FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football

[socalion]

To be honest i can't speak for anyone else but as far as I am concern the manner in which all that has transpired thus far with Fifa's appointment of a normalisation committee is f$$ked up and outrageous to say the least ! Many of us want the best for trinbago football , but to support Fifa' s handling of the whole scenario is madness...... I can fully understand should mr Wallace by his choosing given all that's going on at the moment  , to simply walk away , but not without standing his ground against Fifa . I can only imagine his frustration at moment!  Mr Wallace yuh have my support all de way through just keeping real !

[Tallman]

FCB gets another deadline today with TTFA accounts
By Derek Achong (T&T Guardian)

The war of words between First Citizens Bank (FCB) and recent ousted executive members of the T&T Football Association (TTFA) over control of the organisation's bank account continued on Wednesday. 

The battle, which has thus far been fought via a series of strongly-worded legal letters sent between attorneys for both parties, resumed yesterday as attorney Matthew Gayle, who is representing former TTFA president William Wallace and his executive team, sent a letter to FCB's attorney Kendell Alexander, yesterday morning. 

In the letter, which was obtained by Guardian Media Sports, Gayle sought to respond to correspondence sent by Alexander on Monday (April 27). 

Gayle questioned Alexander's decision to mention the executive team's pending proceedings before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over FIFA's decision to oust them and replace them with a Normalisation Committee chaired by businessman Robert Hadad on March 17. 

In his letter, Alexander stated that the issue would be determined after the parties provide court documents over the resolution of the dispute between parties. 

Describing the claim as regrettable as it was allegedly made without any reliable information on the ongoing dispute, Gayle said: "All that is relevant, so far as the relationship between my client and yours, is that the TTFA has an established means of electing its Executive Officers, as well as an established means for those officers to demit office."

He maintained that his clients were lawfully elected on November 24, last year, and had not demitted office since. 

"Nowhere in my previous correspondence was there any express reference specifically to this body or the proceedings before CAS, which are confidential arbitral proceedings to which your client has no access to," Gayle said, as he accused the bank of attempting to be an informal arbiter between the parties.  

Stating that FCB should have established policies to determine who properly controls TTFA's accounts, Gayle stated that there was no basis to "legitimately surmise that there has been a change in the status quo". 

"Your client, therefore, would be in breach of its duties and obligations to my client should, as your letter tends to suggest, my client's executive be prevented in any way from accessing and operating the accounts in the name of my client," Gayle said, as he compared the situation to a hypothetical one involving allowing an unauthorised third party access. 

Gayle also noted that his clients did not have access to its online banking service as alleged by Alexander and requested that the facility be restored.  

Gayle gave the bank until 4 pm on Thursday to restore unfettered access to the accounts before he files a lawsuit on the issue. 

Guardian Media Sports reported on Monday that since the dispute arose, FIFA and CONCACAF were exploring options to provide funding to the committee to run the organisation while avoiding litigation. 

The source who spoke to us on Monday on the condition of anonymity said that apart from the current legal wrangle, FIFA is also seeking to ensure that future deposits into the said account are not at risk of any future garnishee order from the organisation's numerous creditors, as was done by former TTFA technical director Kendal Walkes on February 11 to recoup some of the over TT$5 million that is owed to him based on a court order in a wrongful dismissal lawsuit.

[Tallman]

Wallace defies legal threat uses TTFA letterhead
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)

William Wallace, the ousted president of the T&T Football Association has disregarded a threat by FIFA's Normalisation Committee chairman Robert Hadad to not use the football association's letterhead, by issuing a release using the TTFA's letterhead in a responding to Hadad.

Afterwards, he told Guardian Media Sports he will continue to function in his capacity of president of the TTFA, noting his legal representative will deal with everything else.

Wallace and his vice presidents Clynt Taylor, Sam Phillips and Susan Joseph-Warrick were booted out of office on March 17, when the governing body for the sports globally FIFA decided to enforced Article 8.2 of its Statutes to appoint a normalisation committee on March 27 to manage local football.

Wallace and his team have since decided to challenge this through the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Lausanne Switzerland. on Wednesday in a letter, however, Wallace said the accusation by Hadad is unfortunate and untrue. According to the local football boss: "I have read in one daily newspaper a quote attributed to the spokesman for the purported Normalization Committee appointed to manage the affairs of the Association, which accuses the democratically elected officers of the TTFA of "fraud" This is both unfortunate and untrue."

"Having been elected following a democratic election, which incidentally was conducted under the supervision of FIFA and CONCACAF, we remain in charge of the Association and the only persons authorised to use the TTFA stationary. While the TTFA remains an affiliate of FIFA, it does not have the power to remove the democratically elected Executive and usurp the running of the TTFA by decree."

"Thus the use of the TTFA stationary etc by FIFA’s normalisation committee is and remains unauthorised. This matter is presently before the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Given the value that the TTFA places in the relationship with FIFA, we have chosen to submit to the jurisdiction of CAS. However, make no mistakes about it, unless and until CAS rules to the contrary, the duly elected executive remains in charge of TTFA. I, therefore, will continue to use the TTFA stationary, as necessary, to communicate with TTFA personnel and the general public."

The two parties (Wallace and Hadad) have also been embroiled in a legal battle for the use of the football association's accounts at First Citizens Bank, but the latter in a legal document on Monday denied both parties, saying it was unsure of whom had the right of ownership of the accounts. The bank, in a letter from its Attorney Kendell Alexander, said whoever wants access to the accounts must walk with a legal document as proof of ownership.

Its decision prompted an immediate response from Wallace through his attorney Matthew Gayle, who described the situation as regrettable.

But with the accounts needed for FIFA proposed injection of funds that represent its grants to member associations, as well as a Covid-19 Relief Funds, it is uncertain if Hadad would get it in time to pay office and technical staff salaries, among other things.

Hadad was last night expected to meet with members of the technical staff and it was expected that he was going to assure them salaries soon.

[Flex]

Wallace wants access to TTFA's bank accounts restored.
By Jada Loutoo (Newsday).

EMBATTLED TT Football Association (TTFA) president William Wallace and his executive have given the football body’s bankers, First Citizens Bank, until Thursday to restore their unfettered access to their accounts.

Attorneys for Wallace and his executive also want, by that date, for the bank “extricate itself from this most improper role” of appointing itself as “an informal arbiter” between them and the FIFA-appointed normalisation committee.

Attorney Mathew Gayle for the embattled TTFA executive wrote to the bank’s attorneys on Wednesday with the demands and threatened legal action if they do not respond.

Wallace and his team have been at loggerheads with the bank over its accounts.

Gayle said his clients have been unable to access the bank’s online facilities.

The executive was removed on March 17 by FIFA who in turn set up a normalisation committee due to mounting debts accumulated by the TTFA.

In a letter, on Monday, to the TTFA staff, Wallace wrote, “FIFA is now preparing to release funding to the TTFA that it has thus far refused to release prior to the purported appointment of the normalisation committee. “For your peace of mind in these difficult times, as soon as I am notified by the general secretary (Ramesh Ramdhan) and/or First Citizens of the receipt of the monies from FIFA, I will take the necessary steps to ensure you are paid as owed,” Wallace told staff.

Gayle, in his letter on Wednesday, told FCB’s attorneys it was regrettable that the bank has sought to insert itself in the ongoing dispute between Wallace and his team and FIFA.

He said the bank had “no legitimate or reliable source of the facts and progress of the dispute.”

“All that is relevant, so far as the relationship between my client and yours, is that the TTFA has an established means of electing its executive officers, as well as an established means for those officers to demit office,” he said, again pointing out that the executive was elected in November and have not demitted office.

Gayle said the bank ought to have established policies to decide who has proper control of the TTFA’s accounts.

He said there was no basis on which it could legitimately surmise that there has been a change in the status quo.

Gayle said the bank will be in breach of its duties and obligations to his client if the executive is prevented from accessing and operating the body’s accounts.

He also said the executive does not have full access to the TTFA’s bank account information. He also asked for bank statements and access to online banking facilities.

Gayle warned that the bank will be at fault if it fails to permit access to the accounts.

He said it appeared that the bank’s overriding concern was to protect itself from adverse publicity and not ensuring it maintained the fidelity and integrity of its relationship with the TTFA’s executive.

