FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football

[Tallman]

Wallace blocks FIFA body's meeting with TTFA clubs
By Derek Achong (T&T Guardian)

Former T&T Football Association (TTFA) president William Wallace and his team have secured an injunction blocking an extraordinary general meeting of the association's members, which was scheduled for Tuesday.

The injunction was granted by High Court Judge Carol Gobin on Monday as a lawsuit brought by Wallace and his team against FIFA, over their removal and replacement by a Normalisation Committee led by businessman Robert Hadad, came up for virtual hearing.

Presenting the injunction application, Wallace's lawyer Matthew Gayle claimed that the meeting, which was requisitioned by T&T Football Referees Association (T&TFRA) vice president Osmond Downer and facilitated by the committee, would have sought to challenge their authority to bring the claim and have it withdrawn.

Gayle suggested that under the TTFA's constitution, it was elected members such as Wallace and his team who were required to call the meeting upon requisition and that the committee, as FIFA delegates, could only act on it if they had not within 30 days.

Gayle suggested that the meeting was set before the deadline had elapsed and was seeking to usurp the functions of the court.

The application was not opposed by Senior Counsel Christopher Hamel-Smith, who led for FIFA and by extension the committee's legal team.

During the hearing, Hamel-Smith applied for a stay of the proceedings pending his client's appeal over Gobin's decision to refuse its bid to have the case dismissed over a lack of jurisdiction.

FIFA had claimed that by virtue of TTFA's membership with it and under the provisions of its constitution, it (TTFA) had agreed to forgo litigation in local courts in favour of proceedings before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which, like FIFA, is based in Switzerland.

Hamel-Smith noted that his client is maintaining its position and that by participating in the continued case before her, through filing a defence, may compromise it.

Gobin disagreed, as she noted her directions for the case to be determined expeditiously while the appeal was being pursued were not appealed and were still valid.

Gobin stated that FIFA would not be prejudiced, as any decision made by her in the case may be rendered null and void if the Court of Appeal disagrees with her ruling when it hears the appeal on October 21. She also questioned if FIFA was employing time-wasting tactics.

"Is it that your client is playing for extra time?" Gobin said.

In rejecting the application, Gobin extended the time for FIFA to file its defence to Friday, as it had missed its original deadline of September 4. She also set a tentative trial date of October 9 in the event the defence is not filed and a corresponding reply is not required.

RELATED NEWS

United TTFA gets injunction to stop Sept 15 meeting
Jada Loutoo (Newsday).

THE ousted TT Football Association (TTFA) executive has been granted an injunction to stop Tuesday’s extraordinary general meeting of TTFA members which is being facilitated by the FIFA normalisation committee, headed by businessman Robert Hadad.

Justice Carol Gobin on Monday granted the injunction which remains in place until an October 9 hearing of the challenge of the ousted TTFA executive, led by William Wallace, against the normalisation committee’s power over the local football.

Gobin also refused FIFA a stay of her previous order for it to file a defence in the matter filed by Wallace and his team. The world governing body was given until Friday to file its defence failing which the matter goes to trial on October 9.

An appeal of the judge's earlier ruling in August will be heard on October 21.

In its application for the injunction, Wallace and his deputies Clynt Taylor, Susan Joseph-Warrick and Joseph Sam Phillip, who are members of the United TTFA team that took over the helm of the TTFA at its annual general meeting in November 2019 argued that the meeting which was scheduled for Tuesday, was “illegal.”

The TTFA executive was removed by FIFA and replaced by the normalisation committee on March 17 owing to mounting TTFA debt and "a very real risk of insolvency and illiquidity."

Tuesday’s meeting was called to address United TTFA's contentious High Court battle against FIFA. The world governing body insists the Court of Arbitration for Sport is the sole body authorised to handle disputes between FIFA and member associations. FIFA gave TTFA a September 16 deadline to withdraw the matter from the local court of face suspension proceedings.

