's not forget, Webb did not help to allay the perception that the Antillians are less corrupt.
Again, I going to say, we Trintos have to see about we selves. I am not saying we should isolate ourselves. We need to develop our players from lower age groups to seniors, both female and male. We also need to persuade(or find out how to convince) the East Indian community to encourage their daughters and sons to participate in all sports to expand our talent pool. How can we expect to find talent when the other half don't seem to have interest. We are underachieving in the Caribbean given the size of our population.
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FIFA Strategic Planning Workshop gets underway
Barbados FA
FIFA's Strategy Planning Workshop with the BFA got underway earlier this morning (yesterday, Wednesday) at Island Inn Hotel. The workshop aims to chart a path for the BFA for the next few years in all areas.
FIFA's Development Officer - South East Caribbean has been instrumental in facilitating this workshop. Other facilitators include FIFA Consultants Geoff Wilson and Kevan Pipe and Technical Director - South East Caribbean, Anton Corneal.
Participants in the program include members of the Executive Committee in addition to senior members of staff of the BFA. The workshop is expected to conclude on Saturday May 28th, 2016.
FIFA MA Coaching Course in Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua & Barbuda FA
St. John’s , Antigua – The Antigua and Barbuda Football Association is presently hosting the association’s 4th edition of the FIFA MA Women’s Coaching Corse. The five-day course is aimed at the continuous development of women’s football coaches on the Island both technically and tactically as well as understanding the specific physiological and psychological characteristics of female players.
The course is being conducted by FIFA Instructor Andrea Rodebaugh who captained the Mexican national team in the 1999 World Cup and who also coached the U-20 National team. This is Andrea’s fourth visit to Antigua and Barbuda for the FIFA MA Women’s Course
The four-day course was divided into theory and practical sessions which used players in training as of November 2015 for the upcoming CONCACAF U-15 Girls Competition in August. The coaches were given plenty of opportunities to learn more about the game so that they can improve the levels of coaching in their schools and club teams.
Note: The course started on Thursday last week and concluded on Monday.
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CONCACAF Announces Appointment of Philippe Moggio as General Secretary
CONCACAF
The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) today announced that Philippe Moggio has been appointed by the new CONCACAF Council as the Confederation’s General Secretary, effective June 13th, 2016. Mr. Moggio previously served as Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Latin America and the Caribbean at the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he directed the expansion of the organization’s business, including media distribution, marketing partnerships, events, and licensed merchandise, as well as the development of basketball growth initiatives in the region.
In his role as General Secretary, Mr. Moggio will act as the chief executive officer of the Confederation, leading its daily business and operations. He succeeds the Confederation’s Acting General Secretary, Ted Howard, who has served in this role since May 2015.
“As the Confederation continues reforming its corporate governance structure, the key appointment of Philippe Moggio as General Secretary, adds yet another layer of stability to our business operations, allowing us to better serve our Member Associations, partners and fans of the world’s greatest game,” said CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani. “Philippe is an outstanding leader who brings a broad vision, passion, creativity, and strong sports marketing experience that will enable the Confederation to continue developing football throughout the region.”
“It’s an honor to have been appointed by the CONCACAF Council as the Confederation’s General Secretary. I am thrilled to have the unique opportunity to work with CONCACAF to continue establishing a path for the sustainable long-term growth of football in this region,” said Mr. Moggio. “My focus is to continue implementing the reforms, while leading the front office in strengthening our business performance to further position CONCACAF as a leading sports organization.”
During his time at the NBA, the French-Colombian native oversaw unprecedented commercial and developmental success in Latin America and the Caribbean. Under his leadership the league expanded its content distribution across the region working closely with existing NBA partners like ESPN and DirecTV and through a number of groundbreaking partnerships, including recent partnerships with Mexico’s Televisa to show NBA games via free to air TV, Brazil’s Globosat, as well as with Digicel SportsMax, which now offers fans live games and extensive NBA programming in approximately 30 Caribbean territories. Mr. Moggio also helped introduce new local marketing partners to the NBA including Bimbo, Coors Light, Digicel, and Antel, and build local success with existing NBA global partners including adidas, Cisco, Gatorade, and 2K.
Alongside the commercial success, Mr. Moggio has also spearheaded developing the growing popularity of basketball in the region, overseeing the introduction of preseason and regular-season games to Mexico and Brazil, implementing multiple grassroots and youth development initiatives across the region, and forming a groundbreaking partnership with the Liga Nacional de Basquete (LNB) in Brazil.
Prior to joining the NBA, Mr. Moggio worked for almost 10 years in investment banking covering the U.S. and Latin America, working at Banc of America Securities and ABN AMRO/ING Barings. An athletic standout, he played NCAA Division I tennis at Duke University, then went on to play professionally, from 1995-98, and represented Colombia in multiple Davis Cup appearances.
In March 2016, the CONCACAF Council engaged Korn Ferry, a preeminent global people and organizational advisory firm, to advise on key qualifications for the position and manage a public search before offering candidate recommendations to the CONCACAF Council. The international search delivered over 75 male and female candidates from across the globe and the CONCACAF region. Final candidates were interviewed in person by the entire CONCACAF Council.
This search marks the first time CONCACAF has partnered with an executive search team to fill the key leadership position. In addition to a passion for football, the Confederation focused on candidates with a proven track record in the sports industry as well as experience with multicultural constituents, managing a successful business, overseeing regional staff, organizing large-scale events, and managing broadcast, commercial, and digital media rights.
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Government Retracts Statement Naming Barracuda, Goes After ABFA For Unpaid Loan
By Neto Baptiste, Antigua Observer.
The government’s Chief of Staff, Lionel “Max” Hurst retracted, on Thursday (June 2), a section of his (written) Cabinet debriefing “mistakenly” naming the now dormant Antigua Barracuda FC as the “barrowers” of EC $1.35 million, a loan backed by the Government of Antigua & Barbuda through Antigua & Barbuda Department of Marine Services & Merchant Shipping (ADOMS) back in 2012.
According to the latest release, however, “Those notes are to be corrected to show that the Antigua & Barbuda Football Association was the borrower.
“The debriefing exercise was preceded by the submission of the notes made by the Chief of Staff to all reporters and media houses. Item 10 in the submitted notes mistakenly identified the Barracuda Football Club as the borrowers of a sum of $1.35 million dollars. Those notes are to be corrected to show that the Antigua & Barbuda Football Association was the borrower. All media houses are asked to take note of this change. The Chief of Staff apologises for the error,” the release said.
In the initial release, it was stated that government will pursue the borrowers for the full amount owed as ADOMS now requires additional funding to complete the construction of its new building located on Factory Road.
Gordon Derrick, one of the principals behind the Antigua Barracuda Football Club had, following release of the Cabinet debriefing, denied the assertion.
“The government of Antigua & Barbuda, through ADOMS, has never secured a loan for the Barracuda Football Club, so I just want to be very clear. I had said it was factually incorrect but some persons said there may be (different) interpretations to that, so I want to be very clear with what I am saying. The government of Antigua & Barbuda has never secured a loan for the Antigua Barracuda Football Club,” Derrick stated.
The loan in question was secured by the ABFA as a means of funding the country’s senior team’s preparation for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying bid.
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CONCACAF Announces Appointment of Guilherme Carvalho as Chief Legal and Chief Compliance Officer
CONCACAF
The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) today announced that Guilherme (Bill) Carvalho has been appointed by the CONCACAF Council as the Confederation’s Chief Legal and Chief Compliance Officer, effective August 23, 2016.
The Confederation has established this position in order to meet the compliance objectives stipulated in CONCACAF’s Statutes and as part of the reform efforts to further enhance its business operations through improved governance and stronger controls.
In his new role, Mr. Carvalho will lead the legal and compliance areas of CONCACAF, including managing the Confederation’s legal affairs and overseeing the daily operations of CONCACAF’s Compliance and Integrity programs.
“The appointment of Mr. Carvalho as CONCACAF’s first Chief Legal and Chief Compliance Officer represents a fundamental step to ensure the implementation and sustainability of our governance reforms,” said CONCACAF President, Victor Montagliani. “Mr. Carvalho has a proven track record and will play an integral role in establishing a culture of compliance at every level so that we serve our Member Associations and stakeholders with the highest standards of integrity.”
Prior to joining CONCACAF, Bill served as Yahoo! Inc. Vice President and Associate General Counsel for the Americas and U.S. Hispanic markets since 2005. At Yahoo Inc., he was responsible for all legal affairs and public policy matters for a wide range of the company’s businesses and subsidiaries throughout the region.
“I am excited to join CONCACAF as Chief Legal and Chief Compliance Officer. This is a significant opportunity to continue strengthening the Confederation’s corporate governance structure, while further improving the legal and compliance function,” said Mr. Carvalho. “I look forward to taking on this new statutory responsibility and help CONCACAF comply with the strictest ethical standards in order to fully achieve its mission of developing football in the region.”
Mr. Carvalho, who speaks fluent English, Spanish and Portuguese, holds a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of California at Los Angeles.
The Confederation engaged Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA), one of the world’s largest and most-experienced legal search firms, to advise on key qualifications for the newly created position and oversee the global search that resulted in Mr. Carvalho’s hire.
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CONCACAF holds Referee Academy at CU15G
CONCACAF
CONCACAF is hosting a referee academy in conjunction with the CONCACAF U-15 Girls’ Championship at the ESPN Wide World of Sports.
The course aims to prepare those referees added to the 2016 FIFA International Panel of Referees and Assistant Referees and those that Member Associations will nominate to become a FIFA referee in 2017.
From August 8-21, fitness and technical instructors are conducting sessions focused on the requirements to meet CONCACAF standards.
As part of the academy, referee training revolves around daily fitness and technical sessions conducted on the field of play as well as extensive classroom debrief session highlighting the most significant coaching points from each day's matches.
Participants shared their view and passion with CONCACAF.com:
Brayan Lopez, fourth official (Guatemala)
“My passion for refereeing began as a child, when I was 13 years old. My brothers and I were influenced by our father, who was a referee. I’m very grateful to be here in the U.S. participating in this tournament. My brothers, who are in Rio for the 2016 Olympics, are great role models and my dream is to excel like them. The dream to referee the best games is what takes you to the next level.”
Wilson Tilus, new 2016 FIFA Assistant Referee (Haiti)
“CONCACAF has been giving me opportunities to officiate various matches. The U-15 Girls’ tournament provides a significant opportunity to gain challenging experience as it’s an international competition.”
Odette Hamilton, prospective FIFA referee (Jamaica)
“Refereeing for me comes first. Concentration, ability to make the right calls, self-motivation and being able to deal with criticism, are key aspects to be a referee.
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CONCACAF Leadership Visits Central American Member Associations
CONCACAF
FIFA Vice President and CONCACAF President, Victor Montagliani and General Secretary, Philippe Moggio, are conducting a five-day tour in Central America that started on Monday in Guatemala and includes visits to El Salvador and Honduras.
This is the first official Member Association visit of Montagliani since he was elected as CONCACAF President in May in Mexico. The trip provides the Confederation’s leadership with an opportunity to discuss with Member Association officials cooperation across a range of priorities and challenges to further develop football within the region.
CONCACAF officials commended the excellent work of the Normalization Committees of the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala and the Federación Nacional Autónoma de Fútbol de Honduras to implement reforms.
“These visits are a significant opportunity to reinvigorate our dialogue on the needs and challenges of CONCACAF’s Member Associations based on the interests of the game, as we continue working closely to provide assistance and tailor-made support on their reform processes,” said Montagliani. “Cooperation along our federations is crucial to achieve stability in our region, while ensuring the long-term growth of football.”
In El Salvador, Montagliani and Moggio held meetings with Executive Committee members of the Federación Salvadoreña de Fútbol.
CONCACAF Council Member, Pedro Chaluja and UNCAF President, Rafael Tinoco, accompanied the Confederation’s delegation during their visit to Guatemala and El Salvador.
In Honduras, Montagliani and Moggio held a private audience with the President of the country, Juan Orlando Hernandez, who also recognized the achievements and contributions of the Normalization Committee on and off the field.
President Montagliani will travel to Antigua and Barbuda on September 10 to meet with the CFU leadership during their first Executive Committee meeting.
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Montagliani describes what he inherited as a "shi_storm". (https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/sep/05/concacaf-president-vincent-montagliani-interview-fifa-corruption)
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Trending now: FIFA ethics committee fines former vice president Jeffrey Webb $1 million for taking bribes and bans him for life.
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Guyana is in search of a venue to host Jamaica in October. Lack of availability of one facility due to cricket and the present lack of official approval from CFU regarding a prospective alternative.
By the way, Guyana also has a new technical director. Hired: Ian Greenwood from England (Huddersfield Town and Leeds City College) with a start date of October 8, 2016.
Will update with details.
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Trending now: FIFA ethics committee fines former vice president Jeffrey Webb $1 million for taking bribes and bans him for life.
I'm sure he's not the only one within concacaf
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Eduardo Li, the former Costa Rican federation boss, entered a guilty plea in federal court in Brooklyn on Friday, regarding bribery and bribery-related charges. More to follow.
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BFA given a clean bill of financial health
The Royal Gazette
The Bermuda Football Association’s financial statements have been approved by the BFA Congress.
Audited by Deloitte for the period ending April 30, 2016, the statements were given the all clear at last month’s Annual General Meeting.
In a statement released yesterday the BFA said it was “extremely pleased” that Deloitte had been able to complete the process five months after the end of the financial year.
“The BFA is immensely proud to have received a clean audit opinion from Deloitte Limited,” the statement read.
“The BFA thanks the Association’s full-time Secretariat staff, in particular, financial controller Gideon Kigotho as well as our elected treasurer James Davis for their role in such a successful audit.
“The Association is overwhelmingly pleased, that for several years now, we have had our audited statements produced in such a short period of time.
“We recognise that as a large charitable organisation, we are the beneficiary of Government grants; corporate support; gate revenue from the general public and registration fees from affiliates and players alike.
“We are reassured that the Government, financial partners and people in general can have an extremely high level of confidence in our accounting and sound financial management of our operations.
“We thank everyone involved and look forward to continuing such high financial standards.”
The Executive Council of the BFA will now submit the audited statements to the Charities Commission and the Department of Youth and Sports in the Ministry of Social Development and Sports.
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FIFA to stage Women’s football administration course
Jamaica Observer
FIFA will stage a women’s football administrators course in Jamaica from December 5-9, 2016.
The course will be held at the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Technical Centre, the University of the West Indies, Mona.
The FIFA has appointed Yolanda Camacho from Costa Rica, who is more widely known as the organiser and managing director of the Women’s Under-17 World Cup soccer tournament held in 2013.
Camacho is a lifelong soccer fan and has spent many years volunteering at soccer events in Costa Rica. For the women’s under-17 tournament, she spent three years meticulously planning the two-week event that would host teams from 32 nations. Costa Rica was the first Central American nation to host a World Cup tournament.
Participants in this highly anticipated course will be drawn from parish associations targeting administrators at the level of the secretariat, as well as administrators in the youth development programme; team managers in the national programme and the clubs involved in the local women’s league; and members of the administrative staff of the JFF Secretariat.
Topics expected to be covered are: managing youth teams, male and female; match coordination; game day organisation; football office administration; support to technical staff; male/female dynamics in football; and administrative systems and procedures to benefit the sport.
The course will be officially opened at 2:00 pm [on Monday].
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CONCACAF C Licence Coaches receive their certificates
Barbados Football Association
Tuesday, November 15th, 2016 was a special day for 17 locally based coaches when they were officially presented with their CONCACAF C License during an extra-ordinary meeting of the Barbados Football Association.
These coaches boast of being the first of 18 coaches in the CONCACAF region to be granted the license offered by the regional body. The other one being from the Cayman Island.
The presentation was done by President of the BFA Randolph Harris who expressed his delight in the pass rate of the course which was held for the first time ever in Barbados. The course which was held in April lasted nine days and culminated with theoretical and field tests.
The new C License Coaches are as follows:
Albert Mapp
Andre Lewis
Andrew Tudor
Augustin Jacob
Carlos Jackman
Colin Harewood
Dexter Marshall
Fabian Massiah
Fitzgerald Carter
Frank Holder
Kent Hall
Kenroy Skinner
Kenville Layne
Peter Ashan
Peter Reijn – (Cayman Islands)
Renaldo Gilkes
Richard Forde
Trevor Joseph
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Sports Commentary: The Grenada Football Association is on a suicide mission
By Marcia Braveboy, Caribbean News Now.
The Jack Kevorkian Assisted Suicide Plan
The destruction of the very essence of association football in Grenada since it was formed in 1924 entered its preparatory stage on July 2, 2016, when 18 clubs voted to strip 30 of the 40 clubs of their direct voting right; their direct right to attend Grenada Football Association (GFA) meetings; their direct right to choose their GFA executive; their direct right to attend general council meetings and many more enshrined rights.
In fact, they also illegally terminated themselves from membership of the GFA by accepting a new and doctored GFA statute; a statute that removed the basic rights and privileges of playing GFA football from 30 clubs – in effect removing them from direct representation and association with GFA.
Henceforth these 30 clubs will be known as indirect members of the GFA or “stakeholders” which is the new jargon.
All this in the absence of a quorum. A quorum would have been 50%+1 or 21 voting members as the GFA statutes dictate.
This feat was achieved by a magnificent form of co-coercion by GFA executive in getting a minority of clubs to breach the GFA statutes by:
1. Voting for a document that was not completed;
2. Voting for a document that was not thoroughly examined by the body;
3. Allowing themselves to be blindsided into voting for a date of implementation long before a proper and legal meeting could be held as dictated by the GFA statutes.
What was frightening about the whole exercise is that, in this the 21st century, black Caribbean men – an entirely black management group – would take away the vote from their own and strip them of all their rights, including membership; all under the watchful eyes of two European-Swiss representatives of FIFA.
What a monumental travesty of epic proportions!
The old Colonial Trick
According to Article 17.1 of the GFA statutes, termination of membership means loss of membership of GFA, which entails loss of rights and the obligations associated with GFA member status.
As a result of this disenfranchisement of these clubs, the ten obligations as established within the statutes when they were members will no more be enforceable by the GFA.
Realizing this and in order to keep these clubs as football surrogates, the GFA executive/CONCACAF/FIFA demanded that these clubs be “licensed” via a 'club licensing program' under penalty of non-participation in association competitions.
The vice president is assiduously and frenetically pursuing this program, accompanied by not so subtle threats to club football in Grenada.
A neat way of keeping the clubs under the laws of GFA, while removing their right to vote and any direct say in the affairs of the GFA.
Much like the European colonialists did with our nutmeg, cocoa and banana farmers.
They own and control the means of production without direct participation by the producer and owner of the product.
A vile and insidious act by the GFA executive committee.
It seems that colonialism with a liberal touch of fascism is back in Grenada through the Grenada Football Association; and maybe the Swiss have found willing house slaves in Grenada, as they seek to dismantle this “one man one vote” thing of these Caribbean football upstarts.
Ironically, even the bastion of colonialism repudiated this attempt by the European Parliament to do exactly what is now being done to Grenada football – “legislation without representation” – the British called it BREXIT!
The “one man one vote” concept goes way back to Julian Fedon against the French, followed up by Eric Gairy and the granting of “adult suffrage” from the British, up to the Bishop era of “people's participation” in their governance.
What a direct and utter disregard for our history and our culture, not to mention the total disregard for GFA statutes, which have governed the GFA since 1924 when it was created when football-playing clubs came together as an associative organization with participation from all.
Denial of FAP Aid for Clubs
Followers of the GFA over the past six years have been taking note of the derisive and dismissive disregard the executive has for the general council club-representatives.
Clubs have been clamoring over the past six years for a fair share of the annual FAP funds sent by FIFA in order to offset their uniforms and transportation costs during the competition season.
Repeated promises were made with a plan for the Club Assistance Program (CAP) and the Parish Assistance Program (PAP).
Both programs were never funded; instead clubs saw increased spending on personnel and material peripheral to actual playing of club football in the nation.
Continuously bad governance reflected in debilitating decisions, relative to the expenditure of GFA funds, have resulted in the GFA having a debt of some $1.5 million.
This mission is accomplished – administrative suicide!
Financial Mismanagement?
For example, expenditure on the Women's National Team was authorized with no funds in the coffers and a vague promissory note from CONCACAF indicated by the president, and saw a ratcheted-up spending spree by the GFA executive.
The erection of a building at the Queen's Park to house the home of the GFA is nothing more than grandiosity espoused by the president; especially with clubs development and the football standard needing to be addressed.
So a home for GFA is built – in the same area as two sporting stadiums; one for cricket and the other dedicated to football and athletics; with both having more than 30 to 40 spaces available to the GFA for its home and offices.
Another bad decision; as clearly cost of maintenance of the GFA home as against occupying an already existing stadium, purposely built for football, complete with lights et al, was never considered by the GFA executive.
God forbid, another monthly and annual drain on the GFA operational funds; and if one were to guess the president's next move, it would be to employ a large staff, which would complement this new two-story building.
Another suicide mission in the making! Economic suicide!
Thirty Clubs Terminated from GFA
With names like Hampshire United, Mt Rich FC, Paradise FC, Queens Park Rangers, St John's Sports Club, Willis Youths, St Andrew's Football League, Tempe All Blacks, which spell out either village football clubs or parish football clubs; it would take an extreme narcissist with a sick delusion of grandeur to deny that the nemesis of football in Grenada is not villages and/or parishes – but conferences!
The GFA executive soundly rejects the notion of village football or parish football… in fact as far as the new GFA statute declares (the one in which the Cheney Joseph-led executive committee used the Jack Kevorkian technique – assisted suicide – on General Council) the Conference is the start of football recognition by the GFA as far as existing clubs are now concerned.
The new statutes do not, apart from the Premier League, recognize any of the previously existing 30 clubs as they are no more members of GFA, period, and do not have a direct vote.
It must be noted that, in the last elections held, the president and the vice president were elected by these same clubs.
The pledge by these two was to develop club football and to represent these clubs to the best of their ability.
What a double-cross by these two GFA executive members!
These clubs have been summarily stripped of their GFA membership, their votes taken away from them and then cast into football oblivion by these same executive members.
A masterfully executed assisted suicide on 30 clubs!
Breaching the Statutes
Ignoring the GFA 2010 statutes has become a regular phenomenon of the GFA executive.
The withholding of clubs’ and individuals’ rights by wanton disregard has played itself out time and again.
Former general-secretary Victor Daniel was unceremoniously fired by the executive at the urging of its president. The then vice-president Rado Griffith, who was absent when the decision was made, urged the executive to give Mr Daniel due process by allowing him to be heard.
True to form, the executive refused, triggering heated exchanges that spilled out of the meeting room and into the yard, finally ending in an assault between the president and vice-president.
The matter is still being heard in the law courts of Grenada.
Vice-president Radio Griffith himself fell prey to this constitutional shenanigan led by the president, which saw him duped out of the legal post of vice-president and replaced by the president's hand-pick, Allan James, a career police officer.
Mr Daniel and the GFA are now in court over remuneration for his tenure.
Following the dismissal of Victor Daniel as general-secretary, the GFA executive led by the president unleashed a two year dismissal onslaught on no less than seven GFA general-secretaries, including a female; searching for that someone who will be palatable to their president.
What is very instructive is the manner in which many of the victims vacated the office and the vitriolic letters that followed, taking aim at the apparent dictatorial attitude of the president.
These make interesting reading and give a serious insight into the manipulative excellence of the GFA executive led by the president.
The most glaring breach of the statutes by the GFA executive was the withholding of the “right to be heard” from GBSS FC.
This resulted in a serious disruption of Grenada football and finally the general council had to force the GFA executive to implement Art. 63 of the GFA statutes on arbitration.
The Final Solution
When egos become larger than life and extreme narcissism is added, what comes out of this human laboratory is a volatile mix that can easily turn into a suicide bomb unbeknownst to the human mind to which the bomb is strapped.
The GFA recently took on the mantle of “a final solution” when 18 out of 40 clubs voted for the removal of 30 of them as members of this sporting organization at an illegal extraordinary general council meeting.
Ironically, the clubs also voted in two new members viz: the Referees Association and the Coaches Association, who although are necessary to the playing of the game, do not kick a ball competitively within the GFA.
The meeting was illegal for the following reasons:
a. Clubs had already voted to abandon any meeting that could not show a quorum one hour after the scheduled time.
Twenty-one members had to be present and eligible to vote in order to form a quorum.
The meeting started two and a half hours after the scheduled time and members present and who were eligible to vote numbered 19.
A quorum was never established, thus the meeting, according to the GFA statutes, was not a legal one.
b. Voting took place on two matters, with both results showing that only 19 legal members voted, in direct violation of Art. 32.2 and 3 of the existing GFA statutes.
c. The gfa Statute spells out in detail in Art. 36 the format to be followed in the event of “...any proposal to amend the statutes of the GFA...” and is part of an annual general meeting agenda.
All the above were deliberately ignored by the Joseph-led executive committee in a Kevorkian style induced suicide on the 19 members of the GFA general council who were present that day.
The GFA comprises 40 clubs.
If the president and GFA executive continues upholding this illegal extraordinary council meeting and the removal of the majority of clubs from the membership of the GFA, then all is lost and the GFA will not be representative of football players in Grenada; and the original concept of democratic participation and one club one vote established since 1924 will die.
The football clubs will have to find an alternative or subject themselves to the extermination oven of the GFA – which is hell bent on removing clubs from association football as their 'Final Solution'.
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Ex-Nicaragua chief Julio Rocha pleads guilty to corruption charges
Associated Press
NEW YORK -- The former head of the Nicaraguan football federation has pleaded guilty in New York in the corruption scandal that has engulfed the sport's governing body.
Julio Rocha pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy on Wednesday (December 7) in federal court.
The case is part of a sprawling prosecution that triggered turmoil at FIFA, the governing body of international football.
Authorities say Rocha negotiated and accepted bribes totaling more than $150,000 linked to the sale of marketing rights.
Rocha was a FIFA development officer at the time of his arrest in May 2015. He was president of the Nicaraguan football federation from 1998 to 2012.
Rocha faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each count. He also has agreed to forfeit nearly $300,000.
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CONCACAF holds XXIII Extraordinary Congress
Boxscore World Sportwire
CONCACAF held its XXIII Extraordinary Congress on Saturday at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel, where Member Association representatives approved the Confederation’s 2015 audited financial statements.
CONCACAF President and FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani presided over the Congress, alongside members of the CONCACAF Council and General Secretary Philippe Moggio.
“Football comes first and is at the center of everything we do. This interest has to be more prevalent than anything else. We are building a new culture on the principles of transparency, accountability, and solid leadership,” said President Montagliani. “Our aim is to define our relationship with all associations and every member of the football community, by service and not by power.”
On the occasion of the Congress, CONCACAF invited Member Associations representatives to participate in a series of workshops designed to share best practices and tools to further develop the game. The program included a presentation on the initial steps to implement President Montagliani’s ONE CONCACAF Vision for the future of football. Through this vision, the Confederation will provide proper assistance to its Member Associations in order to improve their technical, development and administrative capabilities.
CONCACAF aims at establishing a path forward based on a new culture inspired by this vision, which includes four key pillars: Good Governance, Strategic Planning, Development and Strong Leadership.
The workshops program featured a question-and-answer session with special guest Steven Mandis, author of the book The Real Madrid Way: How Values Created the Most Successful Sports Team on the Planet.
This exchange provided insights about best practices on sports organization. Additionally, Mandis highlighted how transparency and trust are key to build a stronger brand.
“It is important to create an identity, aligning strategy with the culture and values of fans,” said Mandis, adjunct professor at Columbia Business School. “When an entire organization is focused on its identity it drives the passion and loyalty of fans, it attracts sponsors and generates revenues that enable investment in the best players of the world.”
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Ex-Nicaragua chief Julio Rocha pleads guilty to corruption charges
Associated Press
NEW YORK -- The former head of the Nicaraguan football federation has pleaded guilty in New York in the corruption scandal that has engulfed the sport's governing body.
Julio Rocha pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy on Wednesday (December 7) in federal court.
The case is part of a sprawling prosecution that triggered turmoil at FIFA, the governing body of international football.
Authorities say Rocha negotiated and accepted bribes totaling more than $150,000 linked to the sale of marketing rights.