On Monday, businessman Robert Hadad, who was appointed chairman of the normalising committee, said Wallace and his executive had control of the bank account now and they will await the hearing of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

[Tallman]

FIFA’s Safe Caribbean Home: ‘The Caribbean Is A Vote Farm For FIFA – They Don’t Care About Our Football’
By Louis Young (worldfootballindex.com)

In November 2019, the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) democratically elected William Wallace as president, replacing David John-Williams.

Following a fact-finding mission into the operations of the TTFA, just four months into Wallace’s term, FIFA announced their decision to impose a normalisation committee which would run the TTFA’S daily affairs.

“The mission found that extremely low overall financial management methods, combined with massive debt, have resulted in the TTFA facing a very real risk of insolvency and illiquidity,” said a FIFA statement.

“Such a situation is putting at risk the organisation and development of football in the country and corrective measures need to be applied urgently.”

One question directed towards FIFA following this action referred to their previous awareness of the TTFA’s financial woes, which have been public for many years. FIFA even froze the accounts of the previous administration, with David John-Williams as president, multiple times.

WFi‘s Louis Young spoke to Lasana Liburd who, along with other investigative journalists, co-authored the book Korruption im Sport which focused on the global phenomenon of corruption in sport.

Lasana is the founder and editor of Wired868 and has covered this story involving FIFA and the TTFA extensively.

Louis Young: Seeing as the financial woes of the TTFA have been public for a long time, why has FIFA suddenly taken the action to suspend a newly elected committee and impose a normalisation committee?

Lasana Liburd: “That would be a good question for Gianni Infantino, and it is for the FIFA bureau to answer really.

“It is true that the TTFA’s financial issues are not new at all. However, it is also true that the financial state the TTFA are in, is three times worse now due to the last administration that was run by David John-Williams, who voted for Infantino in 2016.

“You would say that the financial situation and the handling of the finances has been worse in the last administration, as opposed to this one which is only three months old.”

LY: Infantino and John-Williams had a lot of support from one another and had a fairly amicable relationship, is that right?

LL: “Yes, the relationship for those two dates back to when John-Williams became the first person from the Caribbean to announce support for Infantino.

“A week before the last TTFA election, Infantino was in Trinidad and announced John-Williams as his teammate and praised John-Williams for doing a great job, in his opinion, and asked Trinidad and Tobago to support John-Williams in the next election just a week later.”

LY: Do you feel FIFA has not approached this situation with the intentions of improving the football of the country?

LL: “Well, in the years before John-Williams was elected, Trinidad and Tobago went to two Gold Cup quarterfinals.

“The women’s national team came within a play-off match, away against Ecuador in 2014, from getting to the Women’s World Cup.

“There is no yardstick you can use that football in Trinidad and Tobago has improved in any way when every national team has gone backwards.

“When John-Williams was elected, we were 52nd in the World FIFA rankings and when he left, we were 106th.

“After he was elected, we set new records in every way, like longest period without scoring a goal, longest period without winning a match, longest losing streak…

“The only team we beat in 2019 was Anguilla, the worst-ranked team in football. So when people say that FIFA has not shown an interest in the football here, you’d have to agree. On the basis of these things here that would be the case.”

LY: The newly elected president, William Wallace, has signalled his intention to go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), claiming this intervention by FIFA was unlawful and unwarranted. Can you talk me through what part of this intervention he and other members of the board find unlawful and unwarranted?

LL: “Well if you look at the FIFA statutes, for a member association to be suspended or expelled they have to go through the entire membership, which is made up 210 FIFA member associates.

“Implementing a normalisation committee is effectively wiping out the board of a members association. Somehow the seven-person FIFA bureau can decide that themselves.

“To me this is a violation of the spirit of the FIFA constitution. The statutes mean that all 210 members should be involved in the suspension of a country’s membership. So why does this FIFA bureau have this right? The clause is extremely broad regarding stepping into a country’s membership, so it allows them to step in almost at will, as long as Infantino can get three people around the table that agree with him.

“This is something other member associations and the world of football should look at, because this is too much power for Infantino to have.”

LY: From your perspective, and your own research on this topic, does the question become less about the financial operations of the TTFA, and more about the actions of Infantino? To what degree have Infantino’s actions in this situation crossed a line where it looks like a personal act against the TTFA?

LL: “CONCACAF has 35 member nations. That means 35 votes in FIFA. The Caribbean has 25 votes out of the 35 so we are by far the majority in CONCACAF.

“South America has less than half votes with only 10. The Caribbean itself has 25. Politically, we have seen the importance of the Caribbean to FIFA under Sepp Blatter, Joao Havelange, and so on.

“I believe that FIFA’s interest in the Caribbean is all that it has ever been. Votes. That is it. The Caribbean is a vote farm for FIFA and nothing more. They don’t care about football in the Caribbean, they never did. And certainly not under Infantino. That is why he would praise the work of a president of whose team is doing worse than it ever has in its history.

“I believe that when Infantino looks at the Caribbean, with a personal attachment one way or the other, I think that the relationship is strictly geopolitical. Votes.

“I think that the rest of the world looking at FIFA’s action here need to ask what exactly they want FIFA to be. We have seen FIFA’s image over the years and the cost of it.

“Do they want FIFA to treat a vital part in the world like Trinidad and Tobago like this, or do they want to focus on improving [the] sport?”

LY: Is part of the question regarding Infantino’s clear disrespect and lack of interest in progressing the football in the Caribbean, and specifically Trinidad and Tobago, related to the ‘Home of Football‘ FIFA wanted to build in Trinidad?

LL: “Well, the Home of Football is finished. It was Infantino who opened it. It is totally useless.

“It isn’t properly comforted or heated. It isn’t even properly insured. Infantino and [FIFA Vice-President Victor] Montagliani were posing on beds there, but right now it’s a sham and a joke.

“But going back to Infantino, as a journalist, I cannot be sanctioned for simply speaking my mind. When Blatter felt there was talk all over the world about the way he was able to run the body by giving large quantitates of money to member associations, that seemed like something that needed to be looked at.

“When Infantino was elected, he tripled the money that went to member associations without a clear oversight of what they did [with it]. I think this is most evident with Trinidad and Tobago, where the money has been spent, debt soared, but the team has not performed to the way they should. Yet he was happy with what was happening.

“I think one of the first things that Infantino did as president was close down the committee in charge of anti-racism. So in my personal view, there is a lot that Infantino needs to take account for in regards to his actions.

“Just look at the situation with Trinidad and Tobago and ask yourself the question: ‘Is Infantino the man to clean up football?’ It is Trinidad and Tobago today but it could be anyone tomorrow.”

LY: William Wallace has spoken about going to the CAS. How successful do you think Trinidad and Tobago could be in their appeal to revoke the decision?

LL: “Well I believe CAS is always weighted more towards governing sport bodies than individual teams, athletes, and member associations.

“Also, the FIFA statutes allow these far-reaching powers in the FIFA bureau to decide where a normalization committee goes. So I would say FIFA have the advantage, but it is certainly not impossible.

“Essentially, I don’t think Trinidad and Tobago can win this without the support of other member associations.

“Football does not belong to Infantino; it doesn’t belong to the seven people in the FIFA bureau, or the four people who voted against Trinidad and Tobago. It belongs to all member associations. And if people see this injustice in the same way as I do, then they need to go to Infantino and ask him what he is doing in the name of FIFA. Is this behaviour something the world wants to see continue?

“The least I would say is, let the 210 members decide whether Trinidad and Tobago’s election last November should stand or not.”



One significant conclusion to take from this situation is the power that has been displayed by FIFA, as well as the clear geopolitical investment Infantino has, specifically in the Caribbean region of CONCACAF.

As Lasana Liburd states, as long as Infantino can get three people around the table at the FIFA bureau to agree with him then, the FIFA statutes, as they are currently written, allow him to step into any member association he wants.

By implementing a normalization committee, FIFA have essentially signalled that they can remove an entire member association, manage their daily operations, and conduct new elections for them, without even consulting the 210 members.

We have to look at this action by Infantino and other member associations have to ask themselves; is Infantino the right man to clean up football?

Moreover, is this the sort of behaviour that we should just expect from the most powerful man in football governance?

[gawd on pitch]

I think Wallace will win this case. Simple logic will tell you why.