Wallace and his team are represented by Dr Emir Crowne, Matthew Gayle, Crystal Paul and Jason Jones while Senior Counsel Christopher Hamel-Smith and Jonathan Walker.

[Tallman]

WATCH: William Wallace accuses FIFA of bringing the Normalization Committee to cover up corruption.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/bcb42HnJNFc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/bcb42HnJNFc</a>

[Flex]

Over-inflated egos in T&T football
By Alison C. Ayres (Guardian).

Dear Editor

As a proud Trinbagonian and equally proud product and former servant of football, I feel a profound sense of hurt and embarrassment by the extremely sad current state of affairs of the game in my homeland. This stems from the fact that we are being portrayed before the world and therefore, being perceived, as a people who are incapable of running our own football affairs both on and off the field.

Consequently, the door was being left wide open for not only the Terry Fenwicks and Peter Millers of the world to waltz right in, but more disturbingly, for FIFA to impose themselves upon us.

Based on reports, it seemed that Wallace and the United TTFA clearly lacked the football business acumen at the level required to deal with Fenwick and Company. So, what made them even entertain the thought that they would have been able to successfully rage a war against FIFA, the most powerful sport administration body in the world? Unfortunately, Wallace and the United TTFA, without very careful thought it appears, but seemingly overexcited about the prospects, bought into an ill-advised course of action to take on FIFA in a war that they never had a chance of winning.

Perhaps it was driven by over-inflated egos and “chest-beating” agendas? Apparently, because of their lack of the required expertise and know-how, Wallace and his United TTFA bought into what others were selling, as against being able to chart his and by extension the United TTFA’s own course, by getting down into the football trenches to do the extremely challenging work that is necessary to finally create the environment whereby local players, male and female from youth to senior level, who are the primary assets; I repeat, who are the primary assets of the Football Association, will be given the best opportunity to flourish and so too the local game?

So, while entering full of promise and promises, with the hopes of our football nation riding on said promises, Wallace and his United TTFA appears to have totally blown the opportunity to succeed, where all previous administrations have failed. And in the end, as history would attest, it is the players and by extension the local game that will continue to suffer; only this time around, with potentially more devastating effect than ever before.

Alison C. Ayres / New York USA
Retired Football Marketing & Management Professional

[gawd on pitch]

Well Ms Ayers, I guess you've been hiding under a rock for the past 4 years. In light of the documentary that exposes the dealings of DJW and the blind eye turned by FIFA, this stand against FIFA is an ethical one.

[Tallman]

WATCH: Chairman of the TTFA Normalization Committee Robert Hadad and member Nigel Romano discuss the TTFA vs FIFA saga.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/hoJhYUzb94k" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/hoJhYUzb94k</a>

[gawd on pitch]

That reporter asked all the right questions. Hadad only trying to talk as if he ain't know anything. Romano did point fingers at DJW.

[asylumseeker]

CoP Griffith questions EGM injunction.
By Ian Prescott (Express).

LISTEN TO THE MEMBERS

United TTFA headed by William Wallace is aiming to stop tomorrow’s scheduled Emergency General Meeting of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association. But Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith is calling for what he describes as “good sense” to prevail.

Today, there is scheduled to be a hearing over the injunction filed by United TTFA to stop the EGM being conducted under the direction of the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee. The meeting was set to take place just a day before the September 16 deadline established by the world governing body for Wallace and his executive to withdraw their challenge of the Normalisation Committee in the High Court.

In a statement yesterday, however, Commissioner Griffith said: “At a time when we are on the brink of possibly being blacklisted and banned from all International football as well as loss of all funding by FIFA, due to the decision by United TTFA to proceed via the local court in the present impasse, as I pleaded weeks ago, what is needed is not confrontation and battles in court, but dialogue and communication.”

And in particular, the CoP focused on the proposed EGM.