Rocha was a FIFA development officer at the time of his arrest in May 2015. He was president of the Nicaraguan football federation from 1998 to 2012.
Rocha faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each count. He also has agreed to forfeit nearly $300,000.
Imagine the first friendly Djw organize is with Nic lol that should give you a good perspective of what type of person he is
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CONCACAF calls in feds (the football ones) to pass its 2015 accounting honeypot
By Paul Nicholson, Inside World Football.
CONCACAF is holding another extraordinary congress this Saturday (December 10), this time to approve the Confederation’s 2015 audited financial statements, remarkably almost a full year after the financial year ended. The positive from this is presumably that they managed to produce a set of accounts.
2015 was a year of disaster for the regional governing body. In Zurich in May, key executives President Jeffrey Webb, Cayman Islands, and Costa Rican FA president and executive committee member Eduardo Li, were arrested on corruption charges by the US Department of Justice.
Things did not get much better when stand-in president Alfredo Hawit, from Honduras, was arrested in the US, also on football-related corruption charges. Add in the downward spiral of marketing partner Traffic Sports and the arrest of its CEO Aaron Davidson, the financial picture looked bleak as contracts with suppliers were rapidly cancelled and the confederation scrambled to cut costs and get a grip of its operations.
But the financial picture painted in the accounts, which Insideworldfootball has seen, is actually far from bleak and shows a revenue return of more than $91 million from broadcast, sponsorship and ticketing from the blue riband national team Gold Cup competition.
Reconstituted at the last minute, the Gold Cup effectively saved the confederation from looking for a massive bail out, and paid for some chunky legal fees.
Total revenue for the year was $100.5 million against $32 million for 2014. The revenue from 2016 can be expected to be significant following the hosting of the successful Copa America Centenario in the US. That revenue will be split with CONMEBOL.
So the question then becomes, where did that $100 million go?
It certainly didn’t make its way to its national federations, most of whom live in poverty and on promises of good times to come; the kind of wage slavery the Caribbean in particular has become used to from its North American neighbours.
Details to the accounts lack a little transparency in the new world of football transparency trumpeted from the secretive hallways of Zurich by FIFA’s new president Gianni Infantino – zealously supported on his election day by the US and Canada – and supposedly implemented through the new reform process passed back in May 2016.
For a confederation brought to its knees by accusations of monetary theft, to wait so long to publish accounts in the year it came under the corruption microscope is a little eye-opening to say the least. Good governance in business would not allow such a long period to pass, nor generally would the relevant tax authorities. Though CONCACAF and certain executives have clearly developed a special relationship with the US justice department.
Of the $100.5 million, $52.4 million was expensed to ‘program services’, essentially competition expenses. The Gold Cup cost $24.8 million, the Champions League $7 million, ‘other events’ $18.1 million and development $2.4 million.
It is the detail and obfuscation in the ‘Support Services’ expense line – a hefty $31.1 million – that really needs questioning and a detailed breakdown. Within that figure ‘governance’ expense is pegged at $6.2 million and ‘general and administrative’ at $22.9 million.
Insideworldfootball has previously reported that lawyers Sidley Austin in their prime were billing CONCACAF $1 million a month. Samir Gandhi, Sidley Austin’s lead on the CONCACAF project was even the confederation’s representative on FIFA’s reform committee – presumably he was billing for that time as well. New president Victor Montagliani was also on that committee, one wonders who he might have billed.
In a note to the BDO audited accounts it is stated that: “During the year ended December 31, 2015 CONCACAF spent a total of $10,174,366 in Investigation and Reform Implementation costs. Comparable amounts spent with such firms was $42,665 in 2014. Expenditures for this work have continued during 2016.”
While the note says 11 vendors are included in this expense, the bulk can be safely assumed to have gone to Sidley Austin; who incidentially were also brought into to help with the clean-up of CONCACAF after the Jack Warner vote buying scandals. Clearly CONCACAF can provide a career defining opportunity.
In May 2016 CONCACAF elected Montagliani to the presidency in a controversial election that saw FIFA remove his main challenger, and likely election winner, Gordon Derrick, president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU). He was removed from standing on the basis that FIFA would not accept him in Zurich on their executive committee, a dubious decision to say the least and the first of a number of elections FIFA has attempted to get involved in both in the Caribbean and elsewhere in the world.
Derrick subsequently was re-elected to the CFU presidency despite Montagliani and FIFA intervention in that election too. If there is a theme it is that the new CONCACAF and its friends are strong on intervention and short on finance for its membership, preferring to keep the cash under their control. The Caribbean has been both marginalised and impoverished while others have profited – and, not surprisingly, this doesn’t make them comfortable. Their future does not appear to be any different with the centralisation of power over all activity (development initiatives and local competitions) in Miami.
In the days before Congress the federations have been invited to participate in a number of workshops in Miami “designed to share best practices and develop capabilities across a range of functional and administrative areas,” according to a CONCACAF press release. There is an irony there that has not been lost on CFU delegates.
Montagliani will preside over the Extraordinary Congress to get the 2015 accounts passed. He was present and on the frontline of the 2015 corruption chaos as part of the 3-man emergency committee tasked to run the organisation – all other committees were scrapped. As such, he was a player in the decisions being taken within the confederation, decisions that ultimately lead to these accounts in their current form – and on the surface they reflect an impressive save by the confederation.
Whether all the federations will be so impressed with these numbers remains to be seen. The Caribbean members are not to be underestimated in political circles and together they are still a potentially controlling block. They are unlikely to carry on compliantly accepting another whitewash from the rich and those who see themselves as their masters.
Contact the writer of this story at paul.nicholson@insideworldfootball.com
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www.concacaf.com/awards
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Former CONCACAF bigwigs Hawit and Callejas given life bans
By Andrew Warshaw, Inside World Football.
Three months after disgraced former CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb – not so long ago touted as a possible successor to Sepp Blatter – was banned for life, two more once all-powerful officials of the same confederation have suffered the same fate with Hondurans Alfredo Hawit and Rafael Callejas thrown out of the game by FIFA’s ethics committee for taking bribes as part of the US-led football corruption scandal.
Hawit was a former FIFA vice-president but Callejas even ran the Honduras government having been state president from 1990 to 1994.
Amid the fallout from the scandal which uncovered a $200 million web of corruption and threw FIFA into turmoil, both are awaiting sentencing in the United States.
The move was hardly a surprise since FIFA’s ethics committee routinely imposes life bans on officials who have pleaded guilty. The committee said both men took bribes from marketing companies linked to awarding commercial rights to World Cup qualifying matches. Hawit was interim president of CONCACAF in succession to Webb when he was arrested in Zurich in December last year.
Hawit pleaded guilty in a federal court in New York in April to racketeering conspiracy, two counts of wire fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to obstruct justice. He admitted to having received “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in bribes from two sports marketing companies seeking media rights for football matches and tournaments including 2014, 2018, and 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
Hawit is the third CONCACAF president to be banned for life since the scandal exploded in May last year, following the expulsion of Jack Warner (Hawit acted as interim president then as well), who is fighting extradition to the US in his native Trinidad and Tobago, and Webb, the latter also awaiting sentence after pleading guilty to racketeering charges.
Callejas, a member of FIFA’s Marketing and TV committee when he was indicted by American prosecutors, pleaded guilty in March to charges of racketeering and wire fraud conspiracy and admitted, like Hawit, accepting bribes in exchange for awarding marketing rights to World Cup tournament matches in 2014, 2018 and 2022. He was also president of the Honduras federation, FENAFUTH, from 2002-15 and is due to be sentenced at the end of January.
FIFA’s ethics committee said, in a statement, that the pair had broken rules on bribery and corruption, conflicts of interest, loyalty and duty of disclosure. “As a consequence, both officials are banned for life from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at national and international level.”
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Montagliani backs expanded 2026 as CONCACAF looks set for co-hosting bid
By Andrew Warshaw, Inside World Football.
CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani has given another strong hint that the first 48-team World Cup could be jointly staged by the USA, Mexico and his native Canada.
Montagliani said a three-way hosting in 2026 was “a definite possibility” given that few countries can organise an enlarged competition on their own.
“I think there seems to be a prevailing thought that a confederation-type bid with multiple hosts is probably good for football,” Montagliani told reporters following Tuesday’s FIFA Council meeting that approved the first World Cup expansion for 28 years. “Those are discussions that will probably accelerate.”
“In some regions not only does co-hosting make more sense, it’s the only sense. From the organisational standpoint, there will be more games, more training facilities but it increases the opportunity for revenue, for exposure. In the end, I thought the (expansion) decision was made for the right reasons.
“Some countries are maybe spoilt because they go all the time, like Germany, so maybe they take it for granted but, for a lot of countries making it to the World Cup, it’s the biggest thing to happen to that country.”
CONCACAF is a shoo-in for selection for 2026 given that Europe and Asia are excluded following the choice of Russia and Qatar as hosts of the next two World Cups. For the first time under FIFA’s reform process, the 2026 host will be picked by FIFA’s entire 211-nation membership, rather than just an elite few. So far, only Morocco – so often the bridesmaid, never the bride – has expressed any kind of appetite for bidding from outside CONCACAF.
With 80 matches instead of 64, FIFA forecasts $1 billion in extra revenue but Montagliani denied football’s world governing body was putting profit before football and said the FIFA Council decision had been based on thoughful analysis of what was involved rather than “on a nod and wink” – a strategy FIFA was accused of under Sepp Blatter. “Maybe the time has come when we don’t do things on winks and nods any more,” he said.
CONCACAF seems likely to get at least 1.5 extra slots at an expanded tournament, maybe more. Certainly, Mexico and Canada would seek automatic places if they stage the 2026 World Cup jointly with the US. “From a confederation standpoint we are at 3.5. There will obviously have to be more than four in a 48-team World Cup but there is no number we have in our head right now,” said Montagliani.
Asked whether Donald Trump’s presidency would create any friction over a proposed joint bid between the United States and Mexico, he replied: “He’s a big sports fan and you would hope that football can trump politics – no pun intended.”
Montegliano did admit, however, that most confederations would have to tweak their qualification formats after 2022. He didn’t say as much but South America is perhaps a case in point.
With seven of their 10 members likely to be offered places in the finals, CONMEBOL’s two-year qualifying process risks being seriously downgraded. One solution might be to split the format into two qualifying groups of five rather than lump all 10 together. “It’s an issue we will discuss internally if and when the time comes,” CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez of Paraguay told Insideworldfootball.
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CONCACAF and FEMEXFUT Boost Football Development with Educational Program
CONCACAF
Joint effort offers tools to raise the game’s level for coaches and referees from across the region
The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación (FEMEXFUT) announced today a joint effort to continue improving the standard of football within the region through a Program of Refereeing Excellence and Coaching Education.
The program conducted in the new facilities of FEMEXFUT in Toluca, Mexico, provides an innovative platform to train Technical Development Directors from 35 Member Associations as well as top national-level referees in a professional environment.
“The Program of Excellence for Referees and Coaching Education is an important step in investing in football, a pillar of our ONE CONCACAF Vision. The Confederation and FEMEXFUT are working together to implement the initiative, which represents a key deliverable to accomplish our mission to develop the game,” said CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani. “For the first time, CONCACAF and FEMEXFUT have established a program that presents unique educational tools to increase and improve the sport quality within the region.”
Coaches and referees will have customized access to FEMEXFUT’s educational resources, including special sessions on technical, physical, psychological, and nutritional aspects.
“The Federación Mexicana de Fútbol is very proud to announce this joint initiative with CONCACAF. This program represents a fundamental step forward for football development,” said the President of the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol, Decio de María. "The Program of Refereeing Excellence and Coaching Education will offer valuable elements that will enable us to continue evolving in order to meet the demands of today’s world of football."
Coaching Education
The Coaching Education course, which also offers modules on how to develop youth and lower divisions, kicks off on Monday, January 16 through Friday, January 20, 2017.
Furthermore, UEFA’s Head of Football Education Services, Frank Ludolph, will speak about the importance of grassroots development and best practices to raise the level in this area.
Refereeing
Top national-level referees will be trained, over an eight-week period, by professional referees from Mexico as well as FIFA Instructors. Participants will be assigned selected games to officiate in one of the lower divisions of FEMEXFUT, commensurate with their level of refereeing. This program consists of two four-week sessions: the Introductory Course, which begins on Monday, January 30 to Monday, February 27; and a Certification Course that will begin on Monday, September 4 to Monday, October 2, 2017.
Through a thorough application process that resulted in over 30 candidates, CONCACAF selected 14 referees that will participate in the program.
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You mean to say we can't get them courses at the center of excellence anymore. Shimms man. Jack, whey you!
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CONCACAF and FEMEXFUT Boost Football Development with Educational Program
CONCACAF
Joint effort offers tools to raise the game’s level for coaches and referees from across the region
The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación (FEMEXFUT) announced today a joint effort to continue improving the standard of football within the region through a Program of Refereeing Excellence and Coaching Education.
The program conducted in the new facilities of FEMEXFUT in Toluca, Mexico, provides an innovative platform to train Technical Development Directors from 35 Member Associations as well as top national-level referees in a professional environment.
“The Program of Excellence for Referees and Coaching Education is an important step in investing in football, a pillar of our ONE CONCACAF Vision. The Confederation and FEMEXFUT are working together to implement the initiative, which represents a key deliverable to accomplish our mission to develop the game,” said CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani. “For the first time, CONCACAF and FEMEXFUT have established a program that presents unique educational tools to increase and improve the sport quality within the region.”
Coaches and referees will have customized access to FEMEXFUT’s educational resources, including special sessions on technical, physical, psychological, and nutritional aspects.
“The Federación Mexicana de Fútbol is very proud to announce this joint initiative with CONCACAF. This program represents a fundamental step forward for football development,” said the President of the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol, Decio de María. "The Program of Refereeing Excellence and Coaching Education will offer valuable elements that will enable us to continue evolving in order to meet the demands of today’s world of football."
Coaching Education
The Coaching Education course, which also offers modules on how to develop youth and lower divisions, kicks off on Monday, January 16 through Friday, January 20, 2017.
Furthermore, UEFA’s Head of Football Education Services, Frank Ludolph, will speak about the importance of grassroots development and best practices to raise the level in this area.
Refereeing
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Did not see him in the official photos, but I gather the Technical Director is in attendance. Have not independently confirmed. If he is in attendance, then would he have been absent from part of the Technical Committee proceedings regarding coach selection?
Clarification on this would be insightful. Vote in absentia?
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Yep, Issa is in Mex.
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Yep, Issa is in Mex.
Working for the cartel?
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Jack Warner sued.
T&T Newsday Reports.
FORMER president Jack Warner as well as Charles “Chuck” Blazer, have been sued by CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football), who have claimed victimisation by the duo who were charged in the infamous 2015 FIFA bribery scandal.
In a story on the Associated Press (AP) yesterday, CONCACAF have accused Warner (who served as CONCACAF president from 1990- 2011) and Blazer (who was CONCACAF’s general secretary during Warner’s tenure), “of making a fortune through embezzlement....
allegations that mirror those in a (sprawling) United States criminal investigation that has resulted in charges against several top football officials.” The lawsuit seeks compensation in the sum of US$20 million.
This is another stain in Warner’s reputation as a leading football administrator, who have been embroiled in the 2011 cash-for-votes scandal __ which saw him resign as CONCACAF and CFU (Caribbean Football Union) boss; the Haiti earthquake funds saga; the CONCACAF Integrity Committee report of 2013 which saw him and Blazer accused of mismanagement and massive fraud; and the FIFA corruption scandal of 2015 with Warner indicted by the US Department of Justice for wire fraud, racketeering and money laundering.
The 73-year-old Warner and 71-year-old Blazer, were accused by CONCACAF of negotiating bribes and kickbacks in connection with lucrative broadcasting rights for tournaments including CONCACAF’s Gold Cup championship.
CONCACAF is seeking US$20 million in compensatory damages and unspecified punitive damages.
“There can be no doubt that Warner and Blazer victimised CONCACAF, stealing and defrauding it out of tens of millions of dollars in brazen acts of corruption for their own personal benefit at the expense of the entire CONCACAF region,” the suit stated.
The story noted that Blazer have pleaded guilty and cooperated in the criminal probe while Warner has been fighting extradition since the 2015 FIFA scandal.
RELATED NEWS
CONCACAF sues two ex-officials charged in FIFA bribery scandal
T&T Express
North America’s soccer federation has filed a lawsuit claiming it was victimised by two defendants charged in the FIFA bribery scandal.
In papers filed earlier this week in federal court in Brooklyn, the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) accuses former FIFA officials Jack Warner and Charles Blazer of making a fortune through embezzlement — allegations that mirror those in a sprawling US criminal investigation that has resulted in charges against several top football officials.
The suit accuses the pair of negotiating bribes and kickbacks in connection with lucrative broadcasting rights for tournaments including CONCACAF’s Gold Cup championship.
“There can be no doubt that Warner and Blazer victimised CONCACAF, stealing and defrauding it out of tens of millions of dollars in brazen acts of corruption for their own personal benefit at the expense of the entire CONCACAF region,” the suit says.
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Editorial: Piracy in the Caribbean
By Paul Nicholson (insideworldfootball.com)
The battle for political control of the Caribbean is entering a crucial phase, and it has nothing to do with football and everything to do with controlling the votes, the agenda and the money. At the centre of the power play is the CONCACAF-driven attempts to remove Caribbean Football Union (CFU) president Gordon Derrick from office and split the CFU membership.
The war has moved into a phase uglier than even the politics of the disgraced Jack Warner era with allegations that FIFA money has been repeatedly threatened to be withheld from the CFU until member associations remove Derrick. It is political blackmail of the worst kind from a faction that clearly believes it can do and get away with whatever it wants.
The political support of the Caribbean as a block has long been a route to achieving high office in world football, not just within CONCACAF but also at FIFA. It is this block vote that CONCACAF is looking to break up as the dominatingly North American-centric organisation reinvents itself as a credible confederation on the world stage.
While the North Americans need to break the Caribbean solidarity to bring the numbers to cement their political power base, Derrick has been a strong and reasonably well-supported voice for Caribbean unity, arguing that it is only with a unity of purpose that the Caribbean’s 31 members can achieve a football equality both within CONCACAF and the world game. In reality the two positions might not be that far apart but the (One)CONCACAF mandarins, puppeteers and opportunists want a bloody and example-making execution that will resonate – Derrick’s.
It is the North American block and its influence that has stood slavishly behind FIFA president Gianni Infantino as it deals its way to the centre of world football’s governing body and the hosting of the 48-team 2026 World Cup with automatic qualifying places for the three host nations of Canada, Mexico and the US. Infantino’s next election is in 2019 – it would be naïve to think that the global manipulation of confederation politics is purely for the good of the global game rather than predominantly for the purpose of his 2019 re-election.
The politics of the process have been impressive, if a little uncomfortable in the new ‘football first’ and transparently reformed FIFA – well, judge for yourself on that. A hard look at the politics and coercion in Africa will tell you whether global football is really travelling to a better place. After all, there sits a new African president who solicited a payment from a man who is banned from life from football for making illegal payments. He was working for a man who is banned for life from football for making illegal payments. This is your new FIFA – a Russian doll of Trumpian values.
From the current football top table viewpoint, looking down (in all ways) on the Caribbean, divide and rule is the strategy. Previous attempts to unseat Derrick in CFU elections at the end of last year failed with a CONCACAF-backed opponent from Trinidad. That election win seems almost forgotten with a number of his opponents calling for his resignation at the CFU meeting held in Aruba at the same time as the CONCACAF Annual Congress almost two weeks ago.
They co-ordinated an attempt from the floor of the CFU congress calling on Derrick to resign, based on the loss of a recent appeal he had before CAS.
It is important to look closer at what this appeal loss was about as it points towards a big brother agenda that does neither football’s newly installed Gods or those in the CFU using it as a blunt tool any credit – intellectually or politically.
Derrick had appealed against FIFA’s ban on him standing for election to the CONCACAF presidency – a presidential battle won by Canada’s Victor Montagliani. The position comes with a seat on the FIFA Council which FIFA said Derrick could not have taken up because of a reprimand he had previously received from FIFA Ethics – hence his ban from the election. Note – CONCACAF did not ban him, they were happy with his conduct and passed him for the election, it is only recently they have ‘strategically’ and suddenly decided to become concerned.
The reprimand that led to Derrick’s election was over the investigation into the 2011 cash-for-votes scandal in the Caribbean – CONCACAF’s first major corruption scandal.
And this is where some of the CFU members need to look very closely at themselves as many of those presidents took the $40,000 of Mohammad Bin Hammam cash, but are still in position, some of them on CONCACAF’s own top committee.
Derrick didn’t take the cash – one of the few. But he was nevertheless reprimanded by FIFA who said he hadn’t complied fully with the investigation into those that did. It was a reprimand and a fine lower than the threshold you can appeal against at FIFA. Remember, in most countries you can appeal against a parking ticket. Derrick’s reprimand was barely at that level, but it became a convenient reprimand for those needing leverage (just ask Qatar’s Saud Al-Mohannadi what being on the wrong end of that kind of politics is like) and useful for excluding him from the election he would have likely won.
Derrick took his appeal to CAS … and lost. The wording of the CAS ruling is the important part here. After a remarkably long wait, CAS ruled that FIFA were procedurally correct in their decision – they, conveniently for FIFA, did not go so far as to rule that the initial reprimand was incorrect or even reason its correctness. In fact, there was no ruling on the ‘whole’ of the case before them. Instead they chose to rule on the authority FIFA had to make their ruling. Their spineless lack of commonsense justice has for Derrick compounded the situation – convenient for CAS, face-saving for FIFA and great for CONCACAF and its political objectives in the Caribbean.
A quick look at other cases shows the inequity/duplicity/political expedience (delete as appropriate) of the process as it concerned Derrick. Liberia’s Musa Bility was banned from standing for the FIFA presidency but welcomed with open arms on to CAF’s executive committee. UEFA’s Angel Maria Villar was disciplined and fined CHF 25,000 by FIFA Ethics but was still allowed to stand for the UEFA presidency and sits on FIFA’s Council. The common factor here is that Bility and Villar are both significant supporters of Infantino.
Derrick was reprimanded the price of a dinner for two with a cheap wine in a Zurich restaurant and is subsequently being pilloried from Aruba to Trindad via Canada, the Dominican Republic, Barbados, the Cayman Islands and Grenada. Is this FIFA’s ethics and value system in action?
With CFU members being pushed to make a stand and CONCACAF president Montagliani even separately briefing local journalists that Derrick must go because of the CAS ruling, plus the threats of “no money unless he goes”, fast forward the plot to Aruba, Trinidad and a trip on which the plot’s Caribbean ring leaders are visited by jet-loving Gianni on one of his ‘papal’ visits (this time his wife and mother weren’t accompanying him on the jet).
The full context for the visit is unclear – he shook hands of loyal supporters, met island leaders, was shielded from press questions by failing microphones and over-zealous guardians, came up with a curiously old-world definition of racism and how to combat it, opened a national training centre, probably kissed a few babies and of course played a football match (he scored the opening goal, one of the best seen by a FIFA president in the Caribbean).
What he didn’t do was contact or visit the CFU president, discuss the plans for a Caribbean Professional League or even enquire how the $1 million he had promised the CFU at the FIFA Congress in Mexico last May was going to be spent. What money? It hasn’t arrived yet but as Infantino theatrically remonstrated with pointy fingers and waving arms in Mexico City, “It is YOUR money.” But it appears only when he and his elite band of electioneers decide YOU can have it, and that comes with conditions.
The CFU Congress itself was an emotional affair. With Derrick withstanding a challenge to resign in the preceding executive committee meeting, Puerto Rico Football Association president Eric Labrador, (that really is his name and one presumes he was following his master’s orders) resigned from the executive committee on the floor of the congress. Since then First Vice-President Cheney Joseph, the Grenada Football Association boss, has also resigned. If the principal of their resignation is the principle of the CAS appeal then they probably haven’t taken the trouble to read the ruling or understand the case. Even the smartest attack canines generally look before they leap.
This tale is of course what politics is about. And this is all about politics and has little to do with football. Derrick has become the proverbial political football and has taken a bit of a kicking as a result of the personal ambitions of football’s new political elite and their use of their power and influence.
For the moment Derrick stays and the battle for Caribbean football’s self determination through its own elected union representatives continues, just. But it is a frontier under attack and being deliberately starved of cash by bullies with a non-football agenda.
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It's only going to get more interesting with the opening of FIFA's regional office in Barbados. Note where and cross-check with the article above.
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So the sitting house negro "the dictator" is undermining Derrick as we had discussed before in an attempt to split the vote in the Caribbean and weaken our position for his own self interest...
Like I've stated previously, they are sabotaging Caribbean football and TT football... like I've said before, we hold a lot of power but the corrupt underbelly is tying to marginalize us and the region.. The dictator is a part of this plot and sabotage..
I'm happy this reporter has the guts to report the subterfuge and corruption..
The Caribbean needs 3 spots or at least 2 and a half to advance our regional football, the dictator is against this as was Warner..
Once we allow house negroes to rule, we will face this internal sabotage and TT and Caribbean football as a whole will not progress..
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Contro, I can see why you feel that the dictator's role in sabotaging our chances is part of the bigger picture. This article backs up your point.
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It back up his point, to a point. Unless our players step their game, we not going anywhere. Even if there is 4 spots. Our games have to increase their fitness and stamina, and most importantly, their skill level. We all know there is sabotage, but the game is played on the field, not in the boardroom.
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It back up his point, to a point. Unless our players step their game, we not going anywhere. Even if there is 4 spots. Our games have to increase their fitness and stamina, and most importantly, their skill level. We all know there is sabotage, but the game is played on the field, not in the boardroom.
I hate to break it to you Deeks but you're talking rubbish..
Do you understand that if the cfu is given at least 2 and a half spots, how much higher the standard of our football would be?
Here is what will happen:
1) greater sponsorship opportunities for all teams as now we are guaranteed to be on the world stage and be viewed by billions; as a result of this, we will have generate more money and greater attendance as now our nations would actually have something to play for and give hope to the youths that dream of playing on the world stage
2) our chances of having an amalgamated Caribbean pro league will become reality as now we will be deemed in the top echelon of teams qualifying for a World Cup, more viewers and more sponsorship, our regional governments and private investors will be put to the sword if they don't invest since we now have an avenue
3) our players will be valued higher and the raw talent and skill we possess would be on showcase to the world and would demand better clubs overseas and salaries
4) we hold a blue chip as voting as a bloc, we are the swing vote, the institutional racism that we have been facing is due to many saying we not ready or talented or can't manage our football, of course we can, if external interference were to stop and we elected the real lovers of football we would progress; they want you to think we have no power and that we are powerless, that's bull, a clever deception
Would you like me to continue? Or the examples aren't enough to prove we deserve wc spots?
We have talent in TT, last time I check, Hart qualified us for the hex and sparred with big teams which we were on par with, Argentina was the only game we were out of touch but that's because we hardly play those caliber teams, if we played them more, we would be right there with them...
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Contro., I know all about the politics of sponsorship, money, curry-favour, etc. I know all about what the increase to 4 spots for Concacaf will indeed HELP raise the level of the regional teams. But if 2 additional spots are not allocated, what then. We go put we hands up in the air and scream racism.
I watching national football since earlier 70s. In 71, I watch Chelsea methodical pick apart a TT national, even though we played fairly good counter attacking football, and Chelsea scraped thru with a 3-2 win. I watched the Chelsea players instinctively and consistently put themselves in position to receive, give back or pass the ball in any direction. With confidence. And I wonder how can we( not only the national team, but all the footballers) become like that. If you as a ball player don't seek to learn a lesson from that, then what? Fete match. Each generation, each decade is the same thing.
Contro, we not on par with any big team. Recently when we played Mexico we raised our level and give them a good fight. Then we fall flat to Haiti and Panama. The US has been running and outmuscling us since that debacle in HCS for Italy WC. We never beat JA or CR in a WC game. We probably beat the US once in WC game, if ever. If you is ah baller, you should not only watch EPL and LaLiga, Calcio or Bundesliga and marvel at Messi, Ronaldo, etc. Study the history of regional football where you play. The road to the WC is thru Mex, US, CR, JA, Haiti, Panama, not Madrid, London, Berlin.