If FIFA can at least prove that Wallace and his team somehow broke campaigning/election rules, then they are justified. They can use the recent financial history to further justify their takeover of the TTFA.

BUT

The CSA is not going to rule out a newly democratically elected administration because of the previous administrations poor financial decisions. This sets a DANGEROUS precedence.

Look at it through this lens:

If the government of a developing nation inherited debt from the previous government, will the IMF rule out the results of the election and takeover the government of the developing nation in question? Simple answer, NO. However, the IMF might push the government to implement austerity measures. I believe that's the most FIFA can do to the TTFA. They can use their funding as a tool to make the TTFA introduce austerity measures.

So FIFA is not going to get the CSA to side with them. As I said, doing so will be a DANGEROUS PRECEDENCE. The CSA will not want to be haunted by this.

[Cocorite]

Good points gop

  William Wallace will win this if he doesn’t give up. Even if the decision is in favor of FIFA, Wallace’s difficult decision to take on that corrupt regime has already brought a spotlight on the shady dealings of Infantino and his bedmates.
  The folly of Barbados and other CFU FA’s to fall on their swords is that they don’t consider today is T&T, tomorrow is Barbados. They too easily accept crumbs, and slavery than to hold their heads up high and live with their dignity.
  They fail to understand that they will always be thought of and treated as an afterthought. They are also empowering FIFA and signaling to them that we weren’t even stand up with our brothers and fight for ALL our footballing lives.
  When will we as a people know our worth. As a block in the CFU we are a voting force. We need to unite and leverage our power to help the region. But you have to know your value. . .and I am not only talking votes, more importantly their inherent worth as persons made in God’s very image.

[theworm2345]

Good points gop

  William Wallace will win this if he doesn’t give up. Even if the decision is in favor of FIFA, Wallace’s difficult decision to take on that corrupt regime has already brought a spotlight on the shady dealings of Infantino and his bedmates.
  The folly of Barbados and other CFU FA’s to fall on their swords is that they don’t consider today is T&T, tomorrow is Barbados. They too easily accept crumbs, and slavery than to hold their heads up high and live with their dignity.
  They fail to understand that they will always be thought of and treated as an afterthought. They are also empowering FIFA and signaling to them that we weren’t even stand up with our brothers and fight for ALL our footballing lives.
  When will we as a people know our worth. As a block in the CFU we are a voting force. We need to unite and leverage our power to help the region. But you have to know your value. . .and I am not only talking votes, more importantly their inherent worth as persons made in God’s very image.

I disagree with these points.  FA heads throughout the region have been happy to maintain the status quo for years because they get a good salary and trips to FIFA and Concacaf congresses around the world.  Any progress or change is considered a threat to that position.  FIFA keeps supplying the money, and in return Infantino, Blatter, Montagliani, etc. continue to get votes from the region.  The moment the new TTFA started showing some initiative, pushing for progress (or even just basic accountability and transparency), FIFA dealt with them.  The failure of the other FAs in the region to stand up and be counted has nothing to do with ignorance or failure to understand that they might be next -- it simply comes down to looking after their own interests.

From everything I have read, it is not just FAs across the region either, there are plenty of Trinbagonians who are all-too-happy to bend over and accept FIFA's decision, whether it is right or wrong.

I'm not going defend Jack, but he did do some positive things for the region in that the Caribbean had an immense power by his adding so many new FIFA members. Sadly they have pissed it away since the CFU was essentially dissolved.

[pull stones]

Good points gop

  William Wallace will win this if he doesn’t give up. Even if the decision is in favor of FIFA, Wallace’s difficult decision to take on that corrupt regime has already brought a spotlight on the shady dealings of Infantino and his bedmates.
  The folly of Barbados and other CFU FA’s to fall on their swords is that they don’t consider today is T&T, tomorrow is Barbados. They too easily accept crumbs, and slavery than to hold their heads up high and live with their dignity.
  They fail to understand that they will always be thought of and treated as an afterthought. They are also empowering FIFA and signaling to them that we weren’t even stand up with our brothers and fight for ALL our footballing lives.
  When will we as a people know our worth. As a block in the CFU we are a voting force. We need to unite and leverage our power to help the region. But you have to know your value. . .and I am not only talking votes, more importantly their inherent worth as persons made in God’s very image.

I disagree with these points.  FA heads throughout the region have been happy to maintain the status quo for years because they get a good salary and trips to FIFA and Concacaf congresses around the world.  Any progress or change is considered a threat to that position.  FIFA keeps supplying the money, and in return Infantino, Blatter, Montagliani, etc. continue to get votes from the region.  The moment the new TTFA started showing some initiative, pushing for progress (or even just basic accountability and transparency), FIFA dealt with them.  The failure of the other FAs in the region to stand up and be counted has nothing to do with ignorance or failure to understand that they might be next -- it simply comes down to looking after their own interests.

From everything I have read, it is not just FAs across the region either, there are plenty of Trinbagonians who are all-too-happy to bend over and accept FIFA's decision, whether it is right or wrong.

I'm not going defend Jack, but he did do some positive things for the region in that the Caribbean had an immense power by his adding so many new FIFA members. Sadly they have pissed it away since the CFU was essentially dissolved.

forget about it, Trinidad and Tobago has the most FIFA kiss asses for decades, they were the ones who towed the line with the absolute the worst and frightenly worthless federation president this side of the Mississippi in Oliver camps.

they supported this jack warner installed puppet for almost 20 years and had it not been for the toppling of that whole syndicate masquerading as world football administrators, jack warner would still have a stranglehold on football in trinidad and tobago.

go back to the beginning of this thread and see all the former players and coaches who’s in support of the normalization committee. from Dwight york and russel latapy to hanibal najar and brian williams has all given their approval to this obvious FIFA coup d’etat, so feel free to insult these hungry unscrupulous trinis in football, I don’t think any of us here would be in the least offended, not even a smidgen.

 those clowns who have any say in football in trinidad has always been the biggest impediment to the advancement of the sport, that is why we’ve been starving for success for the past two generations. bunch of worthless talking puppets.

[asylumseeker]

I think Wallace will win this case. Simple logic will tell you why.

If FIFA can at least prove that Wallace and his team somehow broke campaigning/election rules, then they are justified. They can use the recent financial history to further justify their takeover of the TTFA.

BUT

The CSA is not going to rule out a newly democratically elected administration because of the previous administrations poor financial decisions. This sets a DANGEROUS precedence.

Look at it through this lens:

If the government of a developing nation inherited debt from the previous government, will the IMF rule out the results of the election and takeover the government of the developing nation in question? Simple answer, NO. However, the IMF might push the government to implement austerity measures. I believe that's the most FIFA can do to the TTFA. They can use their funding as a tool to make the TTFA introduce austerity measures.

So FIFA is not going to get the CSA to side with them. As I said, doing so will be a DANGEROUS PRECEDENCE. The CSA will not want to be haunted by this.

The application of simple logic didn't lead the TTFA to the circumstances that have resulted in pursuing process with CAS and the application of merely simple logic won't extricate the TTFA from this mess. And, it won't be the absolute standard applied in arbitration.

Nevertheless, there is not a scintilla of doubt regarding the integrity of the electoral process from which the TTFA executive  emerged in November 2019. The representation made regarding FIFA defending normalization on the basis of electoral misconduct has no proper place in the conversation.

Not only is there a process particular to rectifying defciencies in a member association election that does not rise to the institution of normalization ... but the legitimacy of the TTFA executive is not what this issue is about.

I don't accept that the IMF comparison is a proper comparison although I acknowledge that it is a tempting comparison based on the leveraging of authority perceived to be imposed on members by both entities.

The NC is FIFA's "austerity measure" and proposed prosperity measure. If I acquiesce in the comparison I would posit that FIFA is more authoritarian than the IMF vis-a-vis their respective constituencies.

What you're possibly suggesting is that the IMF is more draconian. Although both organizations reflect hub and spoke characteristics, they are not the same vehicle.

I differ with you.  In my view the CAS conclusion will be rendered on narrow grounds rather than on broad considerations. Narrow grounds require treatment with layered sophistication. Let me add: this is the most important case for us but it isn't on the face/yet the most important submission for all federations. Not foreseeing a Bosman moment here.  Again, narrow vs broad.