Saying he was pleased to hear of a “meeting with all 46 clubs to decide the direction and decision in this issue, which can make or break our football,” CoP Griffith added: “The administrators of football, be it the United TTFA, Normalisation Committee or whoever, simply represent them (membership) at boardroom meetings, and make decisions based on what they direct, and hence their views, via these delegates, should be the catalyst towards the direction of where this goes...United TTFA, Normalisation Committee or whoever, should be doing nothing other than adhere to the directive of these major stakeholders.”

He said he was disappointed to hear of the injunction, “to prevent these same members from having their views and voices heard via the planned Extraordinary General Meeting [EGM] on 15th September 2020, based on the premise that the Normalisation Committee should not have the authority to call such a meeting.”

Griffith declared: “We must serve to lead, and respect the wishes of the membership whereby over 30 of the 47 delegates have asked for such a meeting. To prevent calling such a meeting, or to delay it, can cause some to perceive that it is not the desire of those in authority to listen or adhere to the views of who they represent, and also a perception of a deliberate delay to ensure that 16th September passes...and the decision made to have us possibly suspended.”

The FIFA Congress is scheduled for Friday.

However, in stating its position last week, United TTFA remained steadfast. Via a release it stated in part: “United TTFA refuses to bow to FIFA and its discredited Normalisation Committee in its effort to remove the Wallace administration... “The chairman of the Normalisation Committee must resign immediately. FIFA must remove the Normalisation Committee and must recognise the elected TTFA officers. FIFA must begin talks with said officers to devise a joint approach to existing issues.”

There seems to be a need, within the media, to establish/distinguish when Gary Griffith is speaking in his public capacity and when his pronouncements are rendered as a private citizen, despite his role as a public figure.

[Flex]

Sancho, Awai, Edwards — Game Over.
By Walter Alibey (Guardian).

It's 'Game Over' for the T&T Football Association and the country, said Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the T&T Pro League Brent Sancho, Keiron Edwards, president of the Eastern Football Association of T&T and Mike Awai, Business Development Officer at Pro League campaigners AC Port-of-Spain, following a court order yesterday by justice Carol Gobin, who granted an injunction to stop a planned Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) that was called to stop the membership of the TTFA from stopping a legal battle between the United TTFA and the sport's world governing body - FIFA.

Wallace and his team, via their Attorneys Dr Emir Crowne, Matthew Gayle, Crystal Paul and Jason Jones, in an application to the T&T High Court on Friday asked the court that:

(1) taking any further steps to convene and/or conduct any meeting, on the 15th September 2020 or any other date, which purports to be an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Claimant;

(2) instructing and/or directing any person or persons to seek to withdraw the instant claim and/or in any way, manner of fashion from interfering with or seeking to undermine, the instant proceedings, except by way of lawful representations made by the Defendant’s duly appointed Attorneys-at-Law or other lawful intervention: and

(3) making use of and/or publication of the Claimant’s Official Logo, Letterhead, and Stamp/Seal; and 2. That the Defendant do pay the costs of this Application.

FIFA General Secretary Fatma Samoura gave the William Wallace-led United TTFA until tomorrow (September 16) to drop the court battle or else face sanctions. She also called on the TTFA to recognise the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Switzerland as the jurisdiction to settle all FIFA disputes.

The United TTFA now appears to have won round two of its battle with the FIFA to remove a Normalisation Committee which was put in charge of T&T football in March. To date, Wallace and his vice presidents Clynt Taylor, Susan Joseph-Warrick and Joseph Sam Phillip, who were removed from office only three months after winning the TTFA elections in November last year, claimed round one after Justice Carol Gobin ruled that the local court can be used as the jurisdiction to settle the dispute between the parties, instead of the CAS, the legitimate jurisdiction according to the FIFA Statutes.

Both Awai and Sancho told Guardian Media Sports on Monday that the ruling means the TTFA and the country now face certain sanctions which will prevent the country from any FIFA-sanctioned football event, such as World Cup qualifiers or actual tournaments, CONCACAF Gold Cup, no Caribbean or CONCACAF World Club Championship etc.

