TTFF Appeals FIFA decision on Yorke.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).
T&T captain served with 4-match ban.
The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation acting for Mr Dwight Yorke has today filed a notice of Appeal against the decision of the Disciplinary Committee of FIFA in which Yorke, the Captain of this country’s National Senior Team, was given the harsh penalty of a ban for four consecutive 2010 World Cup Qualifying matches for misconduct against a match official in T&T’s most recent qualifying match against El Salvador on February 11,2009.
The ban imposed on Yorke will see him having to miss the following World Cup Qualifying Matches.
Trinidad and Tobago vs Honduras, March 28, 2009
USA vs Trinidad and Tobago, April 1, 2009
Trinidad and Tobago vs Costa Rica, June 6, 2009
Mexico vs Trinidad and Tobago, June 10, 2009
Yorke has also been ordered to pay a fine to the amount of CHF 5,000. These decisions were taken at a meeting of FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee on March 13, 2009.
The statement by FIFA issued by Deputy Secretary to the Disciplinary Committee Wilma Ritter, read: The referee and the match commissioner reported that the player was sent off for using abusive language against the referee.
The secretariat of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee opened disciplinary proceedings against the player on February 13,2009 and asked the player and the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation to take position by February 20,2009.
The TTFF sent its statement which can be summarized as follows:
‘The player in his capacity as captain of the Trinidad and Tobago National Team complained to the referee for the safety and security of his players in view of the fact that missiles were being hurled onto the field. Immediately following the final whistle, Mr Yorke approached the referee to inquire why nothing had been done and the referee responded that Mr Yorke was out of order to question him. Mr Yorke expressed his disagreement with that view and it was while Mr Yorke was walking away that the red card was issued. Mr Yorke denied using any obscene language.
The TTFF sent a video in order to show the incidents that occurred during the match.
According to Article 49 par. 1 a of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, including the automatic suspension in accordance with Article 18 par 4, the overall suspension imposed on any person receiving a direct red card shall be for at least four matches for unsporting conduct towards a match official.
In an immediate response, TTFF Special Advisor Jack Warner, having held discussions with Senior Team head coach Francisco Maturana and his technical staff, expressed dissatisfaction over the ruling.
“I find in difficult to accept the penalty imposed on Dwight. To miss forty percent of the matches, almost half the competition, is because somehow those guys don’t understand what football means to a player and particularly to a country and that is why we have decided to appeal the decision and we shall fight it to the highest level,” Warner told TTFF Media on Saturday.
Warner maintain his optimism ahead of the remaining qualifying matches beginning on March 28 against Honduras and appealed for the country to rally around the “Soca Warriors” which also faces Panama in a warm up international at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium on Wednesday from 7pm.
“It is always important for the country to rally around the team because the country is the team’s 12th man. I want to thank all those people who have supported the team, particularly in the stadium over the past matches. It is clear that when we do this collectively as a people that success can be attained and this must continue with the upcoming game against Honduras. Dwight will not be playing but he will be here in the stands and will be helping the team prepare for these vital games coming up. As a country we must show that same type of commitment and support,” Warner concluded.