[Tallman]

Why bother TTFA? It's time
T&T Express

I'VE looked at the administrative and performance issues of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) that have come to my attention through the media since the Germany World Cup where T& T qualified as finalists in 2006. From then to now it seems to be an endless cycle of controversial and contestable issues, lawsuits, claims, accusations of bias and highhandedness, awards to consultants, coaches and officials of all sorts.

There have been issues surrounding breaches of contract, default, performance negligence, you name it. It seems the TTFA contracts and then changes its intentions, goes into agreements and has no contingencies for relief or even escape, when administrators change their minds run into unanticipated obstacles.

This has been the backdrop and landscape for football administration in the country. There is never money to do what needs to be done; and with the money that becomes available, there is little accountability or transparency.

Now we hear FIFA is fed up and is using its veto power, so to speak, to wrest control from the TTFA. Lo and behold, everyone is shocked and outraged as to why this is happening, and questioning whether FIFA has the right. Just the posing of this question, in my mind, is proof enough of the validity for the said action.

If, after all that has transpired over the years, you cannot see why there is opposition by FIFA, then it means we actually lacked the understanding, ethics decency that would have warranted us taking on the job of managing the association in the first place. Everyone can see the TTFA has done a bad job so far.

Now it's about saving the reputation of football administration in T& T, and who best to do so than the global association?

Granted, FIFA has come under question the past. But, having done its own housekeeping, isn't it reasonable that FIFA now extends it to subordinate associations as well? There is a side wind blowing; the story that it's a case of one old T& T administration trying to undermine the new one. As true as that may be, it does not mitigate the fact that the time has come for radical action, and the incidence of whichever administration is in power does not remove this need for change.

Too bad it had to happen at this time of administrative change.

Come on, guys, whether it was on your watch or not, a lot has transpired and it's no good continuing to flog a dead horse, pretending there is no problem.

It's the 21st century. Financial integrity and reporting standards govern how things are done. Give the global boss and custodian of the sport a chance to do what it can at this dark hour and please step aside.

Don't drag T& T down to a dogfight for a supremacy we hardly have earned over the years, and very probably no longer deserve.

John Thompson
St James

[Cocorite]

Good points gop

  William Wallace will win this if he doesn’t give up. Even if the decision is in favor of FIFA, Wallace’s difficult decision to take on that corrupt regime has already brought a spotlight on the shady dealings of Infantino and his bedmates.
  The folly of Barbados and other CFU FA’s to fall on their swords is that they don’t consider today is T&T, tomorrow is Barbados. They too easily accept crumbs, and slavery than to hold their heads up high and live with their dignity.
  They fail to understand that they will always be thought of and treated as an afterthought. They are also empowering FIFA and signaling to them that we weren’t even stand up with our brothers and fight for ALL our footballing lives.
  When will we as a people know our worth. As a block in the CFU we are a voting force. We need to unite and leverage our power to help the region. But you have to know your value. . .and I am not only talking votes, more importantly their inherent worth as persons made in God’s very image.

I disagree with these points.  FA heads throughout the region have been happy to maintain the status quo for years because they get a good salary and trips to FIFA and Concacaf congresses around the world.  Any progress or change is considered a threat to that position.  FIFA keeps supplying the money, and in return Infantino, Blatter, Montagliani, etc. continue to get votes from the region.  The moment the new TTFA started showing some initiative, pushing for progress (or even just basic accountability and transparency), FIFA dealt with them.  The failure of the other FAs in the region to stand up and be counted has nothing to do with ignorance or failure to understand that they might be next -- it simply comes down to looking after their own interests.

From everything I have read, it is not just FAs across the region either, there are plenty of Trinbagonians who are all-too-happy to bend over and accept FIFA's decision, whether it is right or wrong.

I'm not going defend Jack, but he did do some positive things for the region in that the Caribbean had an immense power by his adding so many new FIFA members. Sadly they have pissed it away since the CFU was essentially dissolved.

Yes lots of Trinidadians and Tobagonians are likewise spineless. The problem is certainly widespread. But majority opinion has never been the litmus test for truth or prudence even though many simply succumb to the pressure of the popular. Colonialism has had a thorough and blanketing effect on its subjects. I however, will choose freedom every time. No other man is going to dominate me. You'all may disagree all you want, but Infantino and his cronies are throwing around their weight because they believe they can easily do as they please with us. And they have too many victims welcoming it without even a fight. Allyuh mad a wot! 

[Tallman]

Nakhid: FIFA acted like a bully
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)

FORMER national football captain David Nakhid said FIFA acted in a “bullying fashion,” in its decision to take over the running of the T&T Football Association (TTFA), saying the former TTFA executive has every right to challenge that decision.

Nakhid was speaking to the media before he distributed hampers to needy families in his hometown of Mt D’or, Champs Fleurs to help battle the covid19 pandemic.

He said, “It is a complex situation. I think the right of principle is with the former administration, the Wallace slate. The dilemma is if that situation, whether the right is with them, is going to serve the national interest of T&T. I would like to think that as a matter of principle they have a right to fight the case, I believe that they do.”

On March 17, FIFA made the decision to disband the TTFA executive led by former president William Wallace.

FIFA and CONCACAF found that TTFA was not in a position to run football effectively in a fact-finding mission and decided to break up the TTFA hierarchy and form a normalisation committee to take over. Among the reasons FIFA gave to break up the TTFA was the massive debt facing local football, which is said to be $50 million.

Wallace was only voted into office in November, 2019 and inherited the debt from the previous administration, led by David John-Williams.

Local businessman Robert Hadad was chosen as the chairperson of the normalisation committee, after former TTFA finance manager Tyril Patrick declined the offer.

FIFA said the mandate of the normalisation committee will include establishing a debt repayment plan that is implementable by the TTFA.

The normalisation committee’s job will end when the assigned tasks are complete, but it would not last more than 24 months.

In early April, the former Wallace-led executive decided to fight the decision by FIFA to appoint the normalisation committee by filing an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Nakhid, who unsuccessfully campaigned to become FIFA president five years ago, said the move by the world governing body for football was an aggressive one. “We are looking at a situation where FIFA, who with their high-handed manner…did move in a bullying fashion (and) can hold T&T to ransom. They can ban national teams and I think that is something that we need to look at. I hope they (TTFA) go the distance (in fighting the matter), but I don’t think they can. I think FIFA in the end will prevail.”

Asked whether he thinks TTFA and FIFA could have attempted to meet halfway on the issue, Nakhid said, “I would have liked them to have met halfway before. I would have liked the Wallace administration to have reconciled with the John-Williams (administration) and found a way that FIFA did not have to intervene.”
 

[Tallman]

Appetite to fight
By Fazeer Mohammed (T&T Express)

What is the point of engaging in a fight you are likely to lose? And if—miracle of miracles—you do win, the consequences could be so devastating to the interests you claim to represent that the victory won’t feel like a crushing defeat?

Principle. Yes, its that simple: principle.

Time and the unfolding of the matter between the deposed Trinidad and Tobago Football Association administration and FIFA will confirm whether or not William Wallace and company are taking on the world’s most powerful single sporting organisation on the basis of the rights and wrongs of the installation of a normalisation committee or if it is also tied in with ego and not wanting to be seen to be brushed aside without offering some sort of resistance.

Many of us may think it is noble to fight on principle. It sounds honourable, even heroic to do so. But there are clearly many prominent and influential voices in the national game who believe it is a pointless effort and that the welfare of the game here would be best served if the local combatants put their tails between their legs (can’t imagine Keith Look Loy ever doing that) and contest the elections again in a couple years when they could be back at the helm with the $50 million debt wiped off, money in the bank and in the good graces of the sport’s rulers in Zurich.

Even the one or two inclined to publicly support the executive which was only elected last November 24—obviously the timing of this normalisation action cannot be coincidental—appear to concede that it is well nigh impossible to get the better of FIFA, especially as taking them to court could result in the nation being banned from all international competition.

Who wants the responsibility of looking into the eyes of young men and women, who hold dreams of footballing glory deep in their hearts, and tell them they will have to be the sacrificial lambs in this fight, and that the price they are likely to pay regarding their own careers is small compared to going down in history as playing a part in transforming the global governance of the world’s most popular sport for the better?

Essentially, this is the dilemma we all face. Do you stand your ground because you are convinced of the correctness and moral superiority of your perspective and therefore take the blows which come with such action, or do you compromise because the repercussions of a principled stand are far too great?

It’s like the usual discourse which takes place around here and is especially relevant now, given the possibility of T&T gasoline ending up in Venezuela via Aruba, when it comes to the United States’ dominance—ideologically, economically and if necessary, militarily—of our region.

However entertaining and newsworthy the theatre provided by our politicians may be, there is also the significant issue, which is topical 50 years after the events of early 1970, as to whether or not we really value ourselves as an independent people and a constitutional republic willing to chart our own course, even if it means ruffling the feathers of the bald eagle whose wingspan covers almost this entire hemisphere.

Of course the short answer to that is “No.” Economic isolation, with all its attendant social consequences, is not something we can cope with, certainly not with our already weakened financial state further debilitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. But even before the dollars and cents considerations, our hearts and minds already belong to the good people headquartered on Marli Street because most of us cannot comprehend life without access to the lifestyle and entertainment as promoted by our great godfather to the north.

Football by contrast is only a game, but it is a game which means a lot to many people who, whether as spectator, player or sponsor, will not want to see it suffer in any significant way just because slighted administrators feel they must get justice. You could argue that the game has been suffering anyway with all the issues since that high point of the historic World Cup finals appearance in Germany in 2006. But internal bacchanal is one thing. Being blacklisted by FIFA is a different matter entirely.

So let’s see what happens at the first hurdle with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (we await the date of a hearing) and if all this speculation about having the stomach for a real fight is rendered irrelevant.

Oh, as for those fixated on the antics of West Indies cricketers with too much time on their hands, the Jamaica Observer newspaper dealt with it best in its editorial last Saturday when it said Chris Gayle “showed himself to be manifestly immature.”

This arrant foolishness needs no more oxygen.

[Tallman]

TTFA staff appeals to Wallace to show human side
T&T Guardian

As the battle for T&T Football Association (TTFA) accounts between former president William Wallace and Robert Hadad, the chairman of FIFA's Normalisation committee rages on, the staff members at the TTFA has written to its former president William Wallace in their plight to be paid.

While Wallace's lawyer Matthew Gayle awaits a third response from First Citizens Bank (FCB) to allow his client access to the TTFA accounts, the 15 workers at the organisation send an unsigned letter to the former president.

According to a source close to the latest development who spoke to Guardian Media Sports on the condition of anonymity said, "The workers did not want to sign the letter for fear of victimization. The source said the workers are very frustrated because they are caught in the middle of this feud and they believe that's it's unfair to them."

In the letter as seen by Guardian Media Sports, the TTFA staff wrote, "With the utmost of respect, the staff of the General Secretariat of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association has found it necessary at this time write to you to share our opinion on the current situation. We would like to start by highlighting that there now exists an urgent and stressful situation that has been thrust upon the staff due to the nonpayment of salaries for a second consecutive month."

It continued, "Please note that this is not an attempt for us to make any sort of political statement or take sides in the ongoing dispute between yourself and the Normalization Committee however the situation as it is now, affects us greatly and directly and we have never been granted the privilege of being solicited for an opinion. We would highlight that there are two separate dimensions to this scenario that one must take into consideration. They are the human side and the professional side."

When contacted about the letter Ramesh Ramdhan, the general secretary of the TTFA on Sunday he told Guardian Media Sports that he received the letter but don't entertain anonymous letters, while Wallace said he didn't receive it.

The workers outlined seven points of concern to them:

*that today May 2nd is the beginning of a 3rd month that the administrative staff has not received salaries.

*This also affects technical staff members some that have not been paid as much as 6 months

*TTFA full-time staff are currently employed and do not qualify for any of the government assistance programs and therefore while other members of the general public do have an opportunity to access assistance we do not.

*Members of staff have also been refused assistance through NIS because of nonpayment of statutory deductions

*If control of the TTFA accounts is taken before the courts to be settled, staff members will have to endure extreme hardship because of the extended time we will have to go without a means to be paid.

*Members of staff have already begun to get calls from creditors

*There are members of staff who are the sole breadwinner in their household

The workers who have been home since March 15 when the TTFA closed its office because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic which has affected T&T and the global community added that "While our general knowledge of the overall situation is mostly restricted to what is published in the media, It is our opinion that the administration and technical departments of the TTFA are made up of technical officers who are competent professional in their various fields, who should be allowed to do their jobs in the interest of football. That being said we would like to highlight the current professional /administrative conundrum that the staff is facing."

The battle, which has thus far been fought via a series of strongly-worded legal letters sent between attorneys for both parties, resumed on Thursday with gale giving FCB until Friday to respond.

In February, the office staff was not paid by the TTFA which was still led by Wallace and the general secretary Ramesh Ramdhan told Guardian Media Sports that he borrowed money to pay staff. However, since FIFA removed Wallace and his three vice presidents — Clynt Taylor, Joseph Sam Phillips and Susan Joseph-Warrick on March 17, the staff has not been paid for March and April.

Last month FIFA announced that it was handing over grants to its member associations, particularly those in need of help during the current COVID-19 pandemic environment. It also announced that a FIFA Relief Fund will also be accessible to vulnerable member associations.

This means the embattled football association is in line to receive US$1.2 million (an estimated TT$6.7million), plus a CONCACAF US$160,000 (an estimated TT$1,040,000) grant, as well as an unknown amount for the relief fund to the Normalisation Committee.

However, it was following this announcement by FIFA that a battle commenced for the TTFA accounts on April 17.

The four officers have since appealed FIFA's decision to remove them for office to the Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland.

[pull stones]

Appetite to fight
By Fazeer Mohammed (T&T Express)

What is the point of engaging in a fight you are likely to lose? And if—miracle of miracles—you do win, the consequences could be so devastating to the interests you claim to represent that the victory won’t feel like a crushing defeat?

Principle. Yes, its that simple: principle.

Time and the unfolding of the matter between the deposed Trinidad and Tobago Football Association administration and FIFA will confirm whether or not William Wallace and company are taking on the world’s most powerful single sporting organisation on the basis of the rights and wrongs of the installation of a normalisation committee or if it is also tied in with ego and not wanting to be seen to be brushed aside without offering some sort of resistance.

Many of us may think it is noble to fight on principle. It sounds honourable, even heroic to do so. But there are clearly many prominent and influential voices in the national game who believe it is a pointless effort and that the welfare of the game here would be best served if the local combatants put their tails between their legs (can’t imagine Keith Look Loy ever doing that) and contest the elections again in a couple years when they could be back at the helm with the $50 million debt wiped off, money in the bank and in the good graces of the sport’s rulers in Zurich.

Even the one or two inclined to publicly support the executive which was only elected last November 24—obviously the timing of this normalisation action cannot be coincidental—appear to concede that it is well nigh impossible to get the better of FIFA, especially as taking them to court could result in the nation being banned from all international competition.

Who wants the responsibility of looking into the eyes of young men and women, who hold dreams of footballing glory deep in their hearts, and tell them they will have to be the sacrificial lambs in this fight, and that the price they are likely to pay regarding their own careers is small compared to going down in history as playing a part in transforming the global governance of the world’s most popular sport for the better?

Essentially, this is the dilemma we all face. Do you stand your ground because you are convinced of the correctness and moral superiority of your perspective and therefore take the blows which come with such action, or do you compromise because the repercussions of a principled stand are far too great?

It’s like the usual discourse which takes place around here and is especially relevant now, given the possibility of T&T gasoline ending up in Venezuela via Aruba, when it comes to the United States’ dominance—ideologically, economically and if necessary, militarily—of our region.

However entertaining and newsworthy the theatre provided by our politicians may be, there is also the significant issue, which is topical 50 years after the events of early 1970, as to whether or not we really value ourselves as an independent people and a constitutional republic willing to chart our own course, even if it means ruffling the feathers of the bald eagle whose wingspan covers almost this entire hemisphere.

Of course the short answer to that is “No.” Economic isolation, with all its attendant social consequences, is not something we can cope with, certainly not with our already weakened financial state further debilitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. But even before the dollars and cents considerations, our hearts and minds already belong to the good people headquartered on Marli Street because most of us cannot comprehend life without access to the lifestyle and entertainment as promoted by our great godfather to the north.

Football by contrast is only a game, but it is a game which means a lot to many people who, whether as spectator, player or sponsor, will not want to see it suffer in any significant way just because slighted administrators feel they must get justice. You could argue that the game has been suffering anyway with all the issues since that high point of the historic World Cup finals appearance in Germany in 2006. But internal bacchanal is one thing. Being blacklisted by FIFA is a different matter entirely.

So let’s see what happens at the first hurdle with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (we await the date of a hearing) and if all this speculation about having the stomach for a real fight is rendered irrelevant.

Oh, as for those fixated on the antics of West Indies cricketers with too much time on their hands, the Jamaica Observer newspaper dealt with it best in its editorial last Saturday when it said Chris Gayle “showed himself to be manifestly immature.”

This arrant foolishness needs no more oxygen.

this article wreaks with negativity at best. I’m puzzled as to why he even bothered to write anything when everything he touched on was terribly redundant, and has offered nothing new that we haven’t already heard a thousand times over.

there was a time when emperor jack was governing football in TT like he somehow had an inherent right to treat the sport like it was his own personal board game, yet no dogs barked except liburd. this feezer bloke wrote a few articles but played it safe, same with the DJW era, those guys gave him a huge pass, and it was only until his mismanagement became difficult to ignore, you heard a lone voice here and there which leads me to conclude that that place is sad sad sad with too many self service cowardly people who just don’t care enough. it’s real bloody sad indeed.

[Tallman]

Cudjoe calls on stakeholders to unite to restore football
T&T Guardian

Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Shamfa Cudjoe has called on all football stakeholders to come together in the interest of restoring the sport to its former glory days.

On Monday in an interview with Guardian Media Sports she said her government was not in a position to bail out the T&T Football Association (TTFA) and if there's assistance coming from the parent body (FIFA) concerning dealing with the financial affairs within the embattled football association, straightening things out and putting the association on stable footing, then all should join in and help where necessary.

There has been a battle for the right to manage the affairs of the sport by the ousted United TTFA group, which comprises president William Wallace and vice presidents Clynt Taylor, Sam Phillips and Susan Joseph Warrick, all of whom were replaced by a FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee on March 17. The sport’s governing body felt the organisation was on the verge of insolvency due to a $50 million debt, coupled with an inability to show programmes and policies that could pay the debt and steer it onto stable footing.

Wallace and his team have since agreed to challenge the appointment of the committee through their lawyer Matthew Gayle through the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland.

"I think FIFA and the normalisation committee through Robert Hadad, has come to assist and I think those who are in positions to assist should jump on board and assist," said Cudjoe adding that she was not picking sides but believes everyone who has the ability or authority to bring some sort of peace to this situation, should work together to restore football.

"I see the workers and the technical people at the TTFA would have started establishing some strategies alongside the Hadad committee and I think that is something good. The tug-of-war and the throwing of words, the bacchanal on Facebook and on social media, does not help anybody. It doesn’t help the TTFA, it doesn’t help FIFA and it certainly doesn’t help the athletes who are depending on this sport as a means of livelihood and as a means of income generator.”

She explained further that the sport has been tarnished and destroyed by personal egos, and a craving for power, describing it as a back and forth with threats to go to court, as it relates to who is in charge and who is not, etc.

Cudjoe said her only hope is that the necessary stakeholders would come together and focus more on solving the problem at hand so that they can look back at dealing with areas of development, at football touching the communities and athletes, who depend on the sport, to live.

[pull stones]

Cudjoe calls on stakeholders to unite to restore football
T&T Guardian

Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Shamfa Cudjoe has called on all football stakeholders to come together in the interest of restoring the sport to its former glory days.

On Monday in an interview with Guardian Media Sports she said her government was not in a position to bail out the T&T Football Association (TTFA) and if there's assistance coming from the parent body (FIFA) concerning dealing with the financial affairs within the embattled football association, straightening things out and putting the association on stable footing, then all should join in and help where necessary.

There has been a battle for the right to manage the affairs of the sport by the ousted United TTFA group, which comprises president William Wallace and vice presidents Clynt Taylor, Sam Phillips and Susan Joseph Warrick, all of whom were replaced by a FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee on March 17. The sport’s governing body felt the organisation was on the verge of insolvency due to a $50 million debt, coupled with an inability to show programmes and policies that could pay the debt and steer it onto stable footing.

Wallace and his team have since agreed to challenge the appointment of the committee through their lawyer Matthew Gayle through the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland.

"I think FIFA and the normalisation committee through Robert Hadad, has come to assist and I think those who are in positions to assist should jump on board and assist," said Cudjoe adding that she was not picking sides but believes everyone who has the ability or authority to bring some sort of peace to this situation, should work together to restore football.

"I see the workers and the technical people at the TTFA would have started establishing some strategies alongside the Hadad committee and I think that is something good. The tug-of-war and the throwing of words, the bacchanal on Facebook and on social media, does not help anybody. It doesn’t help the TTFA, it doesn’t help FIFA and it certainly doesn’t help the athletes who are depending on this sport as a means of livelihood and as a means of income generator.”

She explained further that the sport has been tarnished and destroyed by personal egos, and a craving for power, describing it as a back and forth with threats to go to court, as it relates to who is in charge and who is not, etc.

Cudjoe said her only hope is that the necessary stakeholders would come together and focus more on solving the problem at hand so that they can look back at dealing with areas of development, at football touching the communities and athletes, who depend on the sport, to live.

with all due respect minister, but you are taking sides. you said that you didn’t want to get involved, yet you’re talking about unity with a usurper in robert hadad, and what good is fifa here to do? come on shamfa you’re acting like you of all people don’t know that this is all about vengeance against the clubs and teams who voted against their hog face puppet.

they are here to make sure that Wallace does not control this organization, if they meant any good towards us they would have made this move a year ago when it was warranted, not now, and your just taking the easy way out and giving conspiracy vultures like controversial a clear shot at your back with his ridiculous notions. come on shamfa shame on you, it would have been better if you stayed mum on this.

[Tallman]

Hadad to TTFA staff: Working on it
T&T Express

The lack of bank account access notwithstanding, Trinidad and Tobago Football Association staff are still being assured that efforts are being made to pay them.

This word came on Monday from Robert Hadad, head of the normalisation committee appointed by world governing body, FIFA.

TTFA administrative staff have not received salaries since FIFA appointed the committee in March to run the affairs of the Association instead of the elected executive headed by president William Wallace. Wallace insists that as the duly elected head of the TTFA, the body is the only one entitled to receive FIFA money. The matter of control of local football is now before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.

In the meantime, First Citizens Bank, at which the TTFA’s accounts are held, has refused to allow either side access to the accounts.

Meanwhile, an unsigned letter surfaced on the weekend, purportedly from staff members, pleading for Wallace to abandon his fight for control of the TTFA’s accounts.

On Monday, Hadad told the SportsMax Zone programme on cable TV network SportsMax that he had seen the letter and acknowledged that besides the office staff, technical staff had not been paid for a longer period.

He acknowledged that the TTFA is the only body that could receive FIFA cash, saying, “The associate member of FIFA is the TTFA, so they legitimately could only send the money to the TTFA.”

He also noted that, “Until I could confirm to FIFA that we have control of the bank accounts and there is no risk of garnishing, I don’t see any money coming forth.”

However, Hadad added, “we are working on other means of paying them.”

The businessman was not willing to say what other means were being considered.

However, he stated: “We are aware that we are in a pandemic and we are in very dangerous times and some people need their money, so we are working around ways of getting them their money before we have control of the bank account.”

And asked if he had anticipated opposition from the Wallace group when his committee took over, a resolute Hadad noted: “Would they have made my team’s job easier? Sure....But this is how it is and we will work through it. What I can tell you is we are here to stay and we are representing FIFA and FIFA will only send money to us.”

He added: “We were not appointed because we wanted to be appointed. We were appointed because the TTFA is in serious debt and in serious risk of insolvency and not being able to pay their debts, and FIFA, they are doing the right thing. Whether or not it should have been done before, or whatever anyone wants to say, I’m not here to judge that. I don’t know why now, what I do is now, the debt is very high and the revenue we have is not enough to pay the debt and (court) judgements are happening now...The judgements and the garnishing of the account are all not good situations to be in. So somebody had to do the job.”

[Tallman]

Normalisation Committee ‘forgetting’ TTFA’s past?
By Colin Murray (T&T Guardian)

Exasperated is the most accurate adjective to describe my thoughts when writing about this local football saga. But when one is down, few people try to help him/her back up or give words of encouragement to stand on two feet again. I am sure that must be the feeling of William Wallace who is undoubtedly persona non grata with FIFA and the Minister of Sports.

When one thinks it can’t possibly get worse as battling FIFA is bad enough, thrown into the mix is the Minister of Sports, and based on her recent comments to the media, I find her confusing. On one hand, a few weeks ago, she said, to paraphrase, she rather not get involved in any FIFA vs T&T Football Association (TTFA) battle because two years ago, she was told by the then TTFA president to stay out of FIFA and TTFA business.

Yet, she comes out to the media to deliver a message to stakeholders and says that she recognises FIFA’s imposed normalisation committee. Perhaps they don’t represent anyone. To be honest, I wish when it comes to football the Minister could simply refuse to comment on the matter. At least she will be consistent then.

Remember Wallace is fighting, what he believes along with many others, to be an unjust act and abuse of power by FIFA against a democratically elected body just three months into its operations.

Meanwhile, another letter surfaces from an anonymous staff member asking Wallace to do the “humane” and “rational” thing and concede the local football body’s bank accounts to the FIFA-imposed normalisation committee.

Strangely enough, the letter was both unsigned and undated and not sent directly to Wallace, but instead to selected media houses. Certain insiders have sent me suggestions about who they think the letter originated from.

When one of those individuals was confronted and asked this simple question, “Did you write the letter, and were there other staff members involved?”, the individual responded, “Lol”.

Now, I can’t speak for anyone, but if I had written the letter I would have perhaps said: “Yes, I wrote it because I am frustrated and need my salary now”. I can certainly empathise with the employees’ frustrations, especially during these difficult times. I also understand Wallace’s fight and I am confident that should any of those workers find themselves in his position fighting for a cause, they may well pursue a similar type of action.

What is even more puzzling to me is if First Citizens is not facilitating any disbursements until this whole mess is settled by court order, then why doesn’t the normalisation committee do the “humane” and “rational” thing and pay the employees?

Surely FIFA can make a cheque out to the normalisation committee in order for the TTFA staff to receive their salaries. Unless the normalisation committee members are not being paid and doing this for the love of football? I highly doubt this is the case as the payment of their salaries may be the least of their concerns.

FIFA must be aware, through the normalisation committee, of what is happening here with the TTFA’s bank account. I certainly do not know if any constitution allows for that type of situation to arise, but this must be treated as an exceptional circumstance.

As expected, Wallace is being painted as the big, bad wolf for not wanting to give salaries to the staff. But, I am also made to understand in the letter written by the anonymous staff member that the office staff do not qualify for the government’s salary relief programme and have also been refused assistance through the National Insurance Service (NIS) because of the non-payment of statutory deductions from their employer, TTFA. This was because the previous administration allegedly withheld approximately TT$4 million payable to the National Insurance Board and the Board of Inland Revenue for NIS, Pay As You Earn (PAYE), and health surcharge for its employees between November 2017 and November 2019.

The problem I have is simple - why is there supposedly no one investigating these irregularities? Surely if the normalisation committee had any conscience, and I believe that they are all persons with high integrity, they would be investigating certain issues that the footballing public need resolved. I keep reading about this normalisation committee saying that they are not on a witch hunt.

No one is asking for this, but what is being asked is whether there were misdemeanors leading up to March (or was it January?) 2020 when they were appointed. They would then have a duty to the football-loving public of T&T to come clean and let people know what they have investigated and what is going to be done about it.

I am sick of hearing the old adage of “Let’s forget the past” as this is a new chapter for football. How can anyone just shut their eyes and move forward when apparently there is so much stink dirt to be dug up within our football administration? Does anyone care about just how we have found ourselves in this position? Are people suggesting that we simply forget what has happened over the last four years to denigrate our football into vagrancy status both on and off the field?

How can any right-thinking individual take up a post and not go into the archives and ask basic questions like where was all this money spent? Who were contracts given to and why? What procurement process was followed? How were appointments made? Why were details of the whole ‘Home of Football’ project kept such a big secret and why was the workmanship deemed shoddy?

Perhaps, I am very wrong and the normalisation committee is very quietly behind the scenes doing their investigations. Maybe on one sunny day, we will see a news conference where all will be revealed as to why our football has been in a dark, terrible hole for the last four years. Only then will I be able to breathe a sigh of relief and say let's all move on with our football. Wishful thinking at its best.

[pull stones]

Wonderful article by Colin murray and one of the very very few people in sports who actually touched on the meat of the matter, I just wish we had more like him in that integrity starved nation, especially with those mindless vultures who hang around sports and is so very void of good ideas.

 I longed for the day when the corona virus and this dispute is finally behind us and we all could exhale and enjoy the simple things in life again, like watching our football in caring hands for the second time in our history, first with timkee god rest his soul, and now william wallace.

[Cocorite]

Wonderful article by Colin murray and one of the very very few people in sports who actually touched on the meat of the matter, I just wish we had more like him in that integrity starved nation, especially with those mindless vultures who hang around sports and is so very void of good ideas.

 I longed for the day when the corona virus and this dispute is finally behind us and we all could exhale and enjoy the simple things in life again, like watching our football in caring hands for the second time in our history, first with timkee god rest his soul, and now william wallace.

Lately, when I see an article from the Guardian, I just keep going as I notice they seem to be in FIFA's pocket. But because of your comments I read Murray's article. I guess I need to pay attention to the authors a bit more and not just the partisan papers.

Couldn't agree with you more. Refreshing to see the few who care about truth and righteousness.

[maxg]

Wallace, executive not pursuing CAS matter
JOEL BAILEY
Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

THE EMBATTLED TTFA (TT Football Association) president William Wallace and his former executive (Clynt Taylor, Susan Joseph-Warrick and Joseph Sam Phillip) are no longer pursuing their legal matter with CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport).

Wallace and his team were appealing a decision by FIFA, the global governing body for football, who, on March 17, removed the group from office, due to mounting debts, and set up a normalisation committee, headed by businessman Robert Hadad.

It is understood that Wallace and his team, which also included attorneys Matthew Gayle and Dr Emir Crowne, were concerned over CAS’ desire to increase the legal costs from the TTFA.

The TTFA were asked to pay the entire cost of arbitration (TT $277,000) but FIFA would not spend a cent until the matter is heard.

[asylumseeker]

Wonderful article by Colin murray and one of the very very few people in sports who actually touched on the meat of the matter, I just wish we had more like him in that integrity starved nation, especially with those mindless vultures who hang around sports and is so very void of good ideas.

 I longed for the day when the corona virus and this dispute is finally behind us and we all could exhale and enjoy the simple things in life again, like watching our football in caring hands for the second time in our history, first with timkee god rest his soul, and now william wallace.

Lately, when I see an article from the Guardian, I just keep going as I notice they seem to be in FIFA's pocket. But because of your comments I read Murray's article. I guess I need to pay attention to the authors a bit more and not just the partisan papers.

Couldn't agree with you more. Refreshing to see the few who care about truth and righteousness.

Murray is typically a discerning commentator.

[soccerman]

Wonderful article by Colin murray and one of the very very few people in sports who actually touched on the meat of the matter, I just wish we had more like him in that integrity starved nation, especially with those mindless vultures who hang around sports and is so very void of good ideas.

 I longed for the day when the corona virus and this dispute is finally behind us and we all could exhale and enjoy the simple things in life again, like watching our football in caring hands for the second time in our history, first with timkee god rest his soul, and now william wallace.

Lately, when I see an article from the Guardian, I just keep going as I notice they seem to be in FIFA's pocket. But because of your comments I read Murray's article. I guess I need to pay attention to the authors a bit more and not just the partisan papers.

Couldn't agree with you more. Refreshing to see the few who care about truth and righteousness.

Murray is typically a discerning commentator.

[Tallman]

Wallace attorney raises bias claim from CAS in FIFA appeal
By Derek Achong (T&T Guardian)

Lawyers representing the ousted T&T Football Association (TTFA) executive members are questioning whether the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) is biased towards their clients in their ongoing challenge against Fifa. 