"There is absolutely nothing that can be done before the September 16 deadline given by the FIFA now. It's game over for us. The United TTFA has finally succeeded in positioning the country to be banned, how ironic that the very court system that is used for justice, has deprived the country the right to have its teams play in tournaments," Sancho said.

According to the Central FC owner and managing director: "This injunction now makes the normalisation committee powerless, which means there will be no payment of salaries for the staff of the TTFA as well as the national teams' coaches. I wonder if Wallace and the United TTFA will now pay the coaches?."

Sancho believes the United TTFA is bent on ruining football in T&T, saying they have ignored a call by more than 50 per cent of the membership to put the country in a position where it will be banned. He called on Wallace, Keith Look Loy and company to say if they know about the FIFA Statutes before taking the action they have taken.

On Sunday, Clayton Morris, the speaker for the group of national teams' coaches, said he didn't believe any action of the court would have affected his coaches from being paid since a format for payment had already been worked out.

Following a meeting of his group on Saturday night, Morris said a decision was taken to stay the course and remain confident that, not only will they receive their salaries, but will also get new contracts and or new coaching appointments.

Awai said the decision of the court means the writing is on the wall that we will be banned. "If the normalisation committee cannot call a simple meeting then it is powerless."

Keiron Edwards, the EFA boss who initiated a petition to garner the majority support, is warning the public that they can look out for a ban by this week, saying football in this country will cease to take place because there will be no normalisation committee and no one to run football soon, despite the best efforts by the United TTFA to win a court matter against the FIFA.

After FIFA's deadline of September 16, the FIFA Congress will be held on Friday (September 18) and there are speculations that the sanctions on the TTFA can be handed down there.

RELATED NEWS

Judge Gobin stops TTFA membership meeting.
By Derek Achong (Guardian).

Former T&T Football Association (TTFA) president William Wallace and his team have secured an injunction blocking an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the association's members, which was scheduled to take place on Tuesday.

The injunction was granted by High Court Judge Carol Gobin as a lawsuit, brought by Wallace and his team against FIFA over their removal and replacement by a Normalisation Committee led by businessman Robert Hadad, came up for virtual hearing on Monday.

Presenting the injunction application, Wallace's lawyer Matthew Gayle claimed that the meeting, which was requisitioned by T&TFA membership and facilitated by the committee, would have sought to challenge their authority to bring the claim and have it withdrawn.

He suggested that under the association's constitution, elected members such as Wallace and his team were required to call the meeting upon requisition and that the committee, as Fifa delegates, could only act on it if they had not within 30 days.

Gayle suggested that the meeting was set before the deadline had elapsed and was seeking to usurp the functions of the court.

The application was not opposed by Senior Counsel Christopher Hamel-Smith, who led FIFA's and by extension the committee's legal team.

During the hearing, Hamel-Smith applied for a stay of the proceedings pending his client's appeal over Gobin's decision to refuse its bid to have the case dismissed over a lack of jurisdiction.

FIFA had claimed that by virtue of TTFA's membership with it and under the provisions of its constitution, it (TTFA) had agreed to forgo litigation in local courts in favour of proceedings before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which like FIFA is based in Switzerland.

Hamel-Smith noted that his client is maintaining its position and that by participating in the continued case before her, through filing a defence, may compromise it.

Gobin disagreed as she noted her directions for the case to be determined expeditiously, while the appeal was being pursued, were not appealed and were still valid.

Gobin stated that FIFA would not be prejudiced as any decision made by her in the case may be rendered null and void if the Court of Appeal disagrees with her ruling, when it hears the appeal on October 21.

She also questioned if FIFA was employing time wasting tactics.

"Is it that your client is playing for extra time?" Gobin said.

In rejecting the application, Gobin extended the time for FIFA to file its defence to Friday as it had missed its original deadline of September 4.

She also set a tentative trial date of October 9, in the event that the defence is not filed and a corresponding reply is not required.