The TTFA eh helping, the business eh helping, then is the very few dedicated coaches, the players that HAVE to do it. The very few dedicated coaches and players will have to carry TT until some kind of sanity is restored. We in for a rough 3 yrs with that dolt DJW. I have no problem with his organization, but his recent actions does not bode well for TT football. You can't tell us anything new. Yes you predicted DJW would be a real shit snake, but he was elected under the rule put forward by the committee. I hope when elections come around, that your team is ready to play it dirty like DJW, to get elected to run TT football.
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Contro., I know all about the politics of sponsorship, money, curry-favour, etc. I know all about what the increase to 4 spots for Concacaf will indeed HELP raise the level of the regional teams. But if 2 additional spots are not allocated, what then. We go put we hands up in the air and scream racism.
I watching national football since earlier 70s. In 71, I watch Chelsea methodical pick apart a TT national, even though we played fairly good counter attacking football, and Chelsea scraped thru with a 3-2 win. I watched the Chelsea players instinctively and consistently put themselves in position to receive, give back or pass the ball in any direction. With confidence. And I wonder how can we( not only the national team, but all the footballers) become like that. If you as a ball player don't seek to learn a lesson from that, then what? Fete match. Each generation, each decade is the same thing.
Contro, we not on par with any big team. Recently when we played Mexico we raised our level and give them a good fight. Then we fall flat to Haiti and Panama. The US has been running and outmuscling us since that debacle in HCS for Italy WC. We never beat JA or CR in a WC game. We probably beat the US once in WC game, if ever. If you is ah baller, you should not only watch EPL and LaLiga, Calcio or Bundesliga and marvel at Messi, Ronaldo, etc. Study the history of regional football where you play. The road to the WC is thru Mex, US, CR, JA, Haiti, Panama, not Madrid, London, Berlin.
The TTFA eh helping, the business eh helping, then is the very few dedicated coaches, the players that HAVE to do it. The very few dedicated coaches and players will have to carry TT until some kind of sanity is restored. We in for a rough 3 yrs with that dolt DJW. I have no problem with his organization, but his recent actions does not bode well for TT football. You can't tell us anything new. Yes you predicted DJW would be a real shit snake, but he was elected under the rule put forward by the committee. I hope when elections come around, that your team is ready to play it dirty like DJW, to get elected to run TT football.
You're stuck in the past, 71' brother?
Speaking of Haiti where the dictator sabotaged and kerron was shot, a lot of incidents happened before that match, the team almost went on strike..
Psychologically you need to have your team ready... you tend to forget or lose the plot a lot..
The dictator was not elected fairly, Ramdhans appeal fell on deaf ears, fifa allowed it to happen...
Trinidad and Tobago has no autonomy, once you understand that concept, you will stop spinning your wheels with those excuses or Continuous self blame you have written above..
Our team is the most talented squad in the region with Mexico, period... you can choose to not believe that and stay in that oppressed mindset, I choose not to...
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You're stuck in the past, 71' brother?
Breds, I very much in the present. I telling you how long I have observed the pattern of TT football. I even played club football for a brief 3 yr period. We have very brief periods of highs and very long periods of lows. Things eh change that much other than there is a "professional" league. That is if you want to call it professional. And we have more stadiums than before. But in my opinion we worse off. We disengaged from the game now.People don't go to see ball. Even ex-players don't go to see ball.
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You're stuck in the past, 71' brother?
Breds, I very much in the present. I telling you how long I have observed the pattern of TT football. I even played club football for a brief 3 yr period. We have very brief periods of highs and very long periods of lows. Things eh change that much other than there is a "professional" league. That is if you want to call it professional. And we have more stadiums than before. But in my opinion we worse off. We disengaged from the game now.People don't go to see ball. Even ex-players don't go to see ball.
They don't go to see ball because the heads of our football killed the game locally..
Just like they are trying to kill cricket locally as well... does that mean we have no talent and talent that can't compete with the best, no..
We have the talent despite the despots and undermining of our local football ....
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Just like they are trying to kill cricket locally as well... does that mean we have no talent and talent that can't compete with the best, no..
Leh me clarify something, here. Yes we have talent. Just like Grenada, Guyana, Suriname, Nigeria, Cameroon, Morocco, etc, have talent. But harnessing our players talent in an effective manner to get the best out of them for the long term is our problem. Just like this current WC squad. If most of those guys were groomed properly, all the bakanal that happening now would not have affected them. They would have raised their level above all the chaos. And this has been a continuous problem for us since I watching TT football.
You think TT has bad officials. Look at Nigeria, Cameroon, Togo, Ghana, Togo. They always complaining. Threaten to strike, boycott. Team bus attacked on the way to tournament. Them players does just rise to the occasion out of pure determination and their talent. And most times is just raw talent.
I eh doubting you that we have talent. You are correct. But the talent are wasted. Peter Mitchell, Danny Williams, Wayne Smith, Bert Neptune, Jimmy Springer, the Hardest Jemmot, and on and on and on. You could continue. Something always happening for some of the brightest and best of the talented to either drop out, fall by the wayside or were not guided properly. The ones who were not guided properly and get to go further, are the ones who can't even make it in the USL or UK Championship.
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Just like they are trying to kill cricket locally as well... does that mean we have no talent and talent that can't compete with the best, no..
Leh me clarify something, here. Yes we have talent. Just like Grenada, Guyana, Suriname, Nigeria, Cameroon, Morocco, etc, have talent. But harnessing our players talent in an effective manner to get the best out of them for the long term is our problem. Just like this current WC squad. If most of those guys were groomed properly, all the bakanal that happening now would not have affected them. They would have raised their level above all the chaos. And this has been a continuous problem for us since I watching TT football.
You think TT has bad officials. Look at Nigeria, Cameroon, Togo, Ghana, Togo. They always complaining. Threaten to strike, boycott. Team bus attacked on the way to tournament. Them players does just rise to the occasion out of pure determination and their talent. And most times is just raw talent.
I eh doubting you that we have talent. You are correct. But the talent are wasted. Peter Mitchell, Danny Williams, Wayne Smith, Bert Neptune, Jimmy Springer, the Hardest Jemmot, and on and on and on. You could continue. Something always happening for some of the brightest and best of the talented to either drop out, fall by the wayside or were not guided properly. The ones who were not guided properly and get to go further, are the ones who can't even make it in the USL or UK Championship.
I agree but this has very little to do with the sabotage by the dictator and fifas role in it...
Our program is run by house negroes that continue to wreck havoc on our program, so yes we have problems with our super talents but currently it's sabotage
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CFU president faces four-year ban; John-Williams could benefit from FIFA hounding of rival
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868).
Embattled Caribbean Football Union (CFU) president Gordon Derrick could find himself crowbarred out of office by FIFA, after the world governing body’s ethics committee today recommended a four-year ban from all football activities for the Antigua and Barbuda native.
The ethics committee, which is chaired by Dr Cornel Borbély, focused on Derrick’s “alleged conflicts of interest, offering and accepting gifts and other benefits, mismanagement of funds, abuse of position and disloyalty.”
The adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee, which is chaired by Hans-Joachim Eckert, has now opened formal proceedings against Derrick, who is also the general secretary of the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA).
If Eckert’s chamber agrees with the decision of the Borbély-led committee, it would mean that the CFU will soon need a new president. And Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president David John-Williams is the most likely beneficiary of Derrick’s possible demise.
John-Williams challenged Derrick at the last CFU elections on 23 July 2016—on the Trinidadian’s 54th birthday—but lost by 18 votes to 12 with one abstention.
Derrick declined comment on the FIFA investigations and said he will seek legal advice on the ethics committee’s decision.
Unquestionably, though, the ruling by the Borbély-led body fits FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s vision for a new CONCACAF. And Derrick has had a bullseye on his back for the past year.
Whatever the strength of the case against Derrick, the outline of the matter immediately raises eyebrows.
FIFA offered few details in their release. However, Wired868 understands that FIFA is investigating a claim against Derrick by disgraced former ABFA general secretary Chet Greene, which is between two and a half years to six years old depending on whom you ask.
Greene was one of former CONCACAF president Jack Warner’s most trusted regional lieutenants and he once threatened to throw British investigative journalist Andrew Jennings down a flight of stairs.
In 2003, FIFA auditors found that a US$1 million GOAL grant to Antigua and Barbuda—during Greene’s tenure—was unaccounted for while the ABFA general secretary pocketed US$4,500 a month despite having a full-time job at the island’s Ministry of Sport at the time.
Greene was eventually ousted as ABFA general secretary in 2004 after a petition against his football body signed by several prominent Antiguan sportsmen, including West Indies cricket legends Sir Vivian Richards, Curtly Ambrose and Andy Roberts.
Ironically, Greene is now Sport Minister in Antigua and Barbuda and the most vocal supporter of controversial West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Dave Cameron.
Greene never lost his thirst for football power on the island, though. Having failed to win re-election, he turned to Warner for help. And the then CONCACAF president ordered the ABFA to pay US$177,000 to Greene for “unpaid debts” or be suspended from all football within the confederation in a matter of days.
The ABFA appealed to FIFA and, since neither could not prove the existence of the debts, Warner and Greene were eventually forced to back away.
Greene popped up again in 2010 as the chief witness for former coach Robert “Pio” Baird in a High Court case against the ABFA. High Court Judge David Harris ruled in favour of the ABFA and ordered Baird to pay costs.
Three years later, Greene supported former footballer Veron Edwards Jr in his bid to unseat current ABFA president Everton Gonsalves. Again, the bid supported by him was unsuccessful.
By then, Derrick was a CFU executive member. And, a year after Warner fell in the Mohamed Bin Hammam scandal of 2011, Derrick was elected to replace him while Cayman Islands football boss Jeffrey Webb ascended to the loftier post of CONCACAF president.
Derrick was also fingered in the Bin Hammam scandal but only for failing to pass on information about the goings-on at the controversial meeting, since FIFA investigators declared that he ought to have known what had transpired.
FIFA gave Derrick a reprimand and fine of 300 Swiss francs while CONCACAF executive member and Jamaican Horace Burrell was banned for six months.
Fast forward to 2016, as FIFA prepared to elect a successor to disgraced president Sepp Blatter.
Derrick and the CFU initially declared support for former Trinidad and Tobago football captain David Nakhid, whose own bid ended in farce as FIFA ruled that he did not have enough nominations.
John-Williams, who had just been elected TTFA president, gave Infantino his public blessing after their private meeting—without bothering to canvass the TTFA’s board of directors or even introduce them to the then UEFA general secretary.
However, the CFU never endorsed any candidate after Nakhid while the ABFA is believed to have voted for Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa.
Derrick soon realised what the “new FIFA” had in store for him—and, by extension—the Caribbean when the ethics committee blocked him from running for the post of CONCACAF president in May 2016.
FIFA declared that Derrick was unfit for office owing to his part in the Bin Hammam scandal. It was a curious decision since Burrell retained his seat on the CONCACAF Executive while even Infantino himself had been implicated in the Panama papers after it emerged that UEFA, during his time as the body’s director of legal services, had conducted offshore deals with figures indicted by the FBI.
Canadian Victor Montagliani won comfortably in Derrick’s absence, making it the first time the confederation had a president from outside the Caribbean since the islands became CONCACAF’s biggest electoral district in the early 1990s.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) subsequently supported FIFA’s decision to block Derrick from the CONCACAF election, just as it had ruled in favour of the global football body against Nakhid.
With the Caribbean accounting for 25 of CONCACAF’s 35 member associations, Montagliani—or any other president from North or Central America—cannot rest easy with a CFU boss who is not under his thumb.
And, just a week before John-Williams officially announced his candidacy for the regional presidency, he flew the CFU electorate to Trinidad for a sales pitch. CONCACAF and UEFA promised to foot the bill.
John-Williams’ subsequent CFU campaign manifesto also claimed to have strategic support from UEFA for his grander promises.
Still, the CFU opted to retain Derrick as its leader. But the democratic choice of the Caribbean nations did not soften the Infantino-led FIFA’s resolve.
Earlier this month, as Infantino embarked on a mini-Caribbean tour that included a Trinidad visit, Derrick was not even informed of the FIFA president’s itinerary, much less be invited to join the party.
Today’s announcement by FIFA’s “independent” ethics committee arguably shows that the governing body is prepared to use more drastic means to be rid of the Antiguan.
Last year, FIFA’s travel department head, Severin Podolak, and the chief of the general secretary’s office, Christoph Schmidt, passed on documents to the ethics committee which allegedly pointed to Infantino’s unauthorised use of private jets, unlawful hiring and firing, and inflation of his expenses.
FIFA general secretary Fatma Samoura sacked Podolak and Schmidt before the ethics commission even got around to giving Infantino a thumbs-up.John-Williams’ subsequent CFU campaign manifesto also claimed to have strategic support from UEFA for his grander promises.
Still, the CFU opted to retain Derrick as its leader. But the democratic choice of the Caribbean nations did not soften the Infantino-led FIFA’s resolve.
Earlier this month, as Infantino embarked on a mini-Caribbean tour that included a Trinidad visit, Derrick was not even informed of the FIFA president’s itinerary, much less be invited to join the party.
Today’s announcement by FIFA’s “independent” ethics committee arguably shows that the governing body is prepared to use more drastic means to be rid of the Antiguan.
Last year, FIFA’s travel department head, Severin Podolak, and the chief of the general secretary’s office, Christoph Schmidt, passed on documents to the ethics committee which allegedly pointed to Infantino’s unauthorised use of private jets, unlawful hiring and firing, and inflation of his expenses.
FIFA general secretary Fatma Samoura sacked Podolak and Schmidt before the ethics commission even got around to giving Infantino a thumbs-up.
A FIFA statement on the pair’s departure read: “As in any organisation requiring thorough restructuring, new positions will be created by the new leadership as part of the programme of reforms adopted by the congress and [a] few positions will be terminated as they [no] longer fit the organisation’s overall restructuring process.”
It did little to quell the suspicion that the FIFA ethics committee had squealed on its whistleblowers and pandered to president Infantino.
The FIFA committee has now turned its guns on Derrick. It could mean a belated 54th birthday present for John-Williams, who is anxious to sit on the Caribbean throne once held by his controversial compatriot, Warner.
It is ironic that one of Warner’s closest aides, Greene, might have assisted the TTFA president’s ambition with an old claim which did not appear to have particularly interested FIFA up until Derrick showed an interest in higher office.
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CFU president faces four-year ban; John-Williams could benefit from FIFA hounding of rival
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868).
Embattled Caribbean Football Union (CFU) president Gordon Derrick could find himself crowbarred out of office by FIFA, after the world governing body’s ethics committee today recommended a four-year ban from all football activities for the Antigua and Barbuda native.
The ethics committee, which is chaired by Dr Cornel Borbély, focused on Derrick’s “alleged conflicts of interest, offering and accepting gifts and other benefits, mismanagement of funds, abuse of position and disloyalty.”
The adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee, which is chaired by Hans-Joachim Eckert, has now opened formal proceedings against Derrick, who is also the general secretary of the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA).
If Eckert’s chamber agrees with the decision of the Borbély-led committee, it would mean that the CFU will soon need a new president. And Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president David John-Williams is the most likely beneficiary of Derrick’s possible demise.
John-Williams challenged Derrick at the last CFU elections on 23 July 2016—on the Trinidadian’s 54th birthday—but lost by 18 votes to 12 with one abstention.
Derrick declined comment on the FIFA investigations and said he will seek legal advice on the ethics committee’s decision.
Unquestionably, though, the ruling by the Borbély-led body fits FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s vision for a new CONCACAF. And Derrick has had a bullseye on his back for the past year.
Whatever the strength of the case against Derrick, the outline of the matter immediately raises eyebrows.
FIFA offered few details in their release. However, Wired868 understands that FIFA is investigating a claim against Derrick by disgraced former ABFA general secretary Chet Greene, which is between two and a half years to six years old depending on whom you ask.
Greene was one of former CONCACAF president Jack Warner’s most trusted regional lieutenants and he once threatened to throw British investigative journalist Andrew Jennings down a flight of stairs.
In 2003, FIFA auditors found that a US$1 million GOAL grant to Antigua and Barbuda—during Greene’s tenure—was unaccounted for while the ABFA general secretary pocketed US$4,500 a month despite having a full-time job at the island’s Ministry of Sport at the time.
Greene was eventually ousted as ABFA general secretary in 2004 after a petition against his football body signed by several prominent Antiguan sportsmen, including West Indies cricket legends Sir Vivian Richards, Curtly Ambrose and Andy Roberts.
Ironically, Greene is now Sport Minister in Antigua and Barbuda and the most vocal supporter of controversial West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Dave Cameron.
Greene never lost his thirst for football power on the island, though. Having failed to win re-election, he turned to Warner for help. And the then CONCACAF president ordered the ABFA to pay US$177,000 to Greene for “unpaid debts” or be suspended from all football within the confederation in a matter of days.
The ABFA appealed to FIFA and, since neither could not prove the existence of the debts, Warner and Greene were eventually forced to back away.
Greene popped up again in 2010 as the chief witness for former coach Robert “Pio” Baird in a High Court case against the ABFA. High Court Judge David Harris ruled in favour of the ABFA and ordered Baird to pay costs.
Three years later, Greene supported former footballer Veron Edwards Jr in his bid to unseat current ABFA president Everton Gonsalves. Again, the bid supported by him was unsuccessful.
By then, Derrick was a CFU executive member. And, a year after Warner fell in the Mohamed Bin Hammam scandal of 2011, Derrick was elected to replace him while Cayman Islands football boss Jeffrey Webb ascended to the loftier post of CONCACAF president.
Derrick was also fingered in the Bin Hammam scandal but only for failing to pass on information about the goings-on at the controversial meeting, since FIFA investigators declared that he ought to have known what had transpired.
FIFA gave Derrick a reprimand and fine of 300 Swiss francs while CONCACAF executive member and Jamaican Horace Burrell was banned for six months.
Fast forward to 2016, as FIFA prepared to elect a successor to disgraced president Sepp Blatter.
Derrick and the CFU initially declared support for former Trinidad and Tobago football captain David Nakhid, whose own bid ended in farce as FIFA ruled that he did not have enough nominations.
John-Williams, who had just been elected TTFA president, gave Infantino his public blessing after their private meeting—without bothering to canvass the TTFA’s board of directors or even introduce them to the then UEFA general secretary.
However, the CFU never endorsed any candidate after Nakhid while the ABFA is believed to have voted for Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa.
Derrick soon realised what the “new FIFA” had in store for him—and, by extension—the Caribbean when the ethics committee blocked him from running for the post of CONCACAF president in May 2016.
FIFA declared that Derrick was unfit for office owing to his part in the Bin Hammam scandal. It was a curious decision since Burrell retained his seat on the CONCACAF Executive while even Infantino himself had been implicated in the Panama papers after it emerged that UEFA, during his time as the body’s director of legal services, had conducted offshore deals with figures indicted by the FBI.
Canadian Victor Montagliani won comfortably in Derrick’s absence, making it the first time the confederation had a president from outside the Caribbean since the islands became CONCACAF’s biggest electoral district in the early 1990s.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) subsequently supported FIFA’s decision to block Derrick from the CONCACAF election, just as it had ruled in favour of the global football body against Nakhid.
With the Caribbean accounting for 25 of CONCACAF’s 35 member associations, Montagliani—or any other president from North or Central America—cannot rest easy with a CFU boss who is not under his thumb.
And, just a week before John-Williams officially announced his candidacy for the regional presidency, he flew the CFU electorate to Trinidad for a sales pitch. CONCACAF and UEFA promised to foot the bill.
John-Williams’ subsequent CFU campaign manifesto also claimed to have strategic support from UEFA for his grander promises.
Still, the CFU opted to retain Derrick as its leader. But the democratic choice of the Caribbean nations did not soften the Infantino-led FIFA’s resolve.
Earlier this month, as Infantino embarked on a mini-Caribbean tour that included a Trinidad visit, Derrick was not even informed of the FIFA president’s itinerary, much less be invited to join the party.
Today’s announcement by FIFA’s “independent” ethics committee arguably shows that the governing body is prepared to use more drastic means to be rid of the Antiguan.
Last year, FIFA’s travel department head, Severin Podolak, and the chief of the general secretary’s office, Christoph Schmidt, passed on documents to the ethics committee which allegedly pointed to Infantino’s unauthorised use of private jets, unlawful hiring and firing, and inflation of his expenses.
FIFA general secretary Fatma Samoura sacked Podolak and Schmidt before the ethics commission even got around to giving Infantino a thumbs-up.John-Williams’ subsequent CFU campaign manifesto also claimed to have strategic support from UEFA for his grander promises.
Still, the CFU opted to retain Derrick as its leader. But the democratic choice of the Caribbean nations did not soften the Infantino-led FIFA’s resolve.
Earlier this month, as Infantino embarked on a mini-Caribbean tour that included a Trinidad visit, Derrick was not even informed of the FIFA president’s itinerary, much less be invited to join the party.
Today’s announcement by FIFA’s “independent” ethics committee arguably shows that the governing body is prepared to use more drastic means to be rid of the Antiguan.
Last year, FIFA’s travel department head, Severin Podolak, and the chief of the general secretary’s office, Christoph Schmidt, passed on documents to the ethics committee which allegedly pointed to Infantino’s unauthorised use of private jets, unlawful hiring and firing, and inflation of his expenses.
FIFA general secretary Fatma Samoura sacked Podolak and Schmidt before the ethics commission even got around to giving Infantino a thumbs-up.
A FIFA statement on the pair’s departure read: “As in any organisation requiring thorough restructuring, new positions will be created by the new leadership as part of the programme of reforms adopted by the congress and [a] few positions will be terminated as they [no] longer fit the organisation’s overall restructuring process.”
It did little to quell the suspicion that the FIFA ethics committee had squealed on its whistleblowers and pandered to president Infantino.
The FIFA committee has now turned its guns on Derrick. It could mean a belated 54th birthday present for John-Williams, who is anxious to sit on the Caribbean throne once held by his controversial compatriot, Warner.
It is ironic that one of Warner’s closest aides, Greene, might have assisted the TTFA president’s ambition with an old claim which did not appear to have particularly interested FIFA up until Derrick showed an interest in higher office.
They need a house negro like the dictator in there so he can bend over when they need him to... they throw nakhid under the bus because he's not one of them and Cfu holds power in CONCACAF but they needed to control that vote because if they couldn't, Cfu acting autonomously would mean automatic wc spots and more power..
What we are seeing here is the institutional racism I spoke of that is being reinforced by a house negro like the dictator ...
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Plans for new Canadian Premier League approved
ESPN FC
Fans in Canada could soon have their own Canadian Premier League.
Plans for a Canadian Premier League were approved by the country's soccer leaders this weekend, with founding cities announced for Hamilton and Winnipeg.
The league was officially unveiled at the Canadian Soccer Association's annual meeting, which also saw Steve Reed elected as president.
Though only two teams were initially revealed, Canada Soccer said they have heard from 10 cities interested in joining an all-Canadian league, with aims to begin playing as early as 2018.
Canada does not have its own league, with existing clubs playing in U.S.-based organizations -- Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver in MLS, Edmonton in the NASL and Ottawa in the USL.
Winnipeg FC's announcement said the league was aiming to be a "Tier 1 FIFA sanctioned soccer league," though MLS commissioner Don Garber said in March that he believed the CPL would form at a "lower division." Reports last year said the league would initially avoid cities with MLS teams.
Efforts to launch the league were led by Scott Mitchell, who's also the CEO of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. The Winnipeg team is run by Wade Miller, president of the CFL's Blue Bombers. Both teams plan to play at CFL stadiums that have artificial turf.
Canada, which hosted the 2015 Women's World Cup, is hoping to host 10 games of the 2026 World Cup, sharing duties with the U.S. and Mexico.
President-elect Reed will serve the remainder of the four-year term of Victor Montagliani, who is stepping down to focus on his duties as CONCACAF president.
"I would like to thank the Canada Soccer Membership for the opportunity as we continue the incredible momentum for the sport of soccer in our country," Reed said in a statement. "This was an important day for our sport with the unanimous approval of the Canadian Premier League along with Hamilton and Winnipeg as new members of the Association and the overwhelming support for the 2026 FIFA World Cup joint bid with USA and Mexico."
Canadian clubs can currently only qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League by winning the five-team Canadian Championship, and not through their U.S.-based leagues, though that could change with the introduction of the CPL.
On Friday, the regional body announced the CONCACAF League, which will feature 16 clubs from Central America and Caribbean fighting for one spot in the Champions League, will begin this August with a draw set for May 31.
Guatemalan clubs will be banned while its federation is suspended from FIFA, with Panama and Honduras instead gaining extra spots in the preliminary tournament, and Costa Rica given a second reserved spot in the Champions League.
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CONCACAF President Montagliani visits the BFA
BFA
President of CONCACAF Victor Montagliani flew into Barbados to pay a visit to BFA President Randolph Harris and his Executive Board on Friday June 23, 2017. This was his first visit to Barbados since becoming CONCACAF President 14 months ago.
On Saturday, he toured the facilities at Wildey and held a meeting with the BFA Board outlining his vision for CONCACAF and some of the benefits to be derived. He also gave an update on the changes at CONCACAF and pledged his support to the BFA and its footballing initiatives.
After lunch Mr Montagliani took time out to speak to the media and answered questions on the newly proposed CONCACAF nations league. The League is proposed to commence in the summer of 2018 and will see each member association playing no less than 10 international matches a year.
Mr Montagliani last visit to Barbados was during his Presidential campaign. He left on Saturday night.
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https://victoryjournal.com/stories/donald-trump-americas-first-soccer-president/
We should have known something was up when they discovered ungovernable cats in Trump Tower. Three weeks before the Tower’s namesake officially declared his candidacy for President of the United States, unsealed court documents from U.S.A. vs Charles Blazer foreshadowed the absurdity of life under Donald Trump’s authority. A long-time global soccer operative, Charles “Chuck” Blazer had defrauded the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football, commonly known as CONCACAF, of millions and corrupted global institutions meant to, in FIFA’s own words: “Develop the game, touch the world, build a better future.” And all of it happened quite literally under Donald Trump’s nose as it sniffed the rarefied air in the Tower’s top three floors. Blazer’s testimony, in exchange for a plea deal with the Department of Justice, told of his two-decade criminal campaign operating out of two separate apartments on the 49th floor and the entire 17th floor of Trump Tower, including the $6,000-a-month unit just for his gang of rabid feline accomplices. ...
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Man, to mention Trump as the US first soccer prez is moronic.
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FFB 10th Ordinary Congress Aborted Twice
Football Federation of Belize
On June 24th, 2017 the Football Federation of Belize proceeded to hold its 10th Ordinary Congress, however only four of the eight members were present, namely: Belize, Cayo, Stann Creek and Toledo and thus could not make quorum. Absent were Belmopan, Corozal, Orange Walk and the Premier League of Belize (PLB). In accordance with the statutes the Congress was set for 24 hours later.
On June 25th, 2017 at 10 am a second attempt was made to hold its 10th Ordinary Congress. Congress was once again aborted as there was no quorum as only Belize, Stann Creek and Toledo were represented of the eight members. While these delegates that were present had the opportunity to vote on those items that were within their purview in the absence of quorum, they chose not to, and the meeting ended without fanfare.
The FFB wishes to Respond to Allegations of a 'Rigged Election'
Football Federation of Belize
The Football Federation of Belize has been informed of the Press Conference and the serious allegations of a ‘rigged election’ as relayed by Mr. Sergio Chuc and wishes to respond as follows:-
1. Upon Mr. Chuc submitting his name for the post of President of the Federation on 12th May 2017, information that was passed onto the General Secretary as to allegations of some serious misconduct on Mr. Chuc’s part and potential interference with a fair and even election was then sent to the Electoral Committee who under their statute had the power to determine the eligibility and fitness of any candidate.
2. The Electoral Committee had the benefit of reviewing all documents presented to it for the purpose of determining the applicant’s eligibility. Mr. Chuc is being intentionally misleading as to the exact wording of the letter from the Disciplinary Committee and we intend to relay exactly what had transpired.
The letter as relied on by Mr. Chuc from the Disciplinary committee was very clear in its wording for 2 reasons:
a. At the time the Disciplinary committee had met, Mr. Chuc was not a member of FFB and additionally had not at that point submitted his candidacy and therefore the Disciplinary Committee would not have had any jurisdiction over him to render any discipline; and
b. The disciplinary committee was asked to deal with the issue of other members of the Football Federation whom they had jurisdiction over.
To confirm this point, the decision of the Disciplinary committee as it related to Mr. Chuc stated verbatim:
“1….The committee accepts that an investigation was carried out on Sergio Chuc by the secretariat, however the Committee concludes unanimously
that the actual request required that an investigation be carried out on the chairpersons and not Sergio Chuc as they are the members of FIFA as described in the code. The Disciplinary Committee has no jurisdiction or cannot properly be moved to act unless upon a specific request for an investigation, the investigation is conducted, evidence is gathered to substantiate the allegations and a charge is laid.
2. `It is further unanimous conclusion of the Committee that by virtue of Article 2 of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee 2011, Sergio Chuc was not a prescribed person as covered by Article 2 at the time the allegation was made.”
As a result of these statements, the issue was then ‘put to bed’ as it was clear the Disciplinary committee could not at that point render any decision as it relates to Mr. Chuc who was not a member. The fact that the letter stated there wasn’t an iota of evidence meant they could not investigate the issue and furthermore as stated, all evidence of wrongdoing by the potential applicant had not in any event been presented to the Disciplinary Committee.
The Electoral Committee then made its decision on May 25, 2017 in compliance with their statute and the time line and the decision was relayed to Mr. Chuc. Not being satisfied and knowing of the appeal process, Mr. Chuc appealed the decision of the Electoral Committee to the Appeals Committee through his Attorney Mr. Danilczyk and a very detailed response was provided to him setting out the reasons why the decision of the Electoral Committee would stand.
Factoring all this, we are unclear as to the allegations of a rigged election as at all times the decisions in relation to eligibility to run were dealt with by the appropriate committees who are all made up of elected members separate and apart from the Executive Members. It is unfortunate that Mr. Chuc has sought the public’s sympathy in aiding his cause but in order to move football from where it has been in Belize, there must be changes and respect for the various rules and regulations.
The Annual Congress of the FFB is set for June 24, 2017 and listed on the Agenda is election for President and Vice President among other items. Should the members of FFB on the inaccurate portrayal of events from Mr. Chuc choose to boycott the Congress, this is indeed unfortunate and it again shows that FOOTBALL itself will never be able to advance in Belize where there are flagrant disregard for rule and regulations. FFB is bound to call its Annual Congress and will do so in conformity with the rules and Statutes or it faces great sanctions such as possible suspension from FIFA which is the main source of its income to upkeep football playing in Belize.
It is the hope of the current executive that upon the full complement of the Executive being put in place that significant changes will be made in order to move football forward. However in order to make this come to fruition it takes commitment and participation from all those involved and the willingness to adhere to rules and make the hard decisions where necessary.
Sergio Chuc’s call to boycott football federation elections succeeds
Breaking Belize News
The fear of the Football Federation of Belize (FFB) came true today (June 24) as the scheduled Annual Congress was cancelled due to a boycott called by Sergio Chuc.
Sergio Chuc, FFB presedential candidate who was barred from running in the election, called for the boycott, because he said that that the Federation’s Electoral Committee barred him unjustly. On June 12th 2017, Chuc held a press conference and reported that 60% of the voting members were supporting his boycott.
Today, FFB members from the Premier League of Belize along with the member district associations of Orange Walk, Corozal, Belmopan and Cayo, boycotted the Annual congress, where a new FFB president should have been elected.
The boycotting members represented 14 out of a possible 20 voting delegates, making quorum impossible for the congress or the elections to proceed.
The FFB had issued a statement asking its members not to proceed with the boycott, because of the possible implications that it could have on football in Belize.
The FFB explained that if the congress is not held, the federation “faces great sanctions such as possible suspension from FIFA which is the main source of its income to upkeep football playing in Belize.”
In lieu of the elections, acting president, Marlon Kuylen will remain president, until the situation is resolved.
According to regulations, the federation has to make another attempt at holding the congress within 24 hours. If they fall short of quorum again, they will have to hold the congress at another date, but within a limited time frame.
Quotes
“It’s not the optimal thing, given the situation. The political tension that Belize is going through, I would like to stress, like I told the congress, for the past three elections we’ve encountered tensions here in Belize. It’s always the same situation. We want to look to the future of Belize, towards the development of football in the country and sometimes these politics gets in the way and hinder the normal operation of the federation.”
--- Marco Leal, Director of Member Associations, CONCACAF.
“For our FIFA and CONCACAF representatives to take the time out to come to Belize and us not being able to complete our mandate and comply with our statutes of having our congress, to me it’s very embarrassing. It’s unfortunate. We’ve tried so hard despite the many challenges we’ve had this past year. We made some strides, some forward strides, but the politics brings out the ugly side of football and it’s very, very unfortunate.”
--- Marlon Kuylen, Acting President, F.F.B.
For more. (http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/148575)
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(https://i.imgur.com/uz0TIVl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/vlnd1C5.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Ppm7TL8.jpg)
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Interesting. I guessing Superleague teams will not be eligible for the CACC as we have a professional league too. Lookloy might try to fight that
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French Guyana is in the process of getting their house in order to leave CFU and Concacaf. They trying to get into Conmebol.
Gold cup 2019 will feature 16 teams. Playoff between UNCAF and CFU will still exist. UNCAF will get an extra spot for Gold cup 2019. CFU will get 3 for 2019 Gold cup.
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CONCACAF looking to increase football activity in the Caribbean
By Steve Menary, Play The Game.
A three-way bid for the 2026 World Cup and a change to the FIFA World Cup qualifying system could help CONCACAF resolve rift between regions.
CONCACAF wants Canada, Mexico and the United States to all have guaranteed slots at the 2026 FIFA World Cup if a three-way bid for the tournament succeeds.
The joint bid for 2026 would involve 60 matches in the United States and 10 each in Canada and Mexico.
“CONCACAF would have 6.5 qualifying slots so it would only be natural for all three teams to have a slot,” said CONCACAF general secretary Philippe Moggio at the annual Soccerex Global Convention in Manchester, England.
CONCACAF is considering making changes to its World Cup qualifying format, which culminates in the Hexagonal tournament involving just six teams.
Mr Moggio added: “The format will have to change. Most of our member associations are eliminated early. In UEFA, all the teams are involved to the end but in CONCACAF we have most of our teams laying idle.”
Changes to the World Cup qualifying would help the regional body resolve a bitter rift between its North American leadership and the Caribbean members that make up the bulk of the membership.
In March 2017, CONCACAF, which has 41 members, took direct control of qualifying for its club events in the Caribbean and has opened an office there to oversee this work.
The CFU’s members have grown increasingly disenchanted with CONCACAF and before this year’s Gold Cup, French Guiana, which is a full CONCACAF member but not in FIFA, admitted it was considering leaving to join CONMEBOL.
Mr Moggio disclosed that CONCACAF had invested U$D1 million on staging club competitions in the Caribbean but insisted there was still a role for the Caribbean Football Union (CFU).
He explained: “Our new Champions League format is improving the club level and we are focusing on how we can increase club competition around the Caribbean.”
CONCACAF is also making other moves to pacify the Caribbean and Mr Moggio told the Soccerex conference that his organisation wants to expand the number of teams at its biennial Gold Cup.
Mr Moggio said: “CONCACAF earns most of its revenue from the Gold Cup. As the engine of growth for us, we’re looking at expanding from 2 to 16 teams.”
In response to a question about UEFA’s new Nations League concept, which uses the international breaks to play friendlies between its members, Mr Moggio said that CONCACAF was considering a similar proposal to try and get its member associations to play more often.
He said: “What UEFA has done has maximised the international calendar, but has also taken away friendlies.
“Most of our members are not even playing friendlies because they don’t have the resources. A lot are out of the World Cup qualifiers early, they are sitting idle and out of the market.”
Mr Moggio, who did not take questions from the audience, did not explain how his member associations would be able to afford to play friendlies, but FIFA’s new financial assistance programme is taking the money given to its members from U$1 million every four years up to U$5 million.
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French Guyana is in the process of getting their house in order to leave CFU and Concacaf. They trying to get into Conmebol.
Gold cup 2019 will feature 16 teams. Playoff between UNCAF and CFU will still exist. UNCAF will get an extra spot for Gold cup 2019. CFU will get 3 for 2019 Gold cup.
Do you have a supporting article?
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French Guyana is in the process of getting their house in order to leave CFU and Concacaf. They trying to get into Conmebol.
Gold cup 2019 will feature 16 teams. Playoff between UNCAF and CFU will still exist. UNCAF will get an extra spot for Gold cup 2019. CFU will get 3 for 2019 Gold cup.
Do you have a supporting article?
My source is a fella who is an administrator with a small island national team. He told me this might happen a while back. Give me a minute to find a reliable source.
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Check this out.. only thing it dont have is the spots CFU and UNCAF supposed to get.
http://www.playthegame.org/news/news-articles/2017/0346_concacaf-looking-to-increase-football-activity-in-the-caribbean/
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Concacaf generates most of their income from the Gold cup. So it will make sense to expand it to 16.
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6 teams from Concacaf will feature in 2020 Copa America.
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Associate of former FIFA vice president sentenced to 15 months
By Brendan Pierson, Reuters.
A former general secretary of the Cayman Islands Football Association was sentenced to 15 months in prison on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty in a money laundering conspiracy, the second person sentenced in a U.S. investigation of bribery involving the world soccer governing body FIFA.
Costas Takkas, 60, a British citizen, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Pamela Chen in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, U.S. prosecutors said. His lawyer, Gordon Mehler, said he hoped Takkas would serve only about 90 days because he was previously detained in Switzerland while awaiting extradition to the United States.
Takkas was the attaché to Jeffrey Webb, a former FIFA vice president and president of CONCACAF, the governing body for soccer in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, according to prosecutors.
Webb pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and other charges in November 2015. He has not yet been sentenced.
Takkas was among more than 40 people and entities charged in a U.S. investigation of the payment of more than $200 million (150.68 million pounds) of bribes and kickbacks to soccer officials, in exchange for marketing and broadcast rights.
Prosecutors said Takkas received and transmitted millions of dollars in bribes for Webb, including for the awarding of rights to qualifier matches for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Takkas pleaded guilty in May. Mehler said at the time that Takkas was a “minor figure in a major case.”
Takkas’s sentencing came about a week after Hector Trujillo, a former judge from Guatemala, became the first person sentenced in the criminal case. Chen sentenced Trujillo, who was accused of taking kickbacks from a marketing company in exchange for his help securing media and marketing rights for World Cup qualifying matches, to eight months.
For background also see here (https://www.caymancompass.com/2017/10/30/us3-million-sought-from-fifa-defendant-takkas/).
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Tsunami?
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US prosecutors approve sale of Webb’s Georgia mansion
By Brent Fuller, Cayman Compass.
American prosecutors agreed to accept cash from the sale of FIFA defendant Jeffrey Webb’s home in Loganville, Georgia, rather than seizing the property itself, according to records filed with a Brooklyn-area court Monday.
The property, which Webb bought in June 2011 for US$590,000 from a construction company that purchased the home while it was in foreclosure, was sold on June 28, 2017 for US$1.5 million, according to Rockdale County, Georgia tax records.
According to a court-approved stipulation and order signed June 27, which was made public this week, Webb’s wife, Kendra Gamble-Webb, who co-owned the property, had consented to a judicial forfeiture of the home in late 2016, about a year after Webb pleaded guilty to seven counts in a racketeering indictment filed against him in connection with the ongoing bribery scandal that rocked world football’s governing body.
As part of the guilty plea, Jeffrey Webb agreed to forfeit a total of US$6.7 million in cash assets and property, which included the Loganville home.
The district court in the Eastern District of New York made a preliminary forfeiture order for the property on Dec. 2, 2016. However, before the final forfeiture was effected, the Webbs entered a contract to sell the property, court records state.
According to the stipulation documents, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Bridget Rhode said the government would accept cash from the home’s sale in lieu of the property itself.
“Provided, however, that all proceeds of the sale of the property shall be paid directly [to] the U.S. Marshals Service at closing,” Ms. Rhode wrote, adding that government representatives would attend the closing to ensure payment is received. The U.S. Marshals were authorized to hold the funds from the sale as a substitute for the property “until further order of the court.”
Court records further indicated that US$1.43 million had been deposited into the U.S. government’s Seized Asset Deposit Fund as of June 30, 2017.
The three-story Loganville mansion formerly owned by the Webbs was valued at US$931,000 in 2015 and is located in the small town east of Atlanta, Georgia. A swimming pool was built on the property with the proceeds of bribes funneled through several international bank accounts, front companies and intermediaries, U.S. federal prosecutors have alleged.
The 9,851-square-foot home, which is listed as having six bedrooms and eight bathrooms, was one of several properties Webb owned in the state of Georgia that were potentially subject to asset forfeiture proceedings.
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Former Spice Boy Roberts takes up
high-profile CONCACAF post
Jamaica Observer
Former Grenada international and English Premier League campaigner Jason Roberts has joined continental governing body CONCACAF as its new director of development.
In his role, the 39-year-old will be in charge of developing CONCACAF's grassroots programmes as well as streamlining the organisation's coaching education, and professional football development initiatives.
“I am honoured and excited to have been selected to lead the development department as CONCACAF continues strengthening and enhancing its support for member associations to advance the game,” Roberts said.
“Football is my passion, I see the potential as well as untapped opportunities for growth within our region. I am especially looking forward to our department working on a foundation focused on grassroots, coaching education, and programmes that raise the level of play.”
Roberts made his name as a dynamic forward in the English professional leagues, representing the likes of West Bromwich Albion, Wigan Athletic and Portsmouth in an 18-year career.
He ended his career at Reading three years ago and has since become a respected football television pundit.
Roberts is a graduate of the UEFA MIP Executive Course and member of the FIFA Players' Status Committee.
He is one of two new additions to CONCACAF's development department as former Curacao head coach, Etienne Siliee, has also signed on as the confederation's new development manager of the Caribbean.
“As part of our ONE CONCACAF Vision, we have a focused investment in football development to transform the confederation's future,” said CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani.
“Mr Roberts is the right leader to continue fulfilling our mission, while providing an integral support to our member associations efforts.
“Furthermore, Mr Siliee brings significant experience and extensive knowledge of coaching and development, which will greatly contribute to raising the quality of our sport.”
Siliee will report to Roberts who in turn will report to Chief of Football Officer Manolo Zubiria.
CONCACAF oversees football in North, Central America and the Caribbean.
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Caribbean club football engine for growth in CONCACAF — Reid
By Sean A. Williams, Jamaica Observer
CONCACAF's Director of Caribbean football Horace Reid says the focus on strengthening club competition across the confederation is in keeping with a vital of plank to drive overall development.
“Clubs are the growth engine for football in our industry. A strong domestic and international club programme almost guarantees consistency and sustainability at a competitive level for the various national teams,” Reid told the Jamaica Observer recently.
Apart from competition, CONCACAF's broad-based approach to grow clubs includes its club licensing platform.
“CONCACAF has been working assiduously with its member associations and leagues towards strengthening the administrative and technical infrastructure of clubs across the board.
“It's indisputable that clubs with solid management and technical structure supported by proper facilities have far greater growth potential and longevity for success,” said Reid, a former general secretary of the Jamaica Football Federation.
The ongoing Caribbean Club Championship — which Jamaican clubs Arnett Gardens and Portmore United are competing — is seen as a deliberate strategy of the confederation's efforts to help the development of club football in the Caribbean.
“Along with the upcoming Caribbean Shield and ongoing club licensing efforts in the Caribbean, [the Caribbean Club Championship} represent the confederation's ONE CONCACAF commitment and its efforts to support the overall development of football across the Caribbean region and in this instance utilising the club platform,” said Reid.
The respected football administrator who heads up the Kingston-based CONCACAF development office shared that this commitment extends onward from sporting progress to club development, and includes passing along expertise on hosting logistics and know-how by hosting important tournaments in Caribbean markets alongside local member associations and clubs.
“This Caribbean Club Championship, along with the Caribbean Shield, expands the number of Caribbean club teams participating in official CONCACAF championships from three previously, to 20 total.
“The Caribbean Club Championship represents the best of Caribbean club football, with fully professionalised and semi-professional leagues in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica represented,” Reid outlined.
He further noted that the Caribbean tournament holds great possibilities for regional clubs who could at least aspire to go all the way to the FIFA Club World Cup.
“This tournament is an integral part of the full CONCACAF club platform where top teams advance to the CONCACAF League and Champions League. This is the first step for these clubs towards being CONCACAF champion and representing the region at the FIFA Club World Cup, giving clubs a clear pathway to the top levels of CONCACAF and international competitions,” said Reid.
In the Jamaican experience, schools seem to be leading the way in developing players at that crucial age group, seemingly picking up the slack where clubs are lacking the capacity to fulfil this mandate.
Reid, however, argued that schools, with their best intentions, are not structured for the total development the player.
“School programmes, however well intended, are fundamentally driven towards recreation. This is quite understandable given the mandate of schools, by and large; programmes geared towards all or most sports, all being seasonal.
“Two or three months of training and competition cannot develop players into professional athletes that are able to cope on the global stage, generally speaking.
“We must not get ahead of ourselves with isolated success stories. A sustainable model of player development is through the club infrastructure, and the evidence of this is well known and documented [as] young players require 10 to 11 months per season to properly and fundamentally move their growth needle physically, technically, tactically, and mentally to become world-class professionals. Of course, this requires resources and significant investment and a great deal of perseverance,” he concluded.
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Concacaf Targets Bahamas For Primary Schools Soccer Pilot Programme
By Brent Stubbs, Tribune 242
THE Bahamas has been selected by CONCACAF for a pilot programme to develop grass[root] soccer in the primary schools.
Bahamas Football Association technical director Gary Markham confirmed that CONCACAF will have two representatives in town to meet with the BFA, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology as well as the physical education teachers to discuss their plans for the formation of the programme that will be sponsored by Scotiabank.
CONCACAF, the biggest sporting body for soccer in the region, will be represented by Andre Waugh and Jay Roberts as they discuss the avenue to introduce the sport to the primary schools in their bid to increase the participation of players from the bottom to the top.
Markham said once the meeting is concluded on Thursday [February 8], they will decide on how to proceed with the programme that should run for about 6-8 weeks at the Roscoe Davies Developmental Centre at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.
"We are going into the primary schools so that we can get to the grass root and develop from the ground to the top," Markham said. "In terms of development, it's a great step in the right direction to get more people to play the sport.
"It's such an easy game, it's a cheap game, in terms of the equipment that you need," Markham stressed.
"It's important that we begin to develop the younger generation to play the game."
Once they get the programme off the ground within a month or two and they conclude with a festival, Markham said they intend to put it as a fixture on the primary schools sporting calendar in September and it will culminate with the primary schools' soccer championships.
"We believe that if we can get some more people playing the sport, we can increase the participation of the sport at every level," Markham stressed.
"But we want to start from the bottom and work our way up to the top.
"That is the reason why we are putting our emphasis on this grass root programme. We believe that we can get a lot of the schools to get involved and that is why we are having the meeting with the physical education teachers and the Ministry of Education."
Joining the BFA and CONCACAF executives at the meeting in the boardroom of the Ministry of Education on Thursday will be Dawn Knowles, the Ministry's sports director for Primary Schools, along with at least one PE teacher from the various schools.
Markham said a representative from Scotiabank is also expected to be in attendance as they explain their involvement in the programme.
Markham said that Scotiabank is making a significant financial contribution to the pilot programme.
Based on the success of the programme here, Markham said CONCACAF is hoping that they can take the model to other countries in the region where they hope to see an increase in the participation of players in the grass soccer arena.
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CONCACAF expands Gold Cup to 16 teams, explores multi-nation hosting setup
By Charles Boehm MLSsoccer.com
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/02/26/concacaf-expands-gold-cup-16-teams-explores-multi-nation-hosting-setup
Significant changes are coming to the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
CONCACAF announced on Monday that the regional championship tournament will expand to 16 teams starting in 2019, its next edition. The confederation also revealed that it is “exploring a pan-regional footprint” for next year’s event, meaning that matches could be played in Central America and the Caribbean, which in CONCACAF’s words would “fulfill a long-term aspiration” for member nations in those regions.
The qualifying process for the expanded Gold Cup will be revealed at the upcoming CONCACAF Nations League launch event on March 7 in Miami Beach, Florida, while the process and criteria for host sites will be outlined by CONCACAF “in the coming months.”
“The expansion of the Gold Cup and the upcoming launch of the CONCACAF Nations League are key steps in delivering on the ONE CONCACAF Vision, to make the region’s most competitive football more accessible to more of our confederation’s teams, players and fans,” said CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani in a press release.
“By widening access to these important tournaments for more of our member associations, we work towards our goal of ensuring that the football produced in the CONCACAF region is of the highest quality in the world.”
Since the tournament was first played in 1992, the lion’s share of Gold Cup action has taken place in the United States apart from matches held in Mexico in 1993 and 2003 and in Canada in 2015. The US national team are the current reigning champions.
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Flow Sports nets CONCACAF rights deal
sportbusiness.com
The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) has agreed a wide-ranging multi-year rights deal with Caribbean pay-television broadcaster Flow Sports.
At the core of the deal, the pan-Caribbean broadcaster has secured English-language rights across its footprint for the upcoming editions of club championships the Champions League, Concacaf League, and the newly-launched Caribbean Club Championship.
Flow, which is owned by British telco Cable & Wireless, has also secured title sponsorship rights to the Caribbean Club Championship. Concacaf’s two new Caribbean club competitions – the Flow Caribbean Club Championship and the accompanying Caribbean Club Shield – will feature 20 clubs from 16 Caribbean member associations.
The competitions will be divided in two tiers, the Championship for fully professional clubs, and the Shield for clubs from Caribbean leagues still working towards fully-licensed, professional status.
Together, the new regional qualifying championships will serve as the Caribbean qualifying tournament for the Concacaf League and the Champions League, and aims to secure wider participation of Caribbean clubs in confederation championships.
The agreement also includes other Concacaf tournaments during the term of the deal. Additional terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“The integration of our regional assets and platforms to benefit all of the Confederation is a key pillar of our One Concacaf Vision,” Concacaf president Victor Montagliani (pictured) said. “This partnership with Flow Sports – both in terms of the expanded broadcasts of Concacaf tournaments to the Caribbean and the support for the new, expanded Caribbean Club Championship – is the result of our collective efforts and additional fuel for the growth of the game in the region.”
The agreement with Flow Sports includes the following Caribbean territories: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, St Martin, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Turks & Caicos.
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Decio de María, president of the Mexican federation has submitted his resignation. It will take effect after the Russia 2018 World Cup. He will be replaced by Yon de Luisa, VP of Sports at Televisa and the person at the helm of Mexico's joint 2026 WC bid.
Also of note, LigaMX, Mexico's top professional division, has decided to suspend relegation effective 2018-19. The suspension will be in effect for two years. League decision-makers want the league to grow from 18 to 20 teams.
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CONCACAF Nations League a big deal, say 'small' members
By San A Williams, Jamaica Observer.
Caribbean bosses from the smaller territories were in football nirvana as the overarching body CONCACAF announced landmark changes to its competition and qualifying structure with a new tournament here on Wednesday.
At a dazzling launch event at The Temple House in Miami Beach, the governing body for football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, in an overpowering air of pomp and pageantry, unveiled the confederation-wide CONCACAF Nations League.
In the hour-and-half-long red carpet event, details of structure and format, in addition to a draw to determine matchups in the qualifying phase set to kick off in September, were presented to stakeholders and guests with the frills of Hollywood awards show production.
Theatrics aside, the full schedule of the first stage of the game-changing tournament was determined and will be played in the FIFA calendar windows of September, October, November of 2018 and that of March 2019.
President of the Grenada Football Association Cheney Joseph said while his country stands to benefit from the new tournament, he was concerned that the proverbial dice did not necessarily roll in his favour.
“I wished we were considered higher up in the ranking as I don't think it was the best draw one could have wanted… as you know we are a passionate people in Grenada and would probably would have preferred to have Curacao at home than French St Martin, but we cannot take them for granted because they have access to players in Europe.
“We are away to Curacao, then we go home for Cuba, then home to French St Martin and then away to Puerto Rico, and it's not easy in my opinion.
“That said, I think we have the quality to gain maximum points in all of those games, but what it says is that we have our work cut out for us so all we have to do now is start preparing,” he said.
Joseph thinks CONCACAF is on the ball with the new competition, which is viewed for its development and competition value, especially for the smaller territories of the 31-member Caribbean.
“I must congratulate CONCACAF in what I think was a remarkable launch and I must also credit it them for the new logo… I think for small islands this is a big opportunity because now the young players can dream of playing against somebody, so it's all good,” Joseph noted.
Meanwhile, another considered minnow of CONCACAF football Puerto Rico welcomed the new developments as the confederation rebrands and repositions itself to meet the challenges of the changing face of global football.
“We are very satisfied with the draw and we are happy that CONCACAF has come up with the Nations League, which will give us in the Caribbean the opportunity to have more games in the four cycles (FIFA calendar window), and this is going to be very good for the development of football in our region,” said Puerto Rico Football Federation president Eric Labrador.
Puerto Rico will face St Kitts and Nevis, Martinique, Belize and Grenada in the qualifying stage.
St Kitts and Nevis Football Association boss Anthony Johnson shares the view that the returns to smaller members, like that of his country, will see a new dawning in respect of their development potential.
“It is extremely important, as the complaint for a long time is that we (smaller Caribbean territories) have not been playing enough. So it is an excellent idea to utilise the FIFA dates to play among the CONCACAF countries and that is one way we will see increased development and exposure,” he expressed.
Johnson was happy with the hand the draw dealt his association.
“We are very satisfied as we have both Puerto Rico and Canada at home in St Kitts and then we travel to Suriname and French St Martin, so it was a competitive draw and we expect to be fully prepared for the tournament and we expect good results,” he said.
The Kittian noted that already excitement is building in his country at the prospect of hosting high-quality competitive matches on a more consistent basis, a rarity in the past.
“I know that the public is excited and they will become more aware about the details in the coming days, and I think the excitement will increase given particularly the countries we will be playing against on home soil.
“I expect the public to come and support us… we have already confirmed a game against the Dominican Republic on the 25th of March and we are in discussion with a number of other countries, and we expect an announcement very shortly on a game on home soil in April — and we hope that will be against one of the top countries in the region,” Johnson ended.
Meanwhile, CONCACAF's Director of development Jason Roberts was beside himself with excitement as the former Grenadian international wrapped his head around the possibilities for the Caribbean region in particular.
“I am hugely excited about this Nations League as this is a platform which allows us to have more games and more elite competition.
“I think if you look at the traditional cycle, how many games were played by teams like Grenada and Jamaica, I think it is important to increase that number and I think that is what we have here with this particular platform. And from a development standpoint, I think we will see more (positive) outcomes as a result of this new league,” said the former English Premier League campaigner, who capped a rich career of 154 goals in 501 appearances.
The CONCACAF Nations League, which will be a direct qualifier for the marquee Gold Cup, will be a three-tier promotion and demotion competition to be contested by all 41 member associations.
The qualifying phase will determine which of the three leagues — A, B and C — will fall. The six nations — Mexico, USA, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras and Trinidad and Tobago — who contested the Hexagonal round of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers have received byes to League A and await other qualifiers to complete its make-up.
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Webb loses appeal against FIFA fine
Cayman News Service
FIFA has rejected an appeal by former VP Jeffrey Webb against a fine imposed on him for his part in the massive corruption scandal. In addition to the millions of dollars he has handed over to the US authorities for his convictions in relation to the bribery investigation, Webb faces a fine in excess of US$1 million by his former employers. Webb has not contested the lifetime ban from the game imposed on him after he was convicted of racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies. However, he did challenge the fine.
In a release from FIFA, officials said the appeals committee determined that the fine imposed was “adequate”. The statement continued, “Consequently, Mr Webb’s fine and lifelong ban are maintained.”
FIFA has also claimed some $2 million from the US authorities in restitution for Webb’s part in the corruption.
Webb was the president of the Cayman Islands Football Association, enjoying a glittering career in international football administration, when he was swept up in the massive US case against FIFA officials and sports firm executives relating to bribery and corruption around the world.
He has since pleaded guilty, but almost three years after his high-profile arrest in Switzerland at a luxury hotel during a FIFA meeting, he has still not been sentenced and remains on bail in the United States with a sentencing hearing set for September at a Brooklyn court after numerous adjournments.
However, since his conviction, Webb has handed over $6.7 million to the US authorities.
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CONCACAF’s push to professionalise clubs.
By Shaun Fuentes (Guardian).
While the T&T Pro League tries to come up with a suitable date to commence its 2018 season and while also working on a formula to make the league more attractive and sustainable, Concacaf has embarked on a campaign to raise the standard of clubs in the region through a series of workshops and competitions.
At the moment I am in Santiago, Dominican Republic charged with the responsibility to manage media operations and generate content to promote the inaugural Concacaf Caribbean Shield which comprises of eleven clubs from eleven countries over a two-week period. This tournament forms the base of the Concacaf club competition platform, featuring clubs which are working with Concacaf’s Development Department towards a long-term vision to professionalise the club game across the region.
The participating clubs represent Member Associations with up-and-coming leagues, working their way towards full professional standards, following the Concacaf league professionalisation roadmap. Concacaf’s wide-ranging club licensing and league development programs are designed to raise the level of the club game throughout the region, creating more access and opportunity for development of players and officials, and resulting in further growth and an improved level of competition throughout the Concacaf club competitions platform.
Endorsing the tournament along with two Concacaf workshops hosted for member association this weekend in Santiago was Concacaf Director of Development, former Grenada English-based pro Jason Roberts.
The two workshops running simultaneously of which I've had the privilege of attending at the Hodelpa Garden Court hotel focuses on League Development and Club Licensing. This tied in with the Caribbean Shield is all aimed at ensuring a lasting and meaningful impact in the Caribbean.
T&T still maintains a high status in the region with the existence of its Pro League with many players from some of the islands aspiring to join local clubs in T&T but the T&T Super League is also being mentioned as an attraction as well, with leagues in places such as Barbados, St Kitts/Nevis, St Lucia, Suriname, Curacao, Aruba and many others trying to pattern their league football similar to that of countries like T&T and Jamaica.
Here in Santiago is former W Connection and Caledonia AIA player George Isaac of St Kitts/Nevis, currently head coach of Kittitian club Cayon Rockets which is competing in the Concacaf Caribbean Shield. He appreciates the effort towards helping teams become more professionalised, having played in the T&T Pro League and getting a feel of playing in the Concacaf Champions Cup back in 2002/2003.
"I think the Concacaf Caribbean Shield presents an deal opportunity for us to continue our development and push ourselves even further towards becoming a fully professional team. Every player in the Caribbean dreams about playing at a high level or in a proper Concacaf tournament and we are getting that opportunity with the Caribbean Shield," Isaac said. “I have tasted Pro League football in Trinidad and Tobago and I think it’s a great opportunity for players from St Kitts and other islands to have a similar experience which can in turn strengthen their national teams and football on a whole in the Caribbean.”
Concacaf 's vision is clear and it is important that while nations compete on the field, their remains a collective drive towards establishing better levels in every aspect of the game. As part of the commitment to establish a fully integrated Confederation, Concacaf is investing in administration, competitions and development programs throughout North America, Central America and the Caribbean in order to further grow the sport and empower its 41 member nations. The organization is expanding resources across the region to work closely on initiatives that raise the game’s level, while increasing opportunities for players, coaches, and administrators. Professional football is being seen as the way to go and in T&T it should no doubt be seen as here to stay.
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Associate of former FIFA vice president sentenced to 15 months
By Brendan Pierson, Reuters.
A former general secretary of the Cayman Islands Football Association was sentenced to 15 months in prison on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty in a money laundering conspiracy, the second person sentenced in a U.S. investigation of bribery involving the world soccer governing body FIFA.
Costas Takkas, 60, a British citizen, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Pamela Chen in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, U.S. prosecutors said. His lawyer, Gordon Mehler, said he hoped Takkas would serve only about 90 days because he was previously detained in Switzerland while awaiting extradition to the United States.
Takkas was the attaché to Jeffrey Webb, a former FIFA vice president and president of CONCACAF, the governing body for soccer in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, according to prosecutors.
Webb pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and other charges in November 2015. He has not yet been sentenced.
Takkas was among more than 40 people and entities charged in a U.S. investigation of the payment of more than $200 million (150.68 million pounds) of bribes and kickbacks to soccer officials, in exchange for marketing and broadcast rights.
Prosecutors said Takkas received and transmitted millions of dollars in bribes for Webb, including for the awarding of rights to qualifier matches for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Takkas pleaded guilty in May. Mehler said at the time that Takkas was a “minor figure in a major case.”
Takkas’s sentencing came about a week after Hector Trujillo, a former judge from Guatemala, became the first person sentenced in the criminal case. Chen sentenced Trujillo, who was accused of taking kickbacks from a marketing company in exchange for his help securing media and marketing rights for World Cup qualifying matches, to eight months.
For background also see here (https://www.caymancompass.com/2017/10/30/us3-million-sought-from-fifa-defendant-takkas/).
so everybody forget bout the Teflon Master
and what about the fella(sorry, fellas) with the money in the back seat..water under the bridge ?
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15-year penalty
By Rachelle Agard, The Nation
The footballer who threw stones and a beer bottle during a domestic match at the Wildey Turf nine days ago has been slapped with a 15-year ban by the Barbados Football Association (BFA).
University of the West Indies (UWI) Blackbirds striker Corey “Santa” Barrow was hit with the penalty after he, as a spectator, attacked Abrahams United Silver Sands’ goalkeeper Jamal Moore in a Premier League match on May 27.
Following an emergency meeting of the BFA’s executive board last week, the 34-year-old Barrow was slapped with the ban, which would see him prohibited from all football-related activities until he turned 49.
When contacted yesterday, BFA president Randy Harris said they were sending a clear message to players, and hoped the incident would act as a deterrent for any persons who would want to attempt such behaviour at football.
Clear message
“We did our investigations and the board came up with the punishment, which we thought was fitting for the way the incident unfolded. We are sending a clear message as to how we view this type of behaviour at the facility. It’s the only facility we have available at the moment, and we have to ensure that the players and patrons attending football are safe. It is unfortunate, but we had to take decisive action,” he told NATIONSPORT.
“When we improved the facility up here, we set up a perimeter fence to prevent this type of incident from happening. However, the culprit breached the security and scaled the fence, which we thought was unbecoming of a registered player of the BFA.”
According to reports, Barrow, who was present during the nightcap game between Paradise and Silver Sands, got into an argument with Moore. Barrow then hurled a beer bottle at Moore who was on the field during play.
An enraged Barrow subsequently jumped the fence and went onto the restricted area, armed with two rocks and threw them at the goalkeeper. While one missed, the other struck Moore on a hand and a fight ensued, bringing the game to a halt after police and players had to part the two men. A clip of the alter-cation has since gone viral on all social media platforms.
Placed on bond
The 34-year-old Clapham, St Michael resident saw himself hauled in front the District “A” Magistrates’ Court last week Monday, before Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant, who placed the first-time offender on a six-month bond to keep the peace. If breached, he would be fined $750 forthwith or spend six weeks in prison.
The BFA has been on a drive to eradicate all forms of violence throughout football, with the introduction of their Stop The Violence campaign, which was introduced in 2016.
Head coach of UWI’s Academy of Sport, Roland Butcher, said he was out of the island, and unaware of the BFA’s decision.
“I presume there are appeals to deal with this type of thing, so I will deal with the matter when I return next week,” he said.
Barrow is also coach of Pro Shottas Soccer School and president Greg Castagne said the executive of the school were looking further into the matter to determine the way forward.
“We are in correspondence with the BFA, and it is a matter still to be concluded. We are looking into the matter a bit further, before we make a final decision. Prior to the BFA making their decision, we had suspended [Barrow] for four weeks,” he said, adding that he would “have a better idea later this week”.
Beaten and bruised
By Morissa Lindsay, Barbados Today
On the stroke of regular time, the Barbados Football Association’s Premier League match between Paradise and Abrahams United Silver Sands came to a brutal conclusion last night at the Wildey, St Michael AstroTurf.
As Paradise were on their way to register a well-deserved 6-0 victory with a minute left to play in the third and final encounter, a spectator emerged from the Kent/Upton side of the playing field and unleashed two large stones at Silver Sands’ custodian Jamal Moore.
It was later revealed that the spectator was in fact University of the West Indies’ striker Corey ‘Santa’ Barrow who was subsequently arrested and later charged by police officers present during the game.
It is alleged that Barrow said something to the Silver Sands goalkeeper from the stands and Moore responded to Barrow. That response then apparently led to the UWI player leaving his seat, jumping over the fence and onto the turf to confront Moore who was then struck by the stones thrown at him.
When contacted, Barbados Football Association president Randolph Harris told Barbados TODAY Barrow had been suspended from playing all forms of football.
He said: “I am awaiting a report from the police because I did not actually witness the incident but the BFA will suspend Corey Barrow from all activity regarding football. The board [BFA] will meet and we will make an official decision on the matter.”
Over the years violence has plagued local football. The BFA has responded to this with a Stop The Violence campaign but several incidents suggest the message of the initiative has been falling on deaf ears.
Just as recent as last year two players were left nursing gunshot wounds during a Reserved League match between Weymouth Wales and Belfield Football Club which the BFA president narrowed down to a societal problem at that point in time.
In addition, four years ago, the BFA’s disciplinary committee banned the Adamson brothers, Diquan and Rushan, along with Andre Daniel, a former national defender for two years, after the three Gall Hill players were found guilty of violent conduct. Now it seems Barrow could be facing that same fate or worse following last night’s unfortunate incident in the full view of football patrons.
Before that situation transpired things were going well in favour of Paradise who buried two early goals in the fifth and seventh minutes respectively compliments Chai Lloyd along with leading forward Armando ‘Suga’ Lashley who ended with a hat-trick.
The men from Dover then went on to score four more goals and three of those came just before half time. National midfielder Ackeel Applewhaite nailed a brace in the 20th and 71st time periods. Meanwhile Lashley registered two more goals in the 31st and 41st minutes to be adjudged Man of the Match sponsored by Turbo and worth BDS$100.
Coached by Kenville Layne, Paradise have moved up from third place into second position after adding three points to their initial total of 16 before the start of the night cap game. They are now on 19 points and ahead of Clayton’s Kola Tonic Notre Dame who have drifted into fourth place and tied on 18 points with Brittons Hill who edged the Bayland men 1-0 in the opening fixture yesterday evening.
In the eighth minute Denzil Fordyce scored the lone goal that not only led Brittons Hill to victory, but ensured they are now sitting in third place with a 3-2 goal difference ahead of Notre Dame.
Meanwhile former three-time champions Barbados Defence Force Sports Programme made light work of Porey Springs with a 4-1 win to continue their dominance at the top of zone two with 30 points. National midfielder Akeem Hill along with Omani Leacock both scored a brace each starting with Hill in the 29th and 76th minutes and Leacock in the 37th and 67th respectively.
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Trinidad & Tobago, what is the final disposition of the La Brea incident?
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Probably still investigating. This was not a TTFA match. Minor league game. But still, we hope the TTPS doing their diligent investigating to prosecute those hooligans.
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De bottlethrower is a "silent rivers run deep" kinda bredda. Ah was on a course with him. Cool youth on de surface. Will smile and laugh somewhere between readily and with cynicism, but I could see this playing out in some form. Not a hothead but if yuh know de markers of de Bajan brand of ignorance, yuh would know de fella could get heated on a slow fire.
De BFA's stance is more stringent than that of the court. Lehwe see how things play out.
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Before that situation transpired things were going well in favour of Paradise who buried two early goals in the fifth and seventh minutes respectively compliments Chai Lloyd along with leading forward Armando ‘Suga’ Lashley who ended with a hat-trick.
The men from Dover then went on to score four more goals and three of those came just before half time. National midfielder Ackeel Applewhaite nailed a brace in the 20th and 71st time periods. Meanwhile Lashley registered two more goals in the 31st and 41st minutes to be adjudged Man of the Match sponsored by Turbo and worth BDS$100
AA is a player who went on trial at Jabloteh last year, but who bolted for Antigua rather than tough it out in T&T. Also had some experience in the UK, where he was said to have been offered schoolboy terms by Barnet.
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Probably still investigating. This was not a TTFA match. Minor league game. But still, we hope the TTPS doing their diligent investigating to prosecute those hooligans.
There have been many instances of national team and pro league players participating in unsanctioned minor league competitions. The TTFA and national team coaches have asserted positions on that participation. What would be a responsible federation position should one of those players act in fury in minor league competition? A throwing of hands in the air and say it wasn't our fete?
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CONCACAF Focuses on Inclusive Growth Through Competitions Expansion
Around the Rings
The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) held today its 33rd Ordinary Congress in Moscow Russia, where delegates celebrated the accomplishments of the Confederation in 2017.
“Following the completion of a successful governance reform effort over the last two years, our Confederation has forged a new era. Working together as a family we have delivered on our One Concacaf Vision to continue expanding and producing tangible benefits to our game,” said Concacaf President Victor Montagliani. “This is an era of resounding commitment to serving our Member Associations and increased investment in development and broader, more inclusive competitions.”
The Congress approved the 2017 Concacaf Council Report; as well as the 2017 audited financial statements and the 2018 budget. As part of the commitment to continue ensuring the integrity and transparency of the organization, and to comply with governance standards, the Confederation made public its Congress Book, including the financial statements and the 2018 budget, which is available here.
In other events occurring at the Congress, Randolph Harris from Barbados was elected as Vice President of the Concacaf Council. Mr. Harris ran unopposed for the position.
Concacaf also presented the General Secretariat Report on the full year achievements as a result of an efficient organizational structure consisting of the Confederation’s functional areas -- Football Operations, Commercial, Member Associations, Finance and Administration, and Legal and Compliance.
The governing body announced the increase of its One Concacaf Funding Program by more than 35 percent for the 2018 edition of the program, continuing the commitment to invest directly in growing its Member Associations as enablers of the game’s success.
2017 marked a defining moment on the evolution of Concacaf’s competitions. On the clubs tournaments front, the Confederation launched the new single elimination Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League and Scotiabank Concacaf League formats, while redesigning the Caribbean Championships. On the national teams’ front, Concacaf also announced a newly expanded format for its premier competition, the Gold Cup. From 2019 onwards, the Gold Cup will include 16 teams and a pan-regional footprint with the upcoming selection of additional venues in the Caribbean and Central America.
Earlier this year, the Confederation unveiled the Concacaf Nations League, an innovative and inclusive national team competition set to kick off this September, bringing meaningful sustainable national team football for all the Member Associations.
The Concacaf Nations League is an on-the-field extension of Concacaf’s new image and brand architecture, which was also recently announced, framing the Confederation’s efforts around the core One Concacaf Vision of developing and stewarding the game on the pillars of Unity, Access, Football and Quality. In that spirit, the Nations League will provide greatly expanded access for Concacaf’s Member Associations to international football, enhancing the development of football across the region at all levels.
The annual meeting was attended by Concacaf Member Associations delegates. FIFA President Gianni Infantino, CONMEBOL President, Alejandro Dominguez, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura, members of the Russian Football Union and the Local Organizing Committee for the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018. Also present at the event were Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber and Liga MX President Enrique Bonilla, as well as Concacaf strategic partners.
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USA, Canada and Mexico won the bid to host the 2026 WC...hopefully Trump don't f**k up the relations anymore and T&T has their house in order to actually qualify!
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USA, Canada and Mexico won the bid to host the 2026 WC...hopefully Trump don't f**k up the relations anymore and T&T has their house in order to actually qualify!
what does this mean for the amount of qualifiers from this area?
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USA, Canada and Mexico won the bid to host the 2026 WC...hopefully Trump don't f**k up the relations anymore and T&T has their house in order to actually qualify!
what does this mean for the amount of qualifiers from this area?
2026 will be 48 team world cup with 6.5 spots for Concacaf. So qualifiers will have 3.5 spots up for grabs. If we can't make it we need to focus on netball. First step is to get rid of DJW.
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Description of the playoff format:
The proposal is that a nation from every confederation, except Uefa, will play-off in a knockout tournament that doubles up as a test event for the host nation. The five teams will be joined by an additional country from the host nations’ confederation – Concacaf. Two seeded teams will each meet the winners of a match between two unseeded teams to determine the final places.
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As of right now the co-hosts for 2026 do not have an automatic spot.
That supposed to be decided at the June 2019 FIFA Congress.
Realistically with 6 spots nobody should need an automatic spot. Maybe just the US because of the number of games there but if you can’t make a CONCACAF top 6 what you going World Cup to do?
I could see Canada hosting and watching from the outside :D
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That will be real shitty.
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June 2019 FIFA Congress maybe they can reconstruct the Concacaf region whereby the Caribbean can have two teams. Then and only then we'll know.
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Some US analysts were speaking like all 3 countries have guaranteed spots. If that's the case, it will be a real dog fight. Let's get a proper technical director and focus on U18, U16, U14 and even U12 teams starting this year.
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I can't see if you are a host and then asking for you to qualify. Plain stupidity of the highest order.
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LeBlanc named head of CONCACAF women's football
TSN
Former Canadian international goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc has been named to the new position of head, women’s football for CONCACAF.
The announcement was made at the 33rd CONCACAF Ordinary Congress which was held in Moscow ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup which begins on Thursday.
LeBlanc made 110 appearances for Canada during her career that began in 1998.
The 38-year-old participated in three Pan-Am Games, two Olympics and five FIFA World Cups for Canada and was a member of the 2012 bronze medal winning team at the London Games.
LeBlanc will begin her new role for CONCACAF on August 1.
View video here. (https://www.tsn.ca/leblanc-named-head-of-concacaf-women-s-football-1.1109081)
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This (https://res.cloudinary.com/concacaf-production/image/upload/v1527000600/concacaf-prod/assets/33rd_Concacaf_Ordinary_Congress_Agenda-English.pdf) was the agenda of the 33rd CONCACAF Ordinary Congress held on Monday, June 11. Note especially the section on Finance.
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Announcement by the Barbados Football Association of a change in phone number.
(http://www.barbadosfa.com/images/ReplicasAvailable-FRT.jpg)
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Concacaf U-15 Girls’ Championship hosts successful referee development event
CONCACAF
Each year, the Concacaf Under-15 Championship offers an opportunity to evaluate Member Association prospective FIFA Referee Candidates for the upcoming year, and for the 2018 edition, approximately 60 match officials from across the region traveled to Florida to undergo evaluation and training from FIFA Instructors.
Once again showing why it is one of the leaders in world football in regards to referee development, Concacaf successfully hosted a training event focused on FIFA Referee and Assistant Referee prospects for 2019 this past week at the Concacaf Girls’ Under-15 Championship, played at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
In addition, through the UEFA Assist program, for the first time, two female UEFA referee trios and a UEFA FIFA Instructor participated in the third edition of the championship, which is conducted every two years. UEFA’s initiative provides assistance to other confederations and their member associations in order to develop and strengthen football across the globe.
Each year, the Concacaf competition offers a unique opportunity to evaluate Member Association prospective FIFA Referee Candidates for the upcoming year, and for the 2018 edition, approximately 60 match officials (proposed by 19 different Member Associations) traveled to Florida to undergo evaluation and training from FIFA Instructors.
The evaluation is critical to improving the performance of referees as it involves officiating a minimum of two matches that are observed by Concacaf Elite Assessors and instructors. More importantly, the match officials partake in daily debrief sessions focused on examining the intricacies of the game and improving performances, which gives referees more tools to manage games at their local level.
UEFA was represented by a trio of referees from Serbia and Spain, as well as Dagmar Damkova, who is an ex-FIFA referee, FIFA Referee Committed member, UEFA Referee Committee member and a FIFA Instructor.
In order to simulate FIFA and Concacaf senior tournaments, the referees also attended daily fitness and recovery sessions that were led by FIFA Instructors Peter Prendergast, Michelle Pye, Leonel Leal, Alan Brown, and Damkova. These sessions provide the basis for technical training that expose the referees and assistant referees to game-like situations.
Brian Hall, Concacaf’s Director of Refereeing, highlighted the importance of the work put in by these referees during the tournament:
“Not only are the Concacaf U-15 Championships important for the growth of football players, coaches, and Member Associations, but the tournament serves a vital role in the development of referees.
First, the opportunity for Member Association referees to officiate teams from outside their region and area is important. They are exposed to different styles of play and different football cultures. This exposure grows their football understanding and strengthens their refereeing foundation.
For many, this is the first time they have refereed a game outside their country and in an environment where they must earn the respect of the teams and players because they are an unknown to them.
Second, when you have such a diverse group of officials, they have the opportunity to observe how referees from other countries work. This provides a good benchmark for them and a fantastic opportunity to learn from the work of their colleagues and peers.
And, finally, the weeklong exposure to world-class instructors and daily in-depth analysis of match situations provides coaching moments like no other.”
The partnership with the UEFA Refereeing Department also enhanced the tournament from a quality of refereeing perspective as well as a cultural perspective. The value of the experience for UEFA and FIFA Referee Instructor Damkova, from the Czech Republic, did not go unnoticed:
“This championship was a great opportunity for the referees to show how they work, to demonstrate their attitude to refereeing, and receive training that will help them achieve excellence. It was also an opportunity to see the work with Concacaf referees and to be able compare it to what we are doing at UEFA. The opportunity to share ideas and knowledge was invaluable. I fully support this kind of project and am willing to help and share my experience any time. It was an honor to be here and I hope I will soon see some of the officials as FIFA referees in the near future.”
To conclude their respective participations at the U-15 Girls’ Championship, each Member Association, Head of Refereeing, and participating referee will submit a feedback form to provide a basis for future training and development at the local level.
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Concacaf opens new HQ in downtown Miami
By Michael Johnson, SportsProMedia
Concacaf, the governing body for soccer in North and Central America and the Caribbean, has officially inaugurated its new headquarters in downtown Miami.
On Thursday, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the new office, which is located at the 3 MiamiCentral building. City mayor Francis Suarez and Fifa president Gianni Infantino were both in attendance, along with Concacaf president Victor Montagliani and the confederation’s general secretary, Philippe Moggio.
“The opening of our new headquarters in Miami, Florida is quite significant for our Concacaf family, not only for the support it provides to our 41 member associations, but what is also important, it is the evidence of how Concacaf is moving forward,” said Montagliani.
“It underpins the great work we are doing across the confederation and the journey that we have taken to grow football in this city and across the region.”
A Concacaf statement said the new office, which now houses over 50 employees, would offer the body’s 41 member associations and other key stakeholders ‘a more centralised location, easier access to a major transit hub as well as other resources to support the organisation’s growth and drive efficient business operations.’
Concacaf’s decision to relocate its headquarters comes as the body’s leadership continues to work to overhaul its image after a succession of damaging corruption scandals involving former top executives.
Concacaf’s old headquarters were located in the Cayman Islands, home of Montagliani’s disgraced predecessor Jeffrey Webb, and, prior to that, in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, in a building owned by another disgraced former president, Jack Warner.
Last year, Concacaf opened a new regional office in Kingston, Jamaica, while the organisation also operates a Central American hub in Guatemala City. The confederation has long had an administrative office in Miami Beach.
Speaking this week, Infantino said the opening of the new downtown headquarters “represents a new chapter of football” in the Concacaf region.
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So Concacaf headquarters was once in T&T and we f that up too....the US I'm sure is all to happy to have it located in Miami.
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BFA to benefit from partnership with Argentines
BFA
The Barbados Football Association (BFA) on Wednesday scored its biggest goal for the year after a meeting with the president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), Claudio Tapia.
President of the BFA Randy Harris and Argentine Ambassador to Barbados Gustavo Martinez Pandiani, made a courtesy call on Tapia at the AFA’s Buenos Aries headquarters.
The meeting was scheduled as part of the itinerary of the Barbados Under-17 national team delegation, currently on a week-long visit at Boca Juniors, one of Argentina’s most famous clubs.
Following a short closed door meeting, Tapia said it was the starting point of a great relationship.
“This is a very important meeting for our association. I think is a starting point for the cooperation of the two associations. We will contribute the resources that we have to the Federation of Barbados not only in sports but also in cultural terms,” he pledged.
Harris said he was “over the moon” about the news.
“Obviously, we will have access to the Argentine facilities. There will be some exchanges of players. There will also be assistance in technical development and equipment. Most of all, we will see a number of Argentine players coming to play in Barbados, and teams from Barbados getting the opportunity to play in Argentina,” he said.
Tapia is set to visit Barbados next year to make the partnership between the two countries official.
“I was especially proud that he agreed to come to Barbados to sign an agreement with the Barbados Football Association, so that we can make our agreement together official,” Harris added, smiling broadly.
Harris also met on Tuesday evening at the San Martin Palace in Buenos Aires with Ambassador Undersecretary of Foreign Policy, Gustavo Zlaurineu, and Ambassador Secretary of Coordination and External Planning Ernesto Gaspari, along with Pandiani, all from the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Relations and Worship.
“The meeting was on the cooperation of sports, especially football, and how Barbados and Argentina can work together. Argentina is ready to help us with football and we are ready to help Argentina with cricket,” he said.
Additionally, Harris, who is also president of the Caribbean Football Union, said he would explore the possibility of the region’s support for the joint bid by Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay to host the 2030 World Cup.
Tapia, who took over as AFA president in March 2017, said he was confident they would win the bid against Morocco, England and a joint bid among Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece to bring the World Cup back home on its 100th anniversary. Official voting is scheduled for 2022.
“If we win the bid, it will mean a lot of big opportunities,” he said.
“History will continue, as we celebrated the first World Cup in 1930 in Uraguay, so the opportunity is historic for us. I am very proud for South America to bring the Cup after 100 years to our shores. It is going to be an experience for life.
“We will also have the opportunity to pay respect to our people and the infrastructure in the three countries in terms of stadia and facilities,” Tapia added.
Harris meets Argentine Foreign Ministry Officials during Buenos Aires Visit
BFA
BFA President Randolph Harris got the opportunity to meet and have discussions with members of the Argentine Foreign Relations and Worship during his trip with the U17 national team in Buenos Aires.
The meeting with Mr. Gustavo Zlaurineu, Ambassador Undersecretary of Foreign Policy and Mr. Ernesto Gaspari, Ambassador Secretary of Coordination and External Planning was organized by Mr Gustavo Pandiani, Argentine Ambassador to Barbados and took place at the San Martin Palace yesterday.
The heads discussed strengthening relations and possible opportunities for further collaboration between Barbados and Argentina with regards to football.
The meeting comes as part of a week-long camp which began on Sunday at the Boca Juniors facility in Argentina for the Barbados U17 Boys national team which was facilitated by the Argentine Embassy in Barbados and the Barbados Football Association. The team returns to Barbados on Saturday.
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Under 17s give solid performance versus Argentina
BFA
After three days of intense training, the Barbados Football Association Under-17 national team were able to prove they are ready for any challenge.
The Bajan Tridents were able to hold their own following a friendly against the Argentina Under-17 team at the Argentine Predio Ezeiza's football facility earlier today.
The match was the culmination of three days of rigorous training by Mario Pobernsik, assistant coach of the Boca Juniors Under-20 team.
While they lost 2-0 to their hosts, it was not for lack of trying, as the youngsters pushed back against their opponents in the pouring rain; playing in not so perfect conditions and a temperature of 20 degrees.
With head coach Renaldo "Pee Wee" Gilkes shouting instructions from the sidelines, the local lads were able to give a superb performance, led by captain Roshon "Speedy" Gittens.
In the first half, Barbados were able to keep pace with their opponents for the first 30 minutes, before a moment of hesitation by goalkeeper Brandon Sumpter saw the Argentines pocket a rocket to take the lead.
As the second half continued, the fleet footed Argentines swapped out their entire starting 11, putting more pressure on the boys.
In the end it was not to be, as a costly error in passing saw the opponent taking advantage to take the lead 2-0, minutes before the final whistle.
Despite the loss, the Bajan youngsters came off the field all smiles and celebrating with the Argentines.
Gilkes congratulated them on a solid performance, while Pobersnik said he was impressed by the way they managed to hold their own in spite of the extreme weather conditions.
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US U-20 won the tournament and qualify for U-20 WC. Their second straight.
https://sports.yahoo.com/us-u-20-win-concacaf-132342591.html
The U-20 U.S. men’s national team had already clinched a spot in the U-20 World Cup in Poland next summer, but Tab Ramos’ youngsters sealed their second-straight CONCACAF Championship title on Wednesday.
Get ready to see a few of these players in USMNT squads in the months and years to come.
The young Yanks beat Mexico 2-0 in Bradenton, Florida with Alex Mendez scoring twice with a lovely finish in the first half and then the SC Freiburg product finished off a rapid counter in the second half to seal the win.
Mendez won the Golden Ball at the tournament for the best player and he also had the most goals with eight, while U.S. stopper Brady Scott was awarded the Golden Glove as the best goalkeeper. Before the last two tournaments the U.S. had never won the U-20 CONCACAF Championship.
Ramos’ work with these youngsters should not be overlooked, as they’ve now been crowned champs of CONCACAF for the second time on the trot under his tutelage and he’s also led them to four-straight World Cups.
Below you can watch the two goals from Mendez which sealed the title for the youngsters.
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Capelli Cup Kick Off Delayed
Barbados Football Association
The inaugural Capelli Super Cup Competition, scheduled to kick off in another five days has been delayed.
That is because the tournament, scheduled to begin on September 1, has been postponed until September 15. This would allow the national team exclusive usage of the Barbados Football Association's (BFA) Wildey facility for their training without interruption.
As such, the Senior National Team would be locked in preparation for the upcoming Concacaf Nations League Games slated for September 5 and 8.
Additionally, the Bajan Tridents are scheduled to play a friendly match against St Kitts and Nevis, which is set to coincide with the opening of the Super Cup Competition and would serve as the feature game of the night.
Twenty-five of the island’s best football clubs, drawn into six groups, would descend on the BFA's Wildey Turf, to prove who is the fittest and will walk away with bragging rights, the Cup and the grand prize of $50 000.
Furthermore, the Most Valuable Player and a lucky fan will drive home a brand new Hyundai vehicle at the end of the eight-week competition.
The Cup is being funded by the world’s football governing body FIFA, through its FIFA Forward 2.0 programme and the BFA aims to rekindle the spirit of the the game which has been heading south for some time.
President Randy Harris said to return interest to both players and fans alike, they thought to host a special tournament for the island’s top footballers during the offseason would do just that.
“This was only made possible through FIFA and its support for the Caribbean. They are responsible for our facility and without them, there was no other financial assistance to make that possible. That is how important FIFA is to us in the Caribbean,” he said.
And according to Harris, who is also the head of the Caribbean Football Union, the tournament would replace the now-defunct David Thompson Memorial Constituency Council Football Classic and the LIME Pelican Football Challenge.
“We now think the BFA can fill that gap and do it better,” he said.
Meanwhile, FIFA’s Regional Office Development Manager, Marlon Glean who heads the office based in Barbados, said: “It is a very momentous occasion for football in Barbados. I believe this competition will relaunch the interest and the development of football on the island. FIFA is keen and excited to partner with the Barbados Football Association to support such a worthy venture.
"We see this competition growing from strength to strength. Once this competition kicks off I am very confident that we will see a renewed interest in football and its development.”
Capelli Cup Teams
Group A: Weymouth Wales, Brittons Hill, Silver Sands, Technique, Central League Spartans
Group B: Paradise, Youth Milan, Wotton FC, Fitts Village.
Group C: UWI Blackbirds, Porey Spring, Pride of Gall Hill, Pinelands.
Group D: Notre Dame, Ellerton FC, Deacons FC, Villa United.
Group E: Barbados Defence Force Sports Programme, Barbados Soccer Academy, Blackspurs, Kickstart.
Group F: Empire, St Andrew Lions, Whitehall
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There's that "Capelli" word again.
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Did our team ear capelli in the last 2 games?
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Did our team ear capelli in the last 2 games?
Nope!
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There's that "Capelli" word again.
Maybe Capelli said “Caribbean country “, TTFA assumed we, blank Joma, they meant BFA. If Joma held a grudge, we mighta run out naked..mighta be more entertaining for the ladies, and for awhile the world woulda be talking about we in football - something many waggonist crave. :frustrated:
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There's that "Capelli" word again.
Maybe Capelli said “Caribbean country “, TTFA assumed we, blank Joma, they meant BFA. If Joma held a grudge, we mighta run out naked..mighta be more entertaining for the ladies, and for awhile the world woulda be talking about we in football - something many waggonist crave. :frustrated:
Barbados is wearing Capelli. You encouraged me to look closely. And the upcoming tournament is advertised as the Capelli Super Cup ... although the article above doesn't explicitly say any thing else about Capelli's role. Yet, it notes that the Cup is being
"funded by the world’s football governing body FIFA, through its FIFA Forward 2.0 programme."
The Cup runs for 8 weeks and seems to have sort of an Ascension feel to it in flavor.
Whatever ... we in the Caribbean could real run short-term bashment projects ... longer-term ventures transform from bashment into bacchanal.
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Ollie Norburn called up by Grenada
By Lewis Cox | Shrewsbury Town FC | Published: Nov 9, 2019 | Last Updated: Nov 10, 2019
https://www.shropshirestar.com/sport/football/shrewsbury-town-fc/2019/11/09/ollie-norburn-called-up-by-grenada/
Shrewsbury Town midfielder Ollie Norburn has become the third Shrewsbury Town player called up to international football by Grenada.
The Town skipper joins club team-mates Omar Beckles and Aaron Pierre with the Spice Boys for the coming week's international break.
Grenada have Concacaf Nations League group clashes against St Kitts & Nevis and Belize to confirm their place in the 2021 Gold Cup.
Bolton-born midfielder Norburn qualifies for the Caribbean nation through his grandfather. He is Town's third international, meaning next weekend's League One clash at Doncaster was postponed.
Sam Ricketts said: "Grenada have called up Ollie Norburn. We obviously have a few players who qualify for Grenada.
"They've been hinting and talks have been going on for a long time but this time they've called Ollie Norburn up.
"It's something he's keen to do, especially now they're so close to qualifying. I'm delighted for all of them."
Town defender Ro-Shaun Williams also qualifies for Grenada, who are on the verge of making their first Gold Cup tournament – which will go ahead in 2021 – since 2011.
Midfielder Sean Goss, who was born in Germany, is being monitored by Northern Ireland, of whom he has descent through his grandparents, for a possible call up.
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CONCACAF B License Coaching Course attracts 17
Barbados Football Association
(http://www.barbadosfa.com/photos/images/WhatsApp%20Image%202019-11-13%20at%206_40_11%20PM(1).jpeg)
(http://www.barbadosfa.com/photos/WhatsApp%20Image%202019-11-13%20at%206.40.10%20PM.jpeg)
At the end of this week [last week], the Barbados Football Association (BFA) will have 17 more ‘B’ License coaches.
This after they complete the third pilot of the program, which will encompass theoretical and practical sessions, put on by Concacaf’s Coaching Education Program.
First Vice-President of the FA, Captain Al Walcott, told the cadre of coaches this morning, during the opening ceremony held at the Barbados Olympic Association, that this course was all in keeping with the KPAs of the BFA’s Strategic Plan.
“One of the key KPA’s (Key Priority Areas) we had for our strategic plan was coaching education. Over the years we have developed starting with the ‘D’ License. Through Concacaf, Barbados took the lead with the ‘C’ License and now we are here with the ‘B’ License, which as the TD (Technical Director) mentioned, we believe is a significant step towards the development of football in Barbados, and even in the region as the courses are done throughout the Concacaf region,” he said.
Captain Walcott also advised the coaches not to just do the course and celebrate passing by putting the certificate on the shelf, but to display what they learnt in the different clubs and at the national level should they become a part of that team.
Using a quote from American author Brian Herbert, Captain Walcott told the coaches: “The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice. The capacity to learn is a gift, so we all should have a gift of learning. The ability to learn is a skill, and skills are there for every one of us and we develop skills. Skills are like muscles; if you don’t develop it, then it will get weak and wasted. And the willingness to learn is a choice. Your willingness to learn is your choice for this week, but you never stop learning as a coach; you never stop learning as a practitioner; you never stop learning as an individual in the specific skill or specific discipline that you are pursuing,” he said.
“Put the best effort forward for Barbados’ football, for club football and even maybe someday you would be sitting here to deal with the regional development of coaches to help football across the region grow in Concacaf and the CFU (Caribbean Football Union) arena,” he added.
General Secretary of the BFA, Edwyn Wood, said the ‘B’ License was a continuation of the BFA's quest to ensure that Barbados had a cadre of qualified coaches.
“We are fortunate to be granted the second of Concacaf's 'B' License Courses ever. A few years ago when Concacaf introduced its licensing program, we pushed for as many courses that we can which now puts us in a prime position to benefit when the new and more advanced ones arrive.
“We have over 100 ‘D’ License coaches and close to 40 ‘C’ License coaches on the island. This will be a tremendous benefit to how our future footballers are trained, and how well the country as a whole does in football,” he said.
Technical Director of the Association, Ahmed Mohamed implored the coaches to continue on the path to developing the game in Barbados together.
“When I started here in Barbados, my main goal was to develop football. Without developing the coaches, you cannot develop football. This part here to me is one of the most important parts of being a coach. A ‘B’ License means for me . . . the first part of the professional football. Everybody has enough experience, everybody has enough qualifications. The 17 coaches that I selected mean that I am going to work with you all hand in hand towards the Premier League, the Women’s League, Youth Elite and National Program. I would love to see some of you getting some contracts outside of Barbados as well, but this is your football; carry this in your heart and be a good coach,” he advised.
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New technical centre ready to allow more than 1000 kids to enjoy football in Honduras
FIFA
*New 7-a-side artificial turf pitch inaugurated at the Estadio Infantil FENAFUTH
*U-8, U-10 and U-12 leagues will be able to regularly use the new facility
*Complex dedicated to youth football allows players to play in ideal conditions
The horizon looks bright for the future of football in Tegucigalpa, the mountainous Honduran capital of 1.2 million inhabitants, where players are now able to enjoy training at a brand new youth football stadium, financed by the FIFA Forward Development Programme. The new facility will allow them to enjoy football in the best conditions, bringing more quality of play in a country where football is more than just a game.
Adjacent to the stadium of Birichiche in Tegucigalpa, the new facility will be managed by the National Autonomous Federation of Football in Honduras (FENAFUTH). The purpose behind the new infrastructure is to allow U-8, U-10 and U-12 leagues to play their championships on a regular basis at a sporting complex dedicated to youth football.
The FENAFUTH aims to organise championships, events and tournaments to promote grassroots and youth football in the country. More than 700 matches will be played in the Estadio Infantil FENAFUTH yearly and more than 1000 kids will profit from football and its benefits for their personal and sporting development.
The Estadio Infantil FENAFUTH includes seats for 164 spectators who will be able to enjoy football in the best conditions – including at night or when it rains. A roof and accessibility ramps are also part of this technical centre that will allow clubs, supporters and players to live the football experience at its fullest: dressing rooms, floodlights, medical room, administrative offices, public toilets and parking slots are all part of this Estadio Infantil.
Last week, the new 7-a-side artificial pitch (https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/who-we-are/news/new-technical-centre-ready-to-allow-more-than-1000-kids-enjoy-football-in-hondur#new-technical-centre-ready-to-allow-more-than-1000-kids-enjoy-football-in--x7641) funded with the support of the FIFA Forward Programme, was officially inaugurated in the Honduran capital in the presence of FIFA’s Jair Bertoni, MA Director for the Americas and Jose Rodriguez, Development Manager along with representatives of the FENAFUTH and the government.
The leading project promoters, who were attending the ceremony, were all delighted to witness the conclusion of many years of commitment emerging from the ground. The inauguration of the facility crystallises the strong commitment of FIFA and FENAFUTH to provide stadiums and quality pitches in the Central American country.
The new technical centre is also expected to bring more young players into the game, creating the perfect environment to identify the talents of tomorrow. Having not only a social purpose, the new installation is expected to bring more quality on the pitch by creating optimal and safer conditions for all players. This will undoubtedly boost children’s performances and guarantee ideal training settings, generating results and allowing the beneficiaries to keep enjoying their favourite sport.
Jorge Salomón Ochiena, FENAFUTH President
"It will be a great joy to watch more than 2000 children playing weekly on this pitch, enjoying the best sport in the world, running through this artificial grass smiling, enjoying and learning how to play. This facility is key, as it will allow us to organise courses and seminars for coaches and referees and that will be a fundamental help for their technical training.
"It is a very beautiful and operational facility in a city topographically difficult as is Tegucigalpa. Thanks to FIFA, its president Gianni Infantino, Jair Bertoni and José Rodríguez for this great collaboration with football in Honduras.
"The work in infrastructure continues with the remodelling of the building for national teams in Siguatepeque, accompanied by a FIFAQualityPro pitch, that we hope is finished by the month of January."
Jair Bertoni, Director of FIFA Member Associations Americas subdivision
"This beautiful scenario will offer better conditions to boys and girls at different ages, which is good for integral development in Honduras, to then reach the elite and maintain the practice and passion for football.
"FIFA has always enthusiastically trusted the Federation in the work carried out by President Salomón and his Secretary General José Mejía, we work with them a lot to improve and continue professionalising the structure of the Federation and Honduran football and we have full confidence in these good people, hardworking and passionate about football.
"Certainly, we do not have projects of this nature in the Americas, which is my geographical responsibility and neither in Central America, and it is true that this type of project is very functional and helps the kids a lot when they start kicking the ball."
José Ernesto Mejía, General Secretary FENAFUTH
"We are very happy to develop this project, to inaugurate it on this date, as it will benefit more than 2000 children who played in dirt fields and now they can play football on a suitable pitch.
"We thank FIFA Forward and FIFA for accompanying the vision of a the FENAFUTH that puts its effort to grow our football in an integral way with appropriate scenarios."
Jorge Jimenez, Director of Development, FENAFUTH
"This project fills us with pride for its quality, for the way it was conceived, for how it was finished and because it is a work that will mark the course of Tegucigalpa's kids and the future of Honduran football."
Fabian Coito, Technical Director, Honduras National Team
"While watching the inauguration I thought about how to congratulate all those people who made this project possible. These people believed in that dream of giving grassroots football the conditions to boost football. I also thought about everything that kids would win, not only because one day they might become professional footballers and fulfil the dream that every kid has but also for believing in sport as an educator for young people and teenagers that will shape their values and personality.
"I want to congratulate everyone who was responsible and all those kids who are going to enjoy a space to play on this beautiful pitch. Take advantage of it, enjoy and play as you dream. The true essence of this is to play until one day maybe you do it so well that make this sport your livelihood."
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FIFA President inaugurates FIFA Forward-funded infrastructure in El Salvador
FIFA.com
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EJ21zRmWkAEcc2k?format=jpg&name=small)
(https://img.fifa.com/image/upload/t_s2/hkotn5brevsprw6uzlrr.jpg)
Concluding a three-day tour of Caribbean and Central American countries, FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Concacaf President and FIFA Vice-President Victor Montagliani today took part in the XVIII Central American Football Union (UNCAF) Ordinary Congress in El Salvador. The visit was also marked by a meeting with the State President and the inauguration of a new residency for El Salvador national teams, 'Villa Selecta'.
The UNCAF Congress was an opportunity for President Infantino to exchange with all the regional football leaders on the progress of the game in Central America.
“The 7 UNCAF Member Associations are doing great progress in the development of our game, with a clear vision and direction, in a region where football represents so much for the people," said Infantino. "The regional association is making best use of the FIFA Forward funds allocated to all such associations around the world by investing in the organisation of competitions at all levels, for boys and girls, and I can only congratulate them for their serious work and encourage them to do even more in the future, together with FIFA and Concacaf."
Following the Congress, the FIFA President attended the inauguration of the new Salvadoran Football Federation (FESFUT) residency for national teams, which was funded through FIFA’s Forward programme. The new facility provides ideal conditions for the national teams' commitments and allows for the possibility of hosting four squads at the same time.
“Villa Selecta is a very good example of an essential infrastructure that is missing in several of our member associations," Infantino added. "The FIFA Forward financing is helping them to solve this problem and I have to say I am impressed by the quality of the project that FESFUT put together here in San Salvador.”
At the conclusion of his visit, President Infantino met with El Salvador President Nayib Armando Bukele Ortez. The two leaders shared views and experiences on the key role football can play in terms of education and inclusion by conveying values critical to young people, particularly in countries like El Salvador that have suffered the impact of violence in society.
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U.S. Soccer Federation’s Struggles Deepen
By Rachel Bachman, The Wall Street Journal
More than two years have passed since the U.S. men’s soccer team lost to Trinidad and Tobago, failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup and sending the U.S. Soccer Federation tumbling into turmoil.
The team has a new coach. The federation has a new president. But the fractured foundation that precipitated that loss hasn’t been repaired.
U.S. Soccer has been operating for more than a year without knowing who its next CEO will be. The brother of the U.S. men’s coach, who is the chief commercial officer for the federation, is reported to be a candidate to be the next CEO and in recent years has weighed in on decision-making about soccer staffing usually left to technical experts or coaches, a prominent former player and coach says.
Many of U.S. Soccer’s youth national team coaches and technical staff have left and haven’t been replaced, leaving a void that could have long-term effects on the U.S. men’s and women’s senior national teams. The men’s team starts qualifying for the 2022 World Cup next year.
“We need a national team that performs right now. We need a federation that’s healthy and viable and people feel good about, and that’s a struggle right now,” said United Soccer Coaches CEO Lynn Berling-Manuel. She leads the group that represents 30,000 coaches at all levels and is an associate member of U.S. Soccer.
Being without a CEO is “perhaps the fundamental error,” Berling-Manuel said. “That’s tough for any company. Staff is complaining bitterly because no one will make a decision about anything.”
The U.S. men finished 11-5-2 in 2019, with 10 wins coming against teams ranked below 50th in the world. In October, the Americans lost to Canada for the first time in 34 years. Average attendance for men’s home games dropped 43% from 2015, the team’s last year after a World Cup.
U.S. Soccer sporting director Earnie Stewart emphasized the youth of the men’s national team and noted that U.S. men’s coach Gregg Berhalter has been in place only a year. Stewart added, “We feel that we are moving in the right direction.”
The team’s shaky results have called attention to the fact that Berhalter’s older brother is Jay Berhalter, the federation’s chief commercial and strategy officer. Jay also is widely reported to be a leading candidate to become U.S. Soccer’s CEO, which former employees say would worsen the appearance of a conflict of interest.
U.S. Soccer spokesman Neil Buethe, responding for federation officials including Jay Berhalter, declined to comment on any CEO candidates but said the search has been “incredibly thorough,” and that the federation aims to make a decision in coming months.
Longtime U.S. Soccer CEO Dan Flynn, who indicated more than a year ago he was planning to leave the position, departed in September.
Buethe said there were no conflicts of interest in having brothers serving in two of the federation’s highest-ranking positions because Jay Berhalter has nothing to do with the technical department.
But Jay Berhalter has played a broader role behind the scenes than his job title suggests, according to Tab Ramos, a prominent former U.S. men’s national team player who left U.S. Soccer in October to become head coach of Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo.
Ramos, who coached U.S. Soccer’s Under-20 men’s national team to unprecedented success, said that Jay Berhalter often waded into matters of soccer staffing.
“For anyone who’s worked at U.S. Soccer the last four or five years, it was clear that the technical message was coming from Jay Berhalter,” Ramos said.
At a meeting about three years ago in Chicago, Ramos recalled, he said he wanted to establish a goalkeeping program for the youth national teams, which Ramos oversaw as youth technical director. Berhalter pushed back, he said.
“He said, ‘Why would we need a goalkeeping program more than a forwards program?’” Ramos said. “I was really surprised that someone that doesn’t have the technical knowledge could be involved in the decision-making of technical people.”
Buethe said that Jay Berhalter, starting in 2014, was involved in helping the federation craft a strategic plan to improve the sporting development programs but that Stewart now oversees all technical aspects of the organization.
U.S. Soccer has seen some successes since the fateful October 2017 loss that hastened the departure of federation president Sunil Gulati.
Carlos Cordeiro, elected U.S. Soccer president in early 2018, helped bring home the U.S.’s 2026 World Cup joint bid with Canada and Mexico. The U.S. women last summer won their fourth World Cup and played a five-game victory tour before adoring fans (though that team also is suing the federation for pay discrimination).
Also, U.S. Soccer has created an anonymous hotline that lets employees report suspected ethics or policy violations by federation staff, and hired a consulting firm to survey employees about their concerns. U.S. Soccer made the moves in the wake of scathing online reviews of its workplace atmosphere that appeared earlier this year.
On the field, U.S. Soccer’s youth national team coaching departures have left critical talent pipelines with a patchwork of leadership. Most of the head coaches of the 14 men’s and women’s age-group youth national teams have left in recent years and many haven’t been replaced.
A pivotal juncture came in 2018, when U.S. Soccer leaders issued an edict: Coaches had to live in Chicago, where U.S. Soccer is based, or risk not having their contracts renewed.
Dave van den Bergh, who coached several youth national teams during nine years with U.S. Soccer, said he left the federation earlier this year after being told he had to relocate from his home outside Fort Worth, Texas.
“I immediately said, ‘That’s not going to happen,’” said van den Bergh, now an assistant coach with MLS’s New England Revolution. “First off, I don’t see the benefit, because we’re never there. There’s no field in Chicago. For six months of the year, you can’t be in Chicago because of the weather.”
Buethe said that having coaches in one location improves communication, efficiency and mutual understanding.
April Heinrichs, a former U.S. women’s national team head coach and player, was U.S. Soccer’s women’s youth technical director overseeing all women’s youth national teams before leaving in 2018. Four women’s youth national team head coaches also left that year.
“I think it has to be a concern for our community that we haven’t replaced youth national team coaches since March of 2018,” Heinrichs said.
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Not football related but does CONCACAF still maintain office space or an actual physical presence in trinidad, specifically 113 edward street, thanks
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Cindy Parlow Cone wins re-election as U. S. Soccer vice-president
By Paul Kennedy, Soccer America Daily
Cindy Parlow Cone was re-elected to a full four-year term as U.S. Soccer vice president, defeating John Motta, the U.S. Adult Soccer Association chairman, in a vote of the National Council on Saturday at the Annual General Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee.
Parlow Cone won with almost 74 percent of the weighted vote in her first contested election. She won election without opposition as vice president in 2019, filling the vacancy left when Carlos Cordeiro was elected U.S. Soccer president in 2018. At the time, she did not commit to seeking re-election.
Parlow Cone won one world championship and two Olympic gold medals during her national team career and was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2018. She is the first athlete with international experience to serve in an elected position since the late Werner Fricker, a midfielder for the USA when it attempted to qualify for the 1964 Olympics, was president, and she is the first woman to be elected vice president.
She has had many years of experience with the federation, serving on the Athlete Council in one form or another for almost a quarter century. Her close ties to the Athlete Council, who holds 20 percent of the vote, gives her considerable political clout. In the last year, she has served on U.S. Soccer's Youth Task Force.
"It has been an honor to serve as your vice president, and I look forward to continuing the work of growing the game, creating better environments for all and eliminating barriers to access over the next four years," Parlow Cone said in a statement. "I am excited to continue our work in the game from the grassroots to the international level and am passionate about building bridges that will serve the game, our players, coaches and referees as well as our members."
Motta, a Dunkin franchise owner, was elected USASA president in 2014, He had previously served two years (1998-2000) as U.S. Soccer vice president after defeating Sunil Gulati by a vote of 50.8 percent to 49.2 percent.
He has been involved in soccer for more than three decades, beginning at the New Hampshire State Association.
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Cindy Parlow Cone wins re-election as U. S. Soccer vice-president
By Paul Kennedy, Soccer America Daily
Cindy Parlow Cone was re-elected to a full four-year term as U.S. Soccer vice president, defeating John Motta, the U.S. Adult Soccer Association chairman, in a vote of the National Council on Saturday at the Annual General Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee.
Parlow Cone won with almost 74 percent of the weighted vote in her first contested election. She won election without opposition as vice president in 2019, filling the vacancy left when Carlos Cordeiro was elected U.S. Soccer president in 2018. At the time, she did not commit to seeking re-election.
Parlow Cone won one world championship and two Olympic gold medals during her national team career and was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2018. She is the first athlete with international experience to serve in an elected position since the late Werner Fricker, a midfielder for the USA when it attempted to qualify for the 1964 Olympics, was president, and she is the first woman to be elected vice president.
She has had many years of experience with the federation, serving on the Athlete Council in one form or another for almost a quarter century. Her close ties to the Athlete Council, who holds 20 percent of the vote, gives her considerable political clout. In the last year, she has served on U.S. Soccer's Youth Task Force.
"It has been an honor to serve as your vice president, and I look forward to continuing the work of growing the game, creating better environments for all and eliminating barriers to access over the next four years," Parlow Cone said in a statement. "I am excited to continue our work in the game from the grassroots to the international level and am passionate about building bridges that will serve the game, our players, coaches and referees as well as our members."
Motta, a Dunkin franchise owner, was elected USASA president in 2014, He had previously served two years (1998-2000) as U.S. Soccer vice president after defeating Sunil Gulati by a vote of 50.8 percent to 49.2 percent.
He has been involved in soccer for more than three decades, beginning at the New Hampshire State Association.
When this occurred I thought it foreshadowed or anticipated Parlow's ascendancy to the presidential seat and so it has come to pass. It wasn't hard to connect the prospective dots.
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Barring a significant change in the political winds, Mexico's second division is about to become extinct. That being the case, some teams in the division are making inquiries regarding being absorbed into the top flight. The proposed "replacement" is a U-23 league.
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What a moronic and short-sighted decision that would be. If they're financially struggling, the solution isn't the gut their worth and point, but to bring them closer to the community, cut expenses (even if that means moving to semi-pro or amateur) and focus on the game. This will make Mexico weaker - look at how important the lower leagues are in Spain, Italy, Germany and England for developing talent. I have always believe it has held back the US as well - how many NT players have plied their trade in the mostly pointless lower US leagues? Without promotion and relegation clubs stagnate and lose their purpose - they have a nice safety cushion without threat and where bad management is seldom punished. Look at what happened to the TT Pro League - anyone remember when St. Ann's Rangers played kids all season?
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There has been a series of discussions that culminated in a 8-4 vote, but which initially was 7-5 in favour of terminating the season.
The aborting of the season has made convenient discussions regarding what the future looks like. I would describe the situation as fluid. As alluded to above, it effectively positions Mexico to do away with relegation and promotion (which is why I posted here rather than on the COVID thread, due to the long term implications and decision-making). Thing is, FIFA has policy that frowns on not having a division that conduces promotion (yes, I've heard of the MLS). The conversation is political, commercial, cultural and personal. And, it still has wings.
The four teams not in favor are the team based in Merida, a team in Tamaulipas, one from Guadalajara and another in Zacatecas. Two of the teams bear university affiliations. Unsurprisingly, the view in this camp includes the perspective that teams in LigaMX are enthused by the idea of insulating themselves from demotion. I'm sure our friends in the TT Pro League recognize that Pavlovian salivation.
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Panama has released all of its NT coaches due to COVID-19 and its impact on the federation's financial position.
In terms of the medium to longer term, Panama plans to use this period to improve the training/operational compatibility of the age group NTs with the senior team. The profile of the coach they intend to chose is thought of as being younger and less expensive but with a career trajectory that suggests success.
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Haiti FA president accused of sexually abusing young female footballers
By Ed Aarons, Romain Molina and Alex Cizmic, The Guardian
The president of the Haitian football federation has been accused of sexually abusing young female footballers at the country’s national training centre.
Yves Jean-Bart, known as “Dadou”, the president of the Fédération Haïtienne De Football (FHF) since 2000, denies accusations that he coerced several players at the Centre Technique National in Croix-des-Bouquets into having sex. The alleged incidents are understood to have taken place within the last five years.
The claims have been made to the Guardian by numerous sources involved with the centre, including alleged victims and their families.
“There is a lady who works there who puts pressure on the girls to have sex with Dadou,” one alleged victim told the Guardian. “He will see a nice girl who is attractive and he sends the lady to tell her that she is going to be thrown out of the centre. She starts crying and then the lady says: ‘The only way to resolve this is to speak to Dadou.’ At that moment, the young girl has no choice but to put up with the sexual abuse.”
Jean-Bart said there had “never been any complaint against the federation, nor against the staff engaged in our academy, nor against my person. This kind of practice of sexual abuse is almost impossible in our camp centre given the physical structures, the principles of education and continuous awareness that we have put in place.”
He said the allegations were “clearly a manoeuvre to destabilise the FHF, the character of the president and his family”.
According to sources in Haiti, several players who have now left the centre were coerced by Jean-Bart into having sex with him, including one who was forced to have an abortion.
“She was put under pressure not to talk,” a former player at the centre said. “Another of our best young players lost her virginity to Dadou when she was 17 in 2018 and also had to abort. These girls who live at the Fifa centre … it’s such a shame because they want to play for the country but if they speak about this situation they will be fired. They are hostages.”
Jean-Bart said: “I would not encourage such practices in Haitian football, much less in the centre which is under my responsibility. If there were such cases, I would encourage the victims to file a complaint with the federation and the judicial authorities of the country. We are ready, at the level of the federation, to support them.”
Another player, one of Haiti’s rising stars who plays professionally, has claimed that a friend of Dadou tried to rape her when she was living at the centre, in a suburb of the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince.
She managed to get away from him and her parents know the situation,” said another source who is close to the player’s family. “But Dadou has tried everything to keep it quiet.”
Another alleged victim said: “I’m so afraid. Dadou Jean-Bart is a very dangerous person. There are a lot of people who want to talk but they’re so afraid, especially for the parents who are still in Haiti.
In reply, Jean-Bart said: “To date, in women’s football in Haiti, where there are generations of players who are now 50 or 60 years old, there has never been, to my knowledge, even suspicions of this kind. Personally I am and I have been a non-violent man. I don’t understand how someone can make me look like an executioner to the point where families would feel intimidated by me.”
The FHF said that it took “such serious allegations very seriously. To date, we have never received any complaints to this effect.”
It added: “Our project is first of all a human project which aims to change the future of young people, to roll back the exclusion through play even if we know that in this country and even in the world some spirits are always at war against the beautiful and the good.”
Players usually move to the centre when they are teenagers, often rescued from a life on the streets. Funded by Fifa’s “Goal” programme to support football development, the centre was described as an opportunity to “level the international playing field” by the former Fifa vice-president Jack Warner when established in 2001. Haiti’s men’s team confounded expectations by reaching the semi-finals of last year’s Concacaf Gold Cup, but several witnesses have alleged to the Guardian the facility is in a dilapidated state after years of neglect despite having received up to $6m from Fifa’s “Forward” programme since 2016.
“The last time I set foot there, I wanted to vomit,” said a coach who used to work there regularly. “It is despicable. Ten kids sleep in every room, there are no sheets, no clean toilets. It’s unimaginable. Where did the money go? The federation received millions, and they didn’t even buy sheets.”
The coach added: “This centre is a nightmare. Fifa’s inspectors came, we thought they were going to say something, but it didn’t happen. It’s impossible. How can they say nothing? The young people have no medical monitoring, they eat the same thing every day – rice, pasta, bananas, chicken – drink water that you wouldn’t ever drink and in the meantime the FA officials have their own doctor and organise banquets. It is obscene.”
In response to the allegations of neglect, the FHF’s statement provided a list of new facilities that have been built at the centre, including an air-conditioned apartment block for senior players.
“These are modern and more than decent facilities and all our foreign visitors come out amazed by the beauty of the place and the efforts made by our young people and our managers to keep it very correct,” it said. “We are making a lot of effort to increase the self-esteem of our young people and their supervisors, otherwise they would not have been able to achieve such beautiful feats in the face of the countries of America and the Caribbean, clothing and other needs all year round.”
A Fifa spokesman said the FHF was asked about allegations of sexual abuse at the centre following questions by the Guardian. The Fifa spokesman said the questions were raised by a member of staff from the office of Véron Mosengo-Omba, Fifa’s chief member associations officer.
“Fifa was in contact recently with the Haiti Football Association as part of a general round of contacts with Fifa’s 211 member associations in relation to the current coronavirus pandemic,” said the Fifa spokesman. “The purpose of the call was to inquire about the situation of Haitian football as a consequence of the pandemic. During the conversation, the Fifa representative raised concern about alleged sexual abuses in Haiti and pointed to the dedicated programme and toolkit for member associations – Fifa Guardians – designed to enhance child safeguarding standards within football.”
Jean-Bart received a message of congratulations from Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, when re-elected as president of the FHF for the sixth time in February.
Fifa told the Guardian the FHF had yet to fall in line with its statutes which recommend federation presidents serve a maximum of three terms. “As is currently the case with member associations in other regions around the world, Fifa is in contact with the FHF with a view to review their statutes and incorporating inter-alia good governance standards, including term-limits.”
In response to the allegations of neglect and misuse of funds at the centre, Fifa told the Guardian it is “in discussion with the FHF about the improvements being made at the technical centre. In particular, we have noted that overall conditions and facilities at the centre have improved as a result of funding provided through the Fifa Forward programme and will continue to work with the FHF to ensure the right conditions and football infrastructure are provided for players at the centre.
“Fifa has put in place several measures to monitor and oversee the proper use of funds by confederations and member associations.”
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The coach added: “This centre is a nightmare. Fifa’s inspectors came, we thought they were going to say something, but it didn’t happen. It’s impossible. How can they say nothing?
Career sacrifice or Haiti? The scales doh even tip. Not to mention institutional capture and actual tipping.
HoF beware.
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A Fifa spokesman said the FHF was asked about allegations of sexual abuse at the centre following questions by the Guardian. The Fifa spokesman said the questions were raised by a member of staff from the office of Véron Mosengo-Omba, Fifa’s chief member associations officer.
This does not inspire confidence that the conversation was anything more than:
"Aye Yves, is anyone there having sex with the residents of the centre?"
"No, of course not."
"OK."
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Ex-CONCACAF President Alfredo Hawit Sentenced To Time Served
By RONALD BLUM
AP Sports Writer
Jun. 29, 2020 6:44 PM EDT
NEW YORK (AP) — The former president of soccer’s governing body for North and Central America and the Caribbean was sentenced to time served for his role in accepting $1.66 million in bribes in the FIFA scandals and will return to Honduras after 4 1/2 years in the U.S.
Alfredo Hawit of Honduras, CONCACAF’s president from May 27, 2015, until Dec. 4, 2015, was given the sentence Monday by U.S. District Judge Pamela K. Chen in Brooklyn during a video hearing.
The 68-year-old Hawit also was sentenced to two years of supervised release and barred during that time from holding a title in FIFA, CONCACAF or any professional soccer organization. Chen deferred a ruling on restitution for 90 days, said forfeiture will be $950,000 and said he must pay $400 in special assessments.
“I do take responsibility and I have changed considerably. I want to ask forgiveness for all those things I did back then,” Hawit said through a translator.
“There are no words to express how sorry I am,” he said in a written statement read by the translator to the court. “I also regret all the harm I did to soccer, which is the sport that I love. ... From the day of my arrest in Zurich and the time that I spent in jail and 4 1/2 years so far, I’ve suffered. I’ve felt humiliated and shamed by my behavior, and I’m paying the price.”
Hawit, a lawyer, teacher and former professional soccer player, will be deported when the coronavirus pandemic eases and Honduras reopens its border. Prosecutors said his family is working with the Honduran consulate to arrange transport, and Chen recommended that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement allow him to self-deport.
Hawit pleaded guilty on April 11, 2016, to two counts of wire fraud conspiracy and one count each of racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Each count carried a possible sentence of up to 20 years.
His sentence showed the impact of a guilty plea early in the case rather than risk a guilty verdict at trial. Former South American governing body president Juan Ángel Napout is serving a nine-year sentence following his conviction and former Brazil federation president José Maria Marin was sentenced to four years after his conviction. Marin was given compassionate release about eight months early in April, shortly before his 88th birthday.
Chen said Hawit tried to conceal bribes and even used the name of his wife, a superior court judge in Honduras. He also tried to cover up the payments by directing co-conspirators to create a sham contract.
“The government’s investigation and prosecution in this case has rightfully served as a wake-up call to the entire professional soccer world and to all of its associations that business cannot be conducted in this manner,” Chen said.
She said Hawit did not warrant additional jail time, given that he voluntarily accepted extradition, spent two months incarcerated and about four years under house arrest, and he expressed remorse.
“While it is clear that Mr. Hawit faltered badly by agreeing for a number of years to take bribes of a significant amount on multiple occasions and covering that up through elaborate schemes," Chen said, "he did recover after being caught and has since tried to make amends.”
Hawit became CONCACAF’s president after Jeffrey Webb was arrested while attending a FIFA meeting in Zurich, but Hawit was arrested in Switzerland on Dec. 3, 2015. He was extradited to the U.S. the following Jan. 13 and released on bond that Feb. 2.
He was banned for life by FIFA on Dec. 19, 2016, after the adjudicatory chamber of its independent ethics committee found him guilty of violating FIFA's code of ethics provisions on general rules of conduct; loyalty; duty of disclosure, cooperation and reporting; conflicts of interest; and bribery and corruption.
Hawit admitted in court to accepting bribes for awarding media rights contracts for World Cup qualifying in Central America and for CONCACAF events, and to attempting to influence testimony in the U.S. investigation during July 2015.
“We do believe that once Mr. Hawit was arrested and waived extradition and came to the country, that he has fully accepted responsibility for his actions,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith D. Edelman said.
Eight remaining counts against Hawit were dismissed Monday.
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BY SOMOSLASELE
07/22/2020
- 4:54 PM
Social media is busting with the unofficial report on the qualifying format for the Concacaf playoffs towards Qatar 2022.
Everything would indicate that the new format will be octagonal, but the first five teams placed in the FIFA "Ranking" would be insured in this octagonal.
We are talking about the teams from Mexico, the United States, Costa Rica, Jamaica and Honduras. The rest of the teams (30) including the Panama team, would play an elimination tournament from October this year, to define the other 3 teams and thus complete the octagonal.
The first five teams would not play knockout games until 2021. According to TVMAX and Somos La Sele journalist Ricardo Icaza, the match dates for Panama would be in October, November and March, six games in total to get into the octagonal. The octagonal would start in June 2021.
The Panama team would play in October - November and March are 6 games to try to get into the Octagonal that will start in June. It remains to be defined whether it would be by groups or round-trip matches by rounds. pic.twitter.com/Oj5OA7fGmK
- Ricardo Icaza (@ ricardoicaza507) July 22, 2020
https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=https://www.tvn-2.com/deportes/futbol/somos_la_sele/Formato-octagonal-perfila-eliminatorias-Concacaf_0_5630436987.html&prev=search&pto=aue
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Leeds captain Kalvin Phillips approached by JAMAICA as England boss Gareth Southgate continues to monitor midfielder
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/12290207/leeds-kalvin-phillips-jamaica-england-gareth-southgate/
KALVIN PHILLIPS has had a shock approach to play international football for… JAMAICA.
The Leeds skipper qualifies for the Caribbean country through his dad — and he now faces a massive call over his future.
Midfielder Phillips, 24, was born in Leeds and has always wanted to play for England. But he has never been selected at any level.
Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate is following his progress closely as he develops into one of the best in the business under Marcelo Bielsa.
But Jamaica are in first and have contacted Leeds asking for permission to sit down with Phillips and try to convince him to pick them.
Jamaica see Phillips as a key player in an ambitious push to get back on to the World Cup stage and recreate their Reggae Boyz heroics.
Several dual-nationality stars, including Robbie Earle, helped them make the finals in 1998 and they desperately want Phillips to follow in their footsteps.
England could make a counter move by calling him up for their next internationals.
But Southgate now faces a fight to secure his services.
Phillips was widely rated the best player outside the Prem last season.
And he would be a £25million target for top clubs if Elland Road chiefs ever wanted to sell.
Now the real battle for him is being fought out on the internation
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Haiti FA president Yves Jean-Bart banned for life by Fifa over sexual abuse
By Ed Aarons, Romain Molina and Alex Cizmic, The Guardian
Fifa has banned Yves Jean-Bart, the president of the Haiti Football Federation, from all football-related activities and fined him 1m Swiss francs (£827,000) after its ethics committee found him guilty of having abused his position and sexually harassed and abused various female players, including minors.
Jean-Bart, known as “Dadou”, was first accused of coercing several players at the Centre Technique National in Croix-des-Bouquets into having sex with him in an article in the Guardian in April, after allegations were made by numerous sources involved with the centre, including alleged victims and their families.
Fifa provisionally suspended the 73-year-old for 90 days in May before extending his ban for another 90 days in August as the ethics committee continued its investigation.
That was due to expire on Sunday but a statement on Friday said that Jean-Bart – the FHF president since 2000 – had been found to have violated Fifa’s code of ethics.
“The adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee has found Yves Jean-Bart, the President of the Haitian Football Association (FHF) and former Fifa standing committee member, guilty of having abused his position and sexually harassed and abused various female players, including minors, in violation of the Fifa Code of Ethics,” read the statement.
“The aforementioned ethics proceedings are part of an extensive investigation concerning Mr Jean-Bart, as well as other officials within the FHF, who were identified as having allegedly been involved (as principals, accomplices or instigators) in acts of systematic sexual abuse against female football players between 2014 and 2020. The proceedings are still pending with respect to other FHF officials.
“In its decision, the adjudicatory chamber found that Mr Jean-Bart had breached art. 23 (Protection of physical and mental integrity) and art. 25 (Abuse of position) of the Fifa Code of Ethics and sanctioned him with a life ban from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international level. In addition, a fine in the amount of CHF 1,000,000 has been imposed on Mr Jean-Bart.”
On Thursday Jean-Bart was cleared of any wrongdoing by the Haitian justice system and his spokesman said that the former president intends to appeal against Fifa’s decision to the court of arbitration for sport.
“Fifa’s decision is a travesty of justice and purely political move to avoid further controversy and bad press following a series of high-profile scandals,” he said in a statement to the Guardian. “Unlike the Haitian judicial system that properly investigated and cleared Dr Jean-Bart of any wrongdoing, Fifa failed to review actual evidence which is why Dr. Jean-Bart expects to be fully exonerated and reinstated after appealing to the court of arbitration for sport.”
Adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee sanctions Yves Jean-Bart
Media Release, FIFA
The adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee has found Yves Jean-Bart, the President of the Haitian Football Association (FHF) and former FIFA standing committee member, guilty of having abused his position and sexually harassed and abused various female players, including minors, in violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics.
The aforementioned ethics proceedings are part of an extensive investigation concerning Mr Jean Bart, as well as other officials within the FHF, who were identified as having allegedly been involved (as principals, accomplices or instigators) in acts of systematic sexual abuse against female football players between 2014 and 2020. The proceedings are still pending with respect to other FHF officials.
In its decision, the adjudicatory chamber found that Mr Jean-Bart had breached art. 23 (Protection of physical and mental integrity) and art. 25 (Abuse of position) of the FIFA Code of Ethics and sanctioned him with a life ban from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international level. In addition, a fine in the amount of CHF 1,000,000 has been imposed on Mr Jean-Bart.
The decision was taken on 18 November 2020 and the terms of it were notified to Mr Jean-Bart today, the date on which the ban comes into force. In accordance with art. 78 par. 2 of the FIFA Code of Ethics, the full, motivated decision will be notified to Mr Jean-Bart in the next 60 days, and will subsequently be published on legal.fifa.com.
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Concacaf plans to launch a women’s soccer Champions League after the 2023 World Cup. (https://www.inquirer.com/soccer/concacaf-champions-league-womens-soccer-20210316.html)
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Football done for season as revote is nipped in the bud
By Lawrence Trott, The Royal Gazette. (https://www.royalgazette.com/soccer/sport/article/20210321/football-to-remain-off-after-second-special-congress-meeting-is-cancelled/)
The Bermuda Football Association’s Special Congress Meeting to reconsider the decision to scrap the rest of the football season has been called off, effectively ending any hopes of restarting domestic play.
The decision was influenced by developments on Saturday when the Government announced changes in the Public Health Regulations, rolling back the existing measures to what was in place in mid-December.
Sport has been impacted further by the new restrictions and after a conversation yesterday between Mark Wade, the BFA president, and Shervin Dill, the chairman of the Club Presidents Forum, the decision was made to cancel the meeting.
“The meeting has been called off as a result of the new regulations and also as a result of the Premier rescinding his request for us to reconsider [the decision to call off the season]” Dill told The Royal Gazette. “We’re not going to be meeting on Monday now.”
A press release from Wade yesterday stating that “the Bermuda Football Association have confirmed that they will no longer reconsider the resumption of football” kills any chance of football resuming this season. Wade pointed to the new restrictions put into place on Saturday by Government as the reason for not going ahead with a second Congress inside seven days when another vote was expected.
The BFA also announced that youth football is off as well. “The 2020-21 season has concluded. We look forward to the start of the 2021-22 football season,” the president said.
Last week’s vote by the affiliates to end the season was a close one, 11-10, with one abstention. The next day David Burt, the Premier, publicly expressed his disappointment that football was ending and urged to clubs to reconsider the decision.
“Out of respect for the concerns from Government and some of the other clubs on the outcome of last week’s meeting, the meeting was being reconvened as a result of that, a request from myself personally to the BFA to do it,” Dill explained.
“We didn’t want to find ourselves in a situation where we were showing division because we’ve been working so hard to stay together collectively for the last two meetings. We had a presidents’ meeting on the Thursday night last week and we had a full attendance of 23 affiliates.
“Then we called for the BFA to hold a Congress meeting last Monday so that we could sort ourselves out. I felt we were in a bit of disarray over lack of information as to where we were going. We had a great turnout for that as well.”
Dill emphasised that the decision not to resume the league was one taken with safety at forefront, rather fears over income lost through restricted attendances, as has been suggested. “In the meeting we had on Monday, there was mixed emotions and feelings about the way forward.,” Dill said.
“From the request from the Premier and the minister of sport [Ernest Peets], several of the clubs felt aggrieved and I decided that rather than have division, where people were thinking that the reason we did not continue with the league was because the bars were closed and we weren’t getting income from the gate, we should meet again because that was not the truth.
“Safety was the first rationale and the second was what about the unprecedented direction that Covid is taking? From one day to the next, we don’t know what it is doing, and we have the UK variant here that is more severe and more contagious.”
On Saturday, the Premier said “we must act now”, in announcing changes in the Public Health Regulations, which came into effect yesterday.
“Cabinet met earlier today and following a full briefing from the Minister of Health determined to roll back the current measures to what was in place in mid-December,” he said.
The measure includes: an 11pm to 5am curfew; clubs and bars will be prohibited from serving patrons indoors, and outdoor service is for table service only.
Restaurants, bars and clubs are permitted a maximum of six persons at one table and the permitted gathering size is reduced to ten persons.
The BFA president said: “These regulations include a reduced number of maximum occupants within a public setting and an amended curfew. The BFA were further advised that the large gathering exemption approved by the Ministry of National Security was rescinded.”
Dill, the president of North Village, said resuming football under the present climate was not worth the risk. “If one player at a game should test positive, that impacts the two teams in terms of quarantine,” he said.
“My club had an emergency meeting on Friday night and we’re completely shutting down football at all levels. Covid is still dictating, and that’s where it’s at.
“I just came from my uncle’s funeral today. He [Quinton Binns] was a popular North Village founding member and player, and we scrambled today with the numbers that we’re allowed as opposed to what we had anticipated prior to the latest regulations.
“Government is changing rules almost every day because of the spread of this unprecedented virus.”
‛No play’ football clubs urged to reconsider decision
By Dexter Smith, Head of Sport and Lawrence Trott, The Royal Gazette. (https://www.royalgazette.com/soccer/sport/article/20210318/no-play-football-clubs-urged-to-reconsider-decision/)
The sports minister has added his voice to an impassioned appeal by the leader of the country for football clubs to reconsider their decision to cancel the rest of the domestic season.
David Burt, the Premier, devoted a significant portion of his remarks at the fortnightly government Covid-19 update on Tuesday to the developments in football where an 11-10 vote with one abstention determined the fate of the second half of the season in the island’s second national sport.
“I am very disappointed for those young people who have been training, undergoing the necessary testing and anyone involved in preparing for the restart of the season,” the Premier said in his national address. “However, the Government respects the decision of our local football clubs and we will not question it.
“The permission to resume football has been given by the Government, and if there is an opportunity for the clubs to reconsider, then I hope they will do so, so that our young people can return to what they love — competitive sport.”
Ernest Peets, the Minister of Youth, Culture and Sport, was on the same page with the Premier when he chimed in yesterday.
“It was always our hope and goal to see our athletes return to competition in a safe manner,” he told The Royal Gazette. “Our athletes and the development of sport remain a top priority.
“We understand the concerns clubs have regarding resuming football competition in our current Covid environment. Our focus will now shift to successfully starting football in the [autumn].”
The decision to end domestic football came just a week before Bermuda begin their World Cup qualifying campaign against Canada and Aruba in Florida. It was hoped that football on the island would resume ahead of those matches to give locally based players some competitive play beforehand.
However, at the Bermuda Football Association’s special Congress meeting on Monday, the clubs decided to end a season that otherwise would have extended into May in order to complete a season originally set to end on April 20.
In the time that football has been idle, there have been ten rounds of Premier Division league matches that have not been played, as well as three rounds of the Friendship Trophy and First Division Shield, and four rounds of the FA Cup.
“It is the Government’s understanding that this decision was made democratically with the individual clubs voting and voicing their reasons as to why,” Burt said of the vote.
“The Government gave permission for football to commence and was hopeful that, through the staged Return to Play initiative managed by the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sport in partnership with the Bermuda Football Association, Bermuda could enjoy a return to local sport as safely as possible.”
It is unknown what effect, if any, the news that Bermuda players tested positive after returning from the training camp had on the affiliates.
Bermuda play Canada at the Exploria Stadium in Orlando on March 25 and five days later face Aruba at the IMG Academy Complex in Bradenton.
The second match was originally scheduled as a home fixture at the National Sports Centre, but was shifted by the BFA in the wake of the revelations of players testing positive either at LF Wade International Airport on March 8 or before boarding the American Airlines flight out of Miami.
The 28-member party from the weeklong camp in Bradenton is adhering to Covid quarantine guidelines, according to a BFA statement this week, and ostensibly can be allconsidered for selection by coach Kyle Lightbourne.
The sports minister added: “I wish success for our national team as they engage in their World Cup qualification matches in Florida starting versus Canada.”
There has been no competitive football locally since December 5 and the decision not to resume the season means there will be no relegation or promotion between the Premier Division and First Division.
Burt, a keen football fan, has made no secret of his devotion to Dudley Eve Trophy champions Devonshire Cougars, who were second to Robin Hood in the league when play was discontinued.
“Some have questioned why football will not return, but international events are currently moving ahead,” he said. “I want to be clear on this — the Government gave permission for football to restart and agreed with the BFA a strategy for how they can do so safely.
“Sadly, the local clubs have made the decision not to continue the season. The Government did not make this decision for them.
“Last year permission was given for many sporting events. The same permissions were given to both cricket and the rugby [World Tens Series] last year. Both of these sports made the decision to commence under the guidelines provided, while the Eastern County Cricket Association [and the Cup Match clubs] decided they did not wish to hold their competition under the rules that were provided.
“The Government provides the guidelines and organisations decide whether they wish to go ahead or not.”
Also read BFA pulls the plug on domestic season over health concerns. (https://www.royalgazette.com/soccer/sport/article/20210315/bfa-pulls-the-plug-on-domestic-season-over-health-concerns/)
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How a 31 year old from Suffolk is transforming the Cayman Islands. (https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/how-a-31-year-old-from-suffolk-is-transforming-the-cayman-islands)
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WATCH Belize National Team ambushed in Haiti en route from the airport to their hotel
https://www.youtube.com/v/_GhALpEzaiM
Context on Belize's COVID-challenged WC preparations. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYl-IXe7UpQ)
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WATCH Belize National Team ambushed in Haiti en route from the airport to their hotel
https://www.youtube.com/v/_GhALpEzaiM
Context on Belize's COVID-challenged WC preparations. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYl-IXe7UpQ)
weird Sht... don't they have an army that could be called upon to escort these teams and be at the stadium?
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weird Sht... don't they have an army that could be called upon to escort these teams and be at the stadium?
https://www.google.com/search?q=does+haiti+have+an+army&rlz=1C1GCEB_enUS892US892&oq=does+haiti+has+an+ar&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0i22i30j0i390l4.15299j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
The army, airforce, navy were disbanded in 1995. The have a national police and a coast guard(which is part of the police).
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Each country has a different sense of what is supposedly adequate security. Some countries just treat it as a traffic exercise (say, getting from the hotel to a stadium in a way that beats traffic). Some countries have a deficient understanding of the threat and of the number of personnel to be deployed and where in the convoy (some emphasize the front and neglect the back). Others just assume the worst. Then there's also route selection.
From observation, I think this is an area in which CONCACAF needs to be more insistent in terms of how federations interact with their local security apparatus. Because some countries make a more intentional showing on club rivalries than on some international fixtures.
Of course, there's also a budgetary consideration.
In this case, when it is reduced to police negotiating wid Bad Man, guess who frighten?
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I bet anything this game will be forfeited or cancelled. those Haitians are dopes, the Central Americans will do anything for an easy three points just remember my words.
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WATCH: Belizean players are traumatized and now the fate of the Haiti-Belize World Cup qualifier hangs in the balance. Belizean players refer to witnessing Haiti's reality as being an eye-opening educational experience.
https://youtube.com/v/NADbFLjuM44
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WATCH: Fate of Haiti-Belize World Cup qualifier to be decided by Match Commissioner - Change in perspective within the Belizean delegation.
https://youtube.com/v/VdkH1WyL6Pw
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WATCH: No professional football in Jamaica since May 2020. The SportsMax Zone interviews Romaine Brackenridge, vice-captain of Portmore United about Portmore United and other Jamaican clubs withdrawing from the Caribbean Club Championship. Following that. there is conversation with Brent Sancho about Trinidad and Tobago's club licensing suspension, non-participation in regional competition as a result of that suspension and the broader Caribbean context regarding COVID-19 regimens and impacts on playing football.
https://www.youtube.com/v/8DkiXvuk42U
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WATCH: President of CONCACAF, Victor Montagliani, speaks about the upcoming Gold Cup preliminary matches. T&T face Montserrat during this round of competition.
https://www.youtube.com/v/zLKIitJtbE0
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14 more eligible for Tridents
Anmar Goodridge-Boyce
At least 14 English-born footballers of dual-nationality are eligible to represent the Barbados senior national football team on international duty.
Sheffield United and former Liverpool striker Rhian Brewster, Chelsea goalkeeper Jamal Blackman, Nottingham Forest left-back Tyler Blackett and Stoke City attacking midfielder Tom Ince are some of the biggest names who qualify to play for the Barbados Tridents through their parents.
AFC Wimbledon’s 19-year-old Nesta Guiness-Walker and 21-year-old New York Red Bulls midfielder Dru Yearwood are also eligible.
Barbados could dip into the English talent pool to boost their squad ahead of the second round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers 2022, the Concacaf Gold Cup slated for this summer and the 2026 World Cup.
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After 34 months on the job, El Salvador has parted ways with Carlos de los Cobos as head coach. Record 15-2-7. Amicable separation. Losses were to Brazil, Japan, Iceland, Honduras, United States, Bermuda and Dominican Republic.
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The Costa Rican NT has signed a four year official ball agreement with Penalty. The ball in question is made from recycled water bottles. It has zero water absorption. As such, it is particularly useful when it rains.
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FIFA's decision to ban Nella Joseph for 10 years for her role in facilitating Jean-Bart's sexual misconduct is ludicrous. Why was a ban for life not on the table? Over to you CFU: what do you all have in mind, endorsement by silence?
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Last year Cadiz returned to La Liga after nearly 15 years out of the top flight. They will end the season in mid-table. Not bad for a return, particularly in light of the dynamics of football during the current season.
How's that relevant to this thread?
Cadiz and the Salvadoran government have entered into an arrangement to establish over 200 football schools across the country. This is not a random shot in the dark. For instance, a year ago El Salvador also entered into an arrangement with the NBA. Nor is it happening in isolation. I can't even begin to share how busy our competitors have been while we are nitpicking about stipends for players and following up on obligations to pay coaches etc.
Within the past year or so, several steps have been taken on various fronts to practically render us obsolete competitively unless we start engaging in sensible thoughts and policymaking.
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Last year Cadiz returned to La Liga after nearly 15 years out of the top flight. They will end the season in mid-table. Not bad for a return, particularly in light of the dynamics of football during the current season.
How's that relevant to this thread?
Cadiz and the Salvadoran government have entered into an arrangement to establish over 200 football schools across the country. This is not a random shot in the dark. For instance, a year ago El Salvador also entered into an arrangement with the NBA. Nor is it happening in isolation. I can't even begin to share how busy our competitors have been while we are nitpicking about stipends for players and following up on obligations to pay coaches etc.
Within the past year or so, several steps have been taken on various fronts to practically render us obsolete competitively unless we start engaging in sensible thoughts and policymaking.
while we are nitpicking about stipends for players and following up on obligations to pay coaches etc.
Who is "we". I am sure you would not nitpick about stipends. Say Haddad and the NC are the nitpickers!
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Last year Cadiz returned to La Liga after nearly 15 years out of the top flight. They will end the season in mid-table. Not bad for a return, particularly in light of the dynamics of football during the current season.
How's that relevant to this thread?
Cadiz and the Salvadoran government have entered into an arrangement to establish over 200 football schools across the country. This is not a random shot in the dark. For instance, a year ago El Salvador also entered into an arrangement with the NBA. Nor is it happening in isolation. I can't even begin to share how busy our competitors have been while we are nitpicking about stipends for players and following up on obligations to pay coaches etc.
Within the past year or so, several steps have been taken on various fronts to practically render us obsolete competitively unless we start engaging in sensible thoughts and policymaking.
while we are nitpicking about stipends for players and following up on obligations to pay coaches etc.
Who is "we". I am sure you would not nitpick about stipends. Say Haddad and the NC are the nitpickers!
Fair enough.
It is a reminder to Hadad and company that this is a group project. Stakeholders are concerned. I'm hopeful he understands de cost of melting ice cream with no cold storage in sight.
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Disgraced Fifa Boss Stashed $1m At CIBC Bahamas
By Neil Hartnell, The Tribune
A senior Bahamian banker’s claim for wrongful/unfair dismissal over his dealings with a key figure in world soccer’s recent bribery scandal was this week rejected by the Supreme Court (see note below).
Justice Keith Thompson, in an April 26, 2021, verdict, found that Paul Major’s actions could potentially have cost BISX-listed CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank (Bahamas) its banking licence after they were detailed in a US federal government indictment against that country’s top soccer executive.
He upheld the bank’s decision to dismiss Mr Major, then its head of international banking, for breaching its strict policies on dealing with US clients when he collected a $250,000 cheque from Charles “Chuck” Blazer, former general-secretary of soccer’s governing body for North and Central America, and the Caribbean, at New York’s JFK airport in late April/early May 2011.
Describing Mr Major’s behaviour as “evasive”, both when cross-examined at trial and earlier by CIBC FirstCaribbean investigators, Justice Thompson said “the critical display of dishonesty came” when the banker sought to argue that his employer’s policy on US clients - which prohibited collecting cheques on US soil - did not exist in 2011 when there was abundant evidence it had been in force from 2005.
The possible consequences or fall-out of the actions of the plaintiff [Mr Major], in my opinion, had the potential of the defendant losing its banking licence altogether, thereby being prevented from carrying on the very purpose of its existence,” the judge ruled.
The verdict revealed that Blazer, who pled guilty in a US court to receiving more than $2m in bribes as part of the corruption scandal that engulfed soccer’s world governing body, FIFA, had been a CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank (Bahamas) client since 2002.
Mr Major, who enjoyed a 23-year career with the bank prior to his dismissal, was Blazer’s relationship manager from that time and “handled small matter and large matters” for the American soccer executive.
However, prior to his New York trip to meet Mr Blazer and pick-up the fatal cheque, Justice Thompson said the evidence showed Mr Major was aware of an increasing number of media reports making allegations of corruption/bribery against his client and other members of the region’s governing soccer body. At one point he e-mailed Blazer suggesting he “stay out of the news”.
The New York rendezvous was detailed in the US government’s indictment against Blazer, the contents of which were reported by Tribune Business at the time. It described how a Bahamas banker from FirstCaribbean made a round-trip to New York to collect a $250,000 cheque from Blazer, which was part of a $10m bribe to influence voting on which nation would stage the 2010 soccer World Cup.
The banker then flew back to the Bahamas on May 3, 2011, and deposited the $250,000 into Blazer’s CIBC FirstCaribbean bank account in Nassau, which had been undeclared to the US tax authorities until the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began its FIFA bribery probe.
Mr Major, in his evidence, asserted: “When I collected the cheque from Blazer in May 2011 I had no knowledge at all of his criminal conduct. I had no reason to suspect that the cheque was anything other than what he said it was, that is, fees/commissions.”
Giving further details, he asserted: “I cannot recall the exact date, but on one of the days between April 27, 2011, and May 2, 2011, while on vacation in New York I received a telephone call from Blazer. He asked me where I was, and I told him I was in New York and departing on Monday, May 2.
“Blazer told me that he had a cheque to deposit to his current account. He told me that the cheque was from CONCACAF (soccer’s governing body for the Caribbean, including The Bahamas) and that it represented fees/commissions owed to him. He asked if I could stop by his office to collect the cheque and to take it for deposit to the current account.”
Mr Major said Blazer also voiced concern about the mortgage that was secured on a condo he owned at Atlantis’s Reef development, asserting that the condos were overvalued and that the cheque proceeds would be used to start paying off the loan.
The banker confirmed he endorsed the cheque and then deposited it to Blazer’s CIBC FirstCaribbean bank account on May 3, 2011. He later admitted, under questioning from CIBC FirstCaribbean investigators, that Blazer used to send his girlfriend and others to visit the bank’s Shirley Street branch and deposit funds to the account.
Blazer, as part of his subsequent guilty plea, agreed to forfeit 50 per cent of the $1m he had stashed away at CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank (Bahamas), admitting his “wilfull failure” to report its existence to the US Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for income tax purposes.
Meanwhile, the Blazer indictment and the reference to the Bahamian CIBC banker, triggered alarm bells at the bank which engaged the international law firm, Mayer Brown, to initiate an investigation. The bank was especially concerned that its policies prohibiting dealing with US clients on American soil had been breached.
Bahamas-based financial institutions have to be ultra careful in dealing with US clients given the global reach of that country’s tax and legal system, and the extreme consequences they could suffer if they fall afoul of it - especially given their reliance on continuing access to the US financial system for clearing transactions.
Melissa Francis, one of the Mayer Brown investigators, provided testimony on their interview of Mr Major that Justice Thompson said was “critical” to the outcome of the case. When Mr Major was handed a copy of the indictment, she said there was “an extensive pause..... He then, unprompted, said: ‘Hmmmm.... wow’, and he appeared visibly worried and shaken.”
When asked if he was the person referred to, Mr Major replied: “I’ll have to look at my records.” Under further questioning, he admitted: “I suppose it’s possible it was me” and gave further vague answers when asked whether he frequently met Blazer in New York.
As the interview neared the end, Mr Major told the investigators: “This one I’m going to need some time on.” And his parting shot to them was: “You really know how to shake a person.”
Marie Rodland-Allen, the bank’s now former managing director, said the investigation’s outcome made clear that Mr Major had to be dismissed because his conduct in breaching the strict rules on dealings with US clients showed he posed “a real danger” and “a real risk”.
Mr Major, though, did not take his dismissal well. The minutes of that meeting, included in the court’s judgment, state: “Paul stood up slowly, took one to two steps and then collapsed on the floor in front of Marie Rodland-Allen’s closed office door and proceeded to cry.
“Antoinette Turnquest told him that while we understood this was hard, it was the bank’s decision which is final. She also explained to him that at that moment no one outside of the office wold be aware of what transpired, and he was asked to try and compose himself so as not to alert anyone to what had occurred prior to him being allowed to leave the premises.
Note: originally published on April 29, 2021. (http://www.tribune242.com/news/2021/apr/29/top-banker-loses-dispute-linked-soccer-bribe-chief/)
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https://www.concacaf.com/news/concacaf-successfully-recovers-misappropriated-funds-to-further-benefit-football-development-in-the-region/
Concacaf successfully recovers misappropriated funds to further benefit football development in the region
Published on 24 Aug 2021 / Updated on 24 Aug 2021 at 18:53
Significant US DOJ announcement brings five-year legal process to a close
Recovered funds to be invested in football development activities
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced today that it will return to Concacaf and its affected Member Associations $70 million in funds recovered from individuals and entities implicated in the DOJ�s long-running investigation of corruption in world football. The DOJ also announced that it will return misappropriated funds to two other international football organizations, FIFA and CONMEBOL.
From Concacaf�s perspective, this announcement concludes a long-term legal effort, prioritized by Concacaf President Victor Montagliani since he assumed office in 2016, to recover football development funds misappropriated by previous Concacaf administrations.
Since 2015, Concacaf actively assisted the DOJ in its efforts to investigate, charge, and convict corrupt officials within Concacaf, FIFA, and other football organizations. Concacaf further assisted the DOJ�s efforts to identify, recover, and return to Concacaf and its affected Member Associations the funds those individuals misappropriated through their criminal acts. Today�s decision by the DOJ to restore the funds in order that they can be invested in the development of football is the culmination of those efforts.
The restored funds announced by the DOJ total $201 million in the aggregate, reflecting not only money misappropriated from Concacaf by its prior leadership, but also money misappropriated from FIFA and CONMEBOL by their prior administrations. These football organizations have agreed that the funds will be managed and distributed through the FIFA Foundation, ensuring that the money will now be used exclusively as it would have been if it had not been stolen: for football development at all levels in the Concacaf region and elsewhere.
�This is a hugely important announcement for Concacaf as these funds will now be used for what they were originally intended: for development programs to give children a chance to play the game, for youth competitions and coaching courses to be delivered in our region and for many more football activities,� said Concacaf President and FIFA Vice President, Victor Montagliani. �I want to thank our Member Associations, who have been fully supportive of this process, further demonstrating their commitment to our One Concacaf approach in everything we do. While today�s announcement relates to a complex investigation and process by the US Department of Justice, for Concacaf it is ultimately about delivering on our priority to ensure good governance and to being football first. We are committed to working with the FIFA Foundation to make certain these funds benefit football at all levels in our region and beyond,� added Montagliani.
�We would like to place on record our thanks to the US Department of Justice for the rigor with which they have pursued these misappropriated funds so that they can be distributed properly to ensure the continued development of the sport,� added Concacaf Chief Legal Officer Bill Carvalho.
Concacaf worked with Sidley Austin LLP throughout the five-year process of actively assisting the DOJ in their investigations into misappropriated funds, and the structure of recovering them and ensuring they are distributed to benefit the development of global football.
Established in March 2018, the FIFA Foundation was created as an independent entity with the objectives to help promote positive social change around the world and raise support for the recovery and reconstruction of damaged or destroyed sports infrastructure worldwide.
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Concacaf launches major expansion of its Champions League as part of new calendar of regional club competitions.
CONCACAF.COM
- Starting with 2024 edition, CCL to expand with 27 participating clubs and additional knockout round
- Three regional cup competitions to take place prior to five round Concacaf Champions League
- New ecosystem delivers more official regional club football that fans want to see
Concacaf has announced (https://www.concacaf.com/en/champions-league/videos/concacaf-club-competitions-announcement/) a new structure for its men’s club competitions ecosystem that will include an expanded Concacaf Champions League and individual regional cup competitions in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
From 2023 onwards, three regional cup competitions will be played in the fall of each year and will qualify clubs into the Concacaf Champions League. Following the conclusion of the three cups, a Confederation-wide expanded 27-club Concacaf Champions League will be played in the spring to crown the region’s best club.
“This is a hugely significant development for Concacaf and for leagues and clubs in our region. The Concacaf Champions League has consistently grown in recent years and this new format will provide a major boost to the competition. Working collaboratively with our stakeholders we have been able to create a new calendar which grows and enhances our Champions League and fully incorporates regional cup competitions," said Concacaf President and FIFA Vicepresident Victor Montagliani.
“This will elevate clubs and leagues from Concacaf and provide even more compelling regional rivalries. It will also provide more international relevance to our club competitions, and a very competitive pathway as clubs strive to qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup and succeed on the global stage," added Montagliani.
This exciting announcement follows Concacaf’s confirmation earlier this year that it’s Champions League would expand. After further conversations with its Member Associations, Leagues and other stakeholders, Concacaf has enhanced the format by introducing regional cups and an additional knockout round. This new format of regional cups will allow for the three regions to crown their own champion, prior to the Concacaf Champions League which will see clubs compete to win the Confederation’s club title and qualify to the FIFA Club World Cup.
The new Concacaf Champions League will continue to be played in a direct elimination knockout stage format and will be composed of five rounds (round one, round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and final). The first four stages will include home and away play, while the Final, where Concacaf’s Champion will be crowned, will be played as a single leg match on a weekend date.
Of the 27 clubs that will participate, 22 will begin play in Round One and 5 will receive a bye to the Round of 16.
The qualification process for the clubs will be divided per region as follows:
North America
Canadian, Mexican and USA clubs will qualify for the Concacaf Champions League via their domestic leagues and Member Association Cups (US Open Cup and Canadian Championship).
Additionally, Liga MX and MLS clubs will also qualify via an expanded Leagues Cup, which will in 2023 become part of Concacaf’s new club ecosystem and will incorporate all clubs from both leagues.
In total, 18 North American clubs will participate in the Concacaf Champions League. They will be determined as follows:
Round One (15 North American clubs): Five Liga MX clubs*, four MLS clubs*, two Canadian Premier League clubs*, two Leagues Cup clubs (second and third place finishers), the US Open Cup Winner and the Canadian Championship winner.
Round of 16 (3 North American clubs): Liga MX winner*, MLS Cup winner and Leagues Cup winner
*A detailed qualification criteria will be communicated in due course.
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Whey the Caribbean club?
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Panama lock out USA without ah shot on target 1-0, pragmatism mixed with industry
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Alphonso Davies
Canada 4 Panama 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWHT7rmqsss&ab_channel=CBCSports
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WATCH: Belizean players are traumatized and now the fate of the Haiti-Belize World Cup qualifier hangs in the balance. Belizean players refer to witnessing Haiti's reality as being an eye-opening educational experience.
https://youtube.com/v/NADbFLjuM44
There should be no doubts now that this situation could have escalated.
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There should be no doubts now that this situation could have escalated.
Given what's going on currently, yes it could've took a turn for the worse.
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Fifa investigates after St Kitts appoint coach accused of sexual abuse
The Guardian (UK)
By Ed Romans and Romain Molina
Fifa will request more details about the appointment of a coach accused of sexually abusing and harassing female players in Barbados after it was suggested that he was given “positive recommendations” to take over as director of football in St Kitts and Nevis by the president of the Barbados Football Association.
Ahmed Mohamed, a former Somalia defender who has managed Barbados and the British Virgin Islands, was appointed by Atiba Harris – the president of the SKNFA – in September.
According to Harris, Mohamed stepped down as technical director of the BFA last year for “family reasons” and was chosen after Harris “reached out personally” to the BFA president, Randy Harris, who is the president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) and a vice-president of Concacaf.
Mohamed left his post in Barbados in February 2021 after 27 players from the senior women’s team signed a letter at the start of that month urging the BFA to investigate claims made by one of their teammates.
It understood that she alleged the coach raped her at a hotel when she was 18 and that she previously received a series of unwelcome text messages from him. The player also claimed that she was threatened by senior members of the BFA after attempting to report her clams to the police. Another player alleged that Mohamed sexually abused her over a period of three years, starting when she was 13.
Last February some players also started an online petition demanding a “thorough investigation be carried out immediately”, after no immediate action was taken. “We didn’t put his name because we were afraid,” said one player who did not want to be named. “In our country, it’s hard for someone to claim that kind of thing, especially in sports.”
Mohamed left his post three weeks later, although his identity was not made public by the BFA after Randy Harris said he had been “legally advised not to”. Harris, re-elected unopposed as president of the CFU last year, refused to say whether Mohamed had resigned or been sacked.
“We have policies in place to make clear that we will not accept any form of misconduct or inappropriate behaviour,” he said in a statement. “We will always act in the best interests of our organisation and of football in Barbados.”
Randy Harris, asked whether he would like to comment about the claim he recommended Mohamed, replied: “No sir.” Neither Atiba Harris nor Mohamed responded to questions from the Guardian.
Dave Browne – the father of the St Kitts captain Phoenetia, who plays for the German second division club SC Sand – said during a phone-in show on Freedom FM last week that he was “deeply concerned” about the situation. “He has been accused of sexually abusing girls – we can’t take that lightly,” Browne said. “As a father of one of the players, I’m very concerned from all angles that the girls could be in danger. Atiba Harris needs to come and tell us why he has appointed him. He owes it to the nation.”
Harris appeared as a guest on Freedom FM on Monday to defend the appointment. “We did our due diligence regarding Mr Mohamed,” he said. “I reached out personally to the president of CFU [Randy Harris], who is also the vice-president of Concacaf, and also other officials within Concacaf and Fifa. We had positive feedback, positive recommendations and we decided to move forward. Those allegations that were made by the gentleman that called in – would the immigration in St Kitts and Nevis let somebody into the country, award them a work permit in such a high position, knowing that something like that was on their back? You tell me.”
Harris added: “[Mohamed] actually resigned for family reasons. Ahmed is a great guy, a great technical person who is going to do wonders for our country within football. I have every confidence in him.”
A spokesperson from Concacaf said: “At no point has anyone from the St Kitts and Nevis FA contacted the Concacaf administration to seek information regarding this individual, or any other prospective employee.”
A Fifa spokesperson said: “Given the seriousness of the allegations, Fifa will contact the relevant member associations to request more details about this matter. When it comes to misconduct and abuse in football, we wish to reiterate that Fifa takes any allegations reported to it very seriously.”
Atiba Harris, a former defender who retired last year, said that restructuring the SKNFA had been his priority since he was elected in August. “I came back here to St Kitts after finishing my career professionally to contribute back to football and society,” he said. “We selected a team around us and you know you’re going to have some good ones and not so good ones. Yes there are going to be some changes – some people are going to take it the wrong way but changes need to be made to move forward.”
In November Jeffrey “Pedro” Hazel’s contract as technical director of the SKNFA was terminated with immediate effect, along with those of three other senior officials. It is understood that Hazel, who guided two of the country’s women’s sides to the final stages of Concacaf qualifying for the first time last year and had a year left on his contract, has launched a legal action.
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(https://stconcacafwp001.blob.core.windows.net/media/j1fc0cbi/cnl-2022-23-leagues.jpg?width=301&height=194&mode=max)
Concacaf announces details for 2022/23 Concacaf Nations League presented by Qatar Airways
Concacaf has confirmed the details of the 2022/23 Concacaf Nations League presented by Qatar Airways (CNL). The competition’s group stage matches, featuring the men’s national teams of all 41 Concacaf Member Associations is scheduled to take place during the FIFA Match Windows of June 2022 and March 2023. The Concacaf Nations League Finals presented by Qatar Airways (CNLF), between the four League A group winners, will be played in June 2023.
“The first edition of the Concacaf Nations League was a huge success, and this competition has already transformed men’s national team football in our region,” said Concacaf President and FIFA Vice President, Victor Montagliani. “Where previously teams had limited opportunities to play and compete, the Nations League provides a consistent set of official matches for every Member Association in Concacaf. Players can look forward to regional rivalries, coaches can test themselves against the best in Concacaf and fans in all 41 nations can follow their teams with pride.”
“By including qualification to the Gold Cup, and promotion and relegation between editions, there is a competitive edge throughout this tournament. I can’t wait for the draw in April and the opening matches of the 2022/23 Concacaf Nations League in June”, added Montagliani.
The official draw for the 2022/23 CNL, which will sub-divide Leagues A, B and C into groups, will take place on Monday, April 4, in Miami, FL. The made for tv live event will feature the participation of Concacaf President and FIFA Vice president, Victor Montagliani, as well as current and former coaches and players, and guests from the world of international football.
Concacaf launched the region’s men’s Nations League in March 2018, with the aim of ensuring all Member Associations have the opportunity to compete in more official matches, driving the development of the game and providing a compelling tournament for fans in all parts of the Confederation.
The group stage of the inaugural CNL kicked off in September 2019 and culminated after one-hundred-and-two memorable matches. The four League A winners, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico and USA, all advanced to the 2021 CNLF in Denver, CO. After two high quality semifinals, Mexico and the United States faced off in an unforgettable Final. An extra time penalty conversion by US forward Christian Pulisic proved to be the decisive moment and served as the winning goal in the 3-2 victory for the United States, who were crowned as the first CNL champion.
2022/23 Concacaf Nations League Group Stage presented by Qatar Airways
The 2022/23 CNL group stage will continue to be played in a three League format (League A, League B and League C), with home and away round robin play on the FIFA Match Windows of June 2022 (double window) and March 2023.
The distribution of the teams for each league has been determined based on the results of the 2019 CNL group stage (available here), including a promotion and relegation system (bottom team in each group relegated and top team in each group promoted).
Based on the 2019 results, the 41 Concacaf Member Associations will be distributed in the three Leagues as follows (teams listed in alphabetical order per league):
League A (12 teams): Canada, Costa Rica, Curaçao, El Salvador (promoted), Grenada (promoted), Honduras, Jamaica (promoted), Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Suriname (promoted) and United States.
League B (16 teams): Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas (promoted), Barbados (promoted), Belize, Bermuda (relegated), Cuba (relegated), Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Guadeloupe (promoted), Guatemala (promoted), Guyana, Haiti (relegated), Montserrat, Nicaragua, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago (relegated).
League C (13 teams): Anguilla, Aruba (relegated), Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica (relegated), Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis (relegated), Saint Lucia (relegated), Saint Martin, Sint Maarten, Turks and Caicos Islands and U.S. Virgin Islands.
Additionally, the 2022/23 CNL group stage will continue to serve as the qualifier for the Concacaf Gold Cup. More details on the exact qualification process for the 2023 Gold Cup will be announced prior to the start of the 2022/23 CNL group stage.
2022/23 Concacaf Nations League presented by Qatar Airways Official Draw
The official draws for the 2022/23 CNL group stage will take place Monday, April 4, in Miami, FL. The three draws, one for each league, will all be done using a single-blind system involving three pots for League A, four pots for League B and three Pots for League C.
The 41 participating Concacaf Member Associations will be allocated in their respective League pots according to their Concacaf Ranking following the FIFA international match window of March 2022.
League A
Pot 1: 3 highest ranked teams and Concacaf’s representative in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Intercontinental Playoff
Pot 2: Next 4 ranked teams
Pot 3: Lowest 4 ranked teams
Note: The Concacaf representative that qualifies for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Intercontinental Playoff will automatically be allocated in Pot 1. This is to ensure they can participate in the Intercontinental Playoff which will take place in Doha, Qatar, during the second FIFA Match Window of June 2022.
League B
Pot 1: 4 highest ranked teams
Pot 2: Next 4 ranked teams
Pot 3: Next 4 ranked teams
Pot 4: Lowest 4 ranked teams
League C
Pot 1: 4 highest ranked teams
Pot 2: Next 4 ranked teams
Pot 3: Lowest 5 ranked teams
Each of the League’s draws will begin by randomly selecting a team from Pot 1 and placing them in Group A of their respective league. The draws will continue by selecting the remaining teams from Pot 1 and positioning them into Groups B, C and D in sequential order. The same procedure will be done for the remaining pots.
Fans will be able to follow the live event through the Confederation’s partner networks, including CBS/Paramount + (USA-Eng), Univision/TUDN (USA-Spa), OneSoccer (CAN), Televisa (MEX), regional partners in Central America and the Caribbean, and the Concacaf Official App (subject to territory restrictions). The free mobile app is available in the Apple and Google Play stores.
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Concacaf and St Kitts FA at loggerheads over coach accused of sexual abuse
The Guardian (UK)
By Ed Aarons and Romain Molina
Concacaf has expressed its “extreme surprise and concern” that the St Kitts and Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) has again claimed it consulted the continental governing body over the appointment of a coach accused of sexually abusing and harassing female players in Barbados.
Ahmed Mohamed was the subject of an investigation in Barbados after 27 players from the senior women’s team signed a letter at the start of that month urging the Barbados Football Association to investigate claims made by one of their teammates. It understood that the player alleged the coach raped her at a hotel when she was 18 and that she previously received a series of unwelcome text messages from him. Mohamed has not responded to questions from the Guardian.
Atiba Harris, the president of the SKNFA, has said Mohamed stepped down as technical director of the BFA last year for “family reasons” and was chosen as the new director of football after Harris “reached out personally” to the BFA president, Randy Harris, who is the president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) and a vice-president of Concacaf and “also other officials within Concacaf and Fifa”.
However, a Concacaf spokesperson told the Guardian: “At no point has anyone from the St Kitts and Nevis FA contacted the Concacaf administration to seek information regarding this individual.” Fifa said it would be contacting the SKNFA to request more details.
Techell McLean, the general secretary of the SNKFA, sent a letter to its member clubs on Thursday reiterating it had “conducted a serious and fulsome due diligence exercise involving consultations with members of the Barbados Football Association, Concacaf and other persons who knew Mr Mohamed personally”.
“The SKNFA was and remains fully satisfied that Mr Mohamed is a good character – the allegations made against him being false,” he added. “And he has the requisite technical ability to perform his functions and take SKNFA football to higher levels.”
But in a letter that has been seen by the Guardian, Philippe Maggio, Concacaf’s general secretary, directly responded to McLean. “With extreme surprise and concern, we have noticed that the St Kitts Football Federation, through various mediums, has affirmed that Concacaf was consulted in relation to the hiring process of Mr Ahmed Mohamed as technical director of the SKNFA,” it reads.
“In this respect, we want to unequivocally reaffirm and stress as we have done in recent days that no one in the Concacaf administration was or has been consulted in relation to the engagement of Mr Mohamed with the SKNFA. Concacaf takes the allegations against Mr Mohamed extremely seriously and have duly noted that Fifa will look into the matter.”
It is understood that clubs in Barbados will discuss on Friday whether to call in an independent investigator, with several having privately expressed concerns over the BFA’s handling of the case and its leadership. Randy Harris, who was re-elected unopposed as president of the CFU last year, said he would look into the case on his return to Barbados.
“I don’t know of these things that I am hearing about pertaining to the BFA,” he told Barbados Today. “So, I would have to deal with it on my return and see if I could find out if any of these issues are true because they are very serious and no report has been made to the BFA about them.”
Asked last week whether he would like to comment about the claim he recommended Mohamed, Randy Harris replied: “No sir.”
Mohamed is understood to be in Anguilla with the St Kitts women’s team, who beat their hosts 3-0 in a friendly on Thursday.
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Apparently persons playing smart with chupidness and hiding behind the curtain of informal/"casual" query versus the unshielded window of official communication.
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Any comments on our regional WC standings ? Are ppl impressed or satisfied with our regional representatives and their play so far ?
i know it's mostly the usual culprits, I myself am quite impressed with the Canadians, performing without a key star, and the coach shining light on new ones. The charges currently being led by a older Can-Trini (38- definitely to old for a Trini team ;D ), who managed to score the luckiest goal I ever see. Also, the Larin/David play can be very dangerous if they get to the big show.
Herdman already proven as a world class women's manager, is making a strong case for a top World Class men's manager. Most impressed with his selections, even if I myself think a couple were although decent, still seemed to be laborers, he somehow managed to make the unit gel.
After all, these are the Associations we have to overcome to even dream of going to the top International level. They seem to manage to do more things correct than wrong. Maybe we can stop trying to sabotage ourselves and stop from getting from point A to B with a square wheel.
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Metropolitan Football Academy won the Puerto Rican league after defeating Puerto Rico Sol, 5-0.