Attorney Dr Emir Crowne, who is representing former TTFA president William Wallace and his executive team, claimed in a three-page letter sent to Antonio de Quesada, the head of arbitration at the Switzerland-based international court, yesterday. 

In the letter, which was obtained by Guardian Media Sports, Crowne sought to raise a series of procedural issues, which allegedly occurred after the appeal was filed on April 6, and led them to question the institutional independence of CAS. 

Crowne pointed out that while his clients requested a sole arbitrator due to financial constraints, Fifa suggested using three.

"By agreeing to the respondent's request, the CAS would have tripled the cost of the arbitration," Crowne said. 

He also took issue with the fact that the CAS set the cost of the arbitration as 40,000 Swiss francs (TT$276,000), although it is expected to take place via video conferencing to save on travel expenses for the arbitration panel and the CAS counsel. 

Stating that his clients received no breakdown of the "exorbitant fees", Crowne said: "To that end, we are genuinely unsure how the CAS facilitates access to justice with such extravagant fees. The appellants are not from the developed world, nor are they as well-financed as the respondent." 

Crowne questioned the CAS's decision to require the executive members to pay for the full cost of the appeal based on a "general rule", under which Fifa does not pay half the costs, as required under Article 64.2 of its procedural rules. 

Under the rule, if one party fails to pay its share and the other fails to cover the entire amount by the deadline set by the court, the appeal is automatically withdrawn. 

"On its face, therefore, the CAS appears to be a willing participant in the respondent's gamesmanship, especially if the CAS has institutional knowledge that the respondent-an entity with immeasurable financial resources- would not be advancing their share of the arbitration costs, and especially since it was the respondent who asked that the matter be heard before a three-person panel thereby tripling the cost of the proceedings," Crowne said. 

He described the alleged conduct as "at least an unacceptable display of apparent institutional bias". 

Crowne also referred to the fact that Fifa wrote to the CAS seeking an extension of time to file its response to the appeal until after the fees are paid by the former TTFA executive team and noted that it (Fifa) was essentially given an automatic extension. 

"To compound the perception of institutional bias, the letter from CAS informing the appellants of CAS' ruling, is the very same correspondence which informed the appellants that the respondent had made a request, meaning that the CAS had ruled without even giving the appellant the opportunity to be heard," Crowne said. 

Crowne suggested that even if his clients had applied the CAS for legal aid, it would not remedy the bias that has allegedly already arisen. 

"As it stands, there are very real doubts that the CAS remains an appropriate and fair forum for the resolution of this dispute," Crowne said.  

Wallace and his three vice presidents — Clynt Taylor, Joseph Sam Phillips, and Susan Joseph-Warrick filed the appeal after they were removed by Fifa on March 17 and replaced by a normalisation committee headed by businessman Robert Hadad and comprises attorney Judy Daniel and retired banker Nigel Romano.

In their appeal, the former executive members are claiming that they were wrongfully removed by Fifa despite being lawfully elected to their positions in November, last year. 

The former executive members' lawyers were recently locked in a legal war of words with TTFA's bankers First Citizens' Bank over control of the association's accounts. 

They have established an account for donations to fund the appeal on the crowd-funding platform GoFundMe, which had amassed US$4,220, up to late yesterday. The deadline for payments is May 20.

The former executive is also being represented by Matthew Gayle. 

[Tallman]

Urling calls for Wallace, Hadad to work together
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)

"Come on and support the Normalisation Committee, it happened to us also and now we are better off."

This has been the advice of Clinton Urling, former chairman of the 2014 FIFA Normalisation Committee appointed in Guyana, to the ousted T&T Football Association (TTFA) executive being led by William Wallace.

Urling sought to clear the air on whether it was the world governing body for the sport of football, FIFA, which puts out the funding in the case of a normalisation committee scenario to clear the debt of the TTFA, or if it was incumbent of the normalisation committee to come up with innovative ideas, as well as source funding.

He told Guardian Media Sports on Friday that the chairman of the FIFA appointed normalisation committee Robert Hadad will have 100 per cent power, discretion and responsibility to come up with initiatives and plans to solve the issues of the embattled football administration and FIFA will check it first, before providing the funds.

Officials of the football association recently raised concerns about the little to no progress the committee has had to date under Hadad, a concern that comes almost two months after FIFA, on March 17, agreed to implement the normalisation committee in T&T, based on the burdening debt that was said to be some $50 million and no means or measures to put the association back on a stable footing.

Hadad, who was appointed alongside his deputy Judy Daniel, an Attorney and environmentalist, and Nigel Romano, who is a retired banker, has since encountered steady resistance from Wallace and his team of vice presidents Clynt Taylor, Joseph Sam Phillips and Susan Joseph-Warrick, for use of the TTFA letterhead and to secure use of the TTFA’s bank accounts, as well as emerging concerns from new contractors claiming monies from work done on the controversial "Home of Football" in Balmain, Couva.

Urling said while he does not want to impose, he believes that Wallace and his team should join forces with Hadad and his team if they really love the sport of football and the country, saying in Guyana they had to do the same thing.

“In fact, the situation in Guyana was worse than what we see in T&T. The normalisation committee brings a sort of influence for the business and other communities and it is a tremendous help. Back home, it helped us with securing sponsors and land etc. We just had to work with the normalisation committee and instead of the two years given, we were able to turn the sport around in a year.”

Urling then turned to Wallace and company, saying it is useless trying to fight FIFA through the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland, as the sport’s governing body acted within its legal right to appoint a committee.

“There is no other document clearer than the FIFA Statutes, so I can’t understand why a legal person would attempt to convince the TTFA members that they have a fighting chance. The fact is that they cannot win the FIFA. Okay, let's say that the TTFA wins the FIFA at the CAS, then the FIFA would simply invoke its clause that refers to no political interference and still ban the TTFA. Who is to say they would not do it, they have done it before, so who suffers then, isn’t it the country and the sport.”

“I sympathise with Wallace and his team, I know how they feel, but emotions have no place in law. In fact, I could recall back in 2015, there were talks to appoint a normalisation committee in T&T under the then president Raymond Tim Kee, so it really does not make a difference if it is appointed now.”

Urling, a businessman by profession said his main concern is if the sport will be properly managed after the exit of the normalisation committee in two years, saying the TTFA must determine where the debt came from in the first place so that the managers of the sport don’t fall back into the same problems they are facing now.

[FF]

One set of people who should know better making a set of arguments from ignorance like this Urling character.

Steups. We cannot get ban for winning the CAS case 

Jus the fact that Urling is ok with that shows me the lack of character endemic in the Caribbean. Like moonilal writing letter to the US. steups.

[pull stones]

One set of people who should know better making a set of arguments from ignorance like this Urling character.

Steups. We cannot get ban for winning the CAS case 

Jus the fact that Urling is ok with that shows me the lack of character endemic in the Caribbean. Like moonilal writing letter to the US. steups.

ah lord boy, FF i’m not going to lie, i’m already exhausted with all this bullshit going on and it seems like the harder the ttfa tries it’s the harder it get’s for wallace and company to fight this case especially when he has zero support from no where, not the government, not CFU, not concacaf, not the leagues not no where, the man all alone with no refuge between the devil and the deep blue sea.

just last night I heard fenwick asking for the ttfa to come to an agreement with hadad for the sake of football,can you imagine that, after no one in trinidad wanted to take a chance on fenwick? yuh know if I was wallace I would’ve just stepped aside and let them do their do and wait it out for the next election, either that or forget trinidad football. it seems like the tide is already set for the ttfa to either tire due to pressure, or for wallace to bow out disgracefully.

as for this guyanese bloke, this is not the first time he’s trying to give the ttfa advice on the way forward, and it’s actually the same recommendation, cut the rope and play along.

speaking of playing along, I knew jack warner was supporting wallace candidacy, ah wonder if warner still advising him, and what would be his resolution to all the obstacles rendered by FIFA as jack knows all the games inside out played by FIFA, being once an insider in the workings of FIFA. if I was WW I would’ve stepped aside and let fifa play their dirty hand, but that’s just me, after all I can’t take pressure my belly very thin.

[asylumseeker]

Here we have another trafficker of ignorance dressed up as irrefutable truth. I'm beginning to wonder about the longevity of the English-speaking Caribbean and the prospect of coexisting progressive values.