Through the local lawsuit, Wallace and his three vice presidents — Clynt Taylor, Joseph Sam Phillips, and Susan Joseph-Warrick are seeking a declaration that the decision to remove them on March 17, and replace them with a committee on March 27, comprising of Hadad, attorney Judy Daniel, and retired banker Nigel Romano was null, void, and of no legal or binding effect.

They are also seeking a permanent injunction barring FIFA from meddling in the TTFA's affairs by allegedly seeking to circumvent the democratic process by removing duly elected executive members.

Wallace and his team initially brought proceedings against FIFA in the CAS but were forced to withdraw as they could not pay the the 40,000 Swiss francs (TT$276,000) in associated costs.

Their position was partly due to FIFA's policy to not pay its share of the fees and CAS's rules, which require the other party to pay the full costs when the other fails in its obligations.

Wallace and his colleagues are also being represented by Dr Emir Crowne, Crystal Paul, and Jason Jones, while Jonathan Walker and Cherie Gopie appeared alongside Hamel-Smith for FIFA.

[asylumseeker]

Well Ms Ayers, I guess you've been hiding under a rock for the past 4 years. In light of the documentary that exposes the dealings of DJW and the blind eye turned by FIFA, this stand against FIFA is an ethical one.

Mr. Ayers.

[asylumseeker]

Sancho, Awai, Edwards — Game Over.
By Walter Alibey (Guardian).

It's 'Game Over' for the T&T Football Association and the country, said Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the T&T Pro League Brent Sancho, Keiron Edwards, president of the Eastern Football Association of T&T and Mike Awai, Business Development Officer at Pro League campaigners AC Port-of-Spain, following a court order yesterday by justice Carol Gobin, who granted an injunction to stop a planned Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) that was called to stop the membership of the TTFA from stopping a legal battle between the United TTFA and the sport's world governing body - FIFA.

Wallace and his team, via their Attorneys Dr Emir Crowne, Matthew Gayle, Crystal Paul and Jason Jones, in an application to the T&T High Court on Friday asked the court that:

(1) taking any further steps to convene and/or conduct any meeting, on the 15th September 2020 or any other date, which purports to be an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Claimant;

(2) instructing and/or directing any person or persons to seek to withdraw the instant claim and/or in any way, manner of fashion from interfering with or seeking to undermine, the instant proceedings, except by way of lawful representations made by the Defendant’s duly appointed Attorneys-at-Law or other lawful intervention: and

(3) making use of and/or publication of the Claimant’s Official Logo, Letterhead, and Stamp/Seal; and 2. That the Defendant do pay the costs of this Application.

FIFA General Secretary Fatma Samoura gave the William Wallace-led United TTFA until tomorrow (September 16) to drop the court battle or else face sanctions. She also called on the TTFA to recognise the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Switzerland as the jurisdiction to settle all FIFA disputes.

The United TTFA now appears to have won round two of its battle with the FIFA to remove a Normalisation Committee which was put in charge of T&T football in March. To date, Wallace and his vice presidents Clynt Taylor, Susan Joseph-Warrick and Joseph Sam Phillip, who were removed from office only three months after winning the TTFA elections in November last year, claimed round one after Justice Carol Gobin ruled that the local court can be used as the jurisdiction to settle the dispute between the parties, instead of the CAS, the legitimate jurisdiction according to the FIFA Statutes.

Both Awai and Sancho told Guardian Media Sports on Monday that the ruling means the TTFA and the country now face certain sanctions which will prevent the country from any FIFA-sanctioned football event, such as World Cup qualifiers or actual tournaments, CONCACAF Gold Cup, no Caribbean or CONCACAF World Club Championship etc.

"There is absolutely nothing that can be done before the September 16 deadline given by the FIFA now. It's game over for us. The United TTFA has finally succeeded in positioning the country to be banned, how ironic that the very court system that is used for justice, has deprived the country the right to have its teams play in tournaments," Sancho said.

According to the Central FC owner and managing director: "This injunction now makes the normalisation committee powerless, which means there will be no payment of salaries for the staff of the TTFA as well as the national teams' coaches. I wonder if Wallace and the United TTFA will now pay the coaches?."

Sancho believes the United TTFA is bent on ruining football in T&T, saying they have ignored a call by more than 50 per cent of the membership to put the country in a position where it will be banned. He called on Wallace, Keith Look Loy and company to say if they know about the FIFA Statutes before taking the action they have taken.

On Sunday, Clayton Morris, the speaker for the group of national teams' coaches, said he didn't believe any action of the court would have affected his coaches from being paid since a format for payment had already been worked out.

Following a meeting of his group on Saturday night, Morris said a decision was taken to stay the course and remain confident that, not only will they receive their salaries, but will also get new contracts and or new coaching appointments.

Awai said the decision of the court means the writing is on the wall that we will be banned. "If the normalisation committee cannot call a simple meeting then it is powerless."

Keiron Edwards, the EFA boss who initiated a petition to garner the majority support, is warning the public that they can look out for a ban by this week, saying football in this country will cease to take place because there will be no normalisation committee and no one to run football soon, despite the best efforts by the United TTFA to win a court matter against the FIFA.

After FIFA's deadline of September 16, the FIFA Congress will be held on Friday (September 18) and there are speculations that the sanctions on the TTFA can be handed down there.

RELATED NEWS
...

For a variety of reasons,  the capacity and responsibility to render payment to the coaches has rested with FIFA and the NC as FIFA's in-country agent. The injunctive relief obtained by United TTFA does not interfere with the status quo ante with respect to the architecture of delivering payments and the recognition of those contracts to be paid within that architecture of delivery.

Fundamentally,  the matter of non-payment of the coaches has been a sword employed by FIFA to thwart or blunt United TTFA's efforts in opposition to FIFA. Gobin's neutering of the EGM/NC neither eliminates the capacity and responsibility to pay nor the agency relationship between the NC and FIFA/CONCACAF. Therefore, what Sancho asserts is bluster.

The weaponizing of non-payment was not a Wallace decision. The emotional appeal is not grounded in reality. Wallace has never had a personal responsibility to pay or to find money to pay staff/coaches.

Nonetheless, in my view there's a legitimate question as to why when other federations were shutting up shop and reducing their corps of coaches/obligations, the TTFA was unable to do the same and seemingly was blind to the prospect of force majeure in the context of how those contractual obligations were initially written or construed.

(I sense that there's an acceptable answer to this question, but it has been absent from the public domain. In light of the experiences being lived in football, this gap on the subject should be addressed).

Also, the notion of new coaching contracts is a fanciful notion. Not only is with whom would the coaches be in contract a live question,  but also under what conditions ... recognizing that the future of how international football will proceed within CONCACAF  is uncertain.

[Deeks]

I think Gary causing more problems. Is like he want to lock Wallace and Company.

[gawd on pitch]

I watched the documentary on the Hof and the sportsmax interview with Bassant. Bassant suggested that there is more evidence about DJW and his dealings.

Wallace and Look Loy have a trump card. I suggested this before the documentary came out. More revelations are coming this week.

[Tallman]

WATCH: Wired868 editor Lasana Liburd discusses the state of Trinidad and Tobago’s football and a potential Fifa ban with TV6 Morning Edition host Fazeer Mohammed.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/MVDOO0x_hOI" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/MVDOO0x_hOI</a>

[Tallman]

Sancho: Dark day for democracy...chastises United TTFA as selfish bunch ignoring wider membership
By Mark Pouchet (T&T Express)

While besieged former Trinidad and Tobago Football Association president William Wallace deferred to his lawyers to comment on Justice Carol Gobin’s decision to prohibit the hosting of an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) today, one of the TTFA members Brent Sanchoo described it as a “dark day for democracy in local football.”

In a virtual High Court hearing yesterday, Justice Gobin upheld the injunction filed by members of the United TTFA -- including Wallace, Clynt Taylor, Susan Joseph-Warrick, Joseph Sam Phillip, Anthony Harford (Northern FA president) and Keith Look Loