FIFA ‘too big’
CAS not the way to go, says Pro LeagueMar 19, 2020
https://trinidadexpress.com/sports/local/fifa-too-big/article_9050c836-6a3d-11ea-b0a0-e763643c5d59.htmlThe TT Pro League, a board member of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association, yesterday issued a statement that it was not in support of the Association fighting world football governing body FIFA in the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“We have instructed our representative on the former TTFA Board, Mr. Brent Sancho, that the TT Pro League will not support any move by the former administration to engage in any legal battle against FIFA over their removal from office,” the release, which came late yesterday, said.
The TT Pro League Board is comprised of 11 professional clubs making up the local professional league. Sancho, who is also the owner of Central FC, confirmed the position taken.
“We had a conference call today and the decision was taken,” Sancho said. “We felt that it was not the right decision to go, in terms of going to CAS,” Sancho said.
Trinidad Express checks found that some of the clubs had indeed taken such a position while at least one, Point Fortin Civic, were unaware of such.
“I was not aware of that decision,” stated Civic director Gareston Craig. “I do not know when that meeting took place.”
At least four of the clubs confirmed that they were part of the decision. One official of a prominent club, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that the Pro League had run football independently for 18 years and it had nothing to do with TTFA. As an independent operation, he said, their focus was on developing football without engaging in mudslinging.
Further, the League Board stated that it accepted FIFA’s intervention.
“The Board of the TT Pro League has unanimously accepted the decision by FIFA to establish a Normalisation Committee to steer the financial and statutory affairs of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association.
As a football company who have (sic) invested over two hundred million dollars into the national economy over the last 18 years, the TT Pro League stands ready to work alongside the Ministry of Sport and the FIFA appointed Normalisation Committee for the continued development of the game.
“At a time when the dreaded coronavirus is taking its toll on the health and economic welfare of the country, on the request of the Minister of Sport, we are sending a proposal by March 31st for rebranding the professional league, use of community fields and developing a proposal for a partnership with FIFA, the Ministry of Sport and Corporate Trinidad and Tobago.
“While we cannot pre-empt any selection by FIFA, we would like to see the Normalisation Committee comprise of (sic) credible non-partisan persons from the local legal, sporting and business sectors. We at the Pro League feel the time for mudslinging, character assassination and egotism in our football must be replaced with a greater resolve to collectively address the challenges ahead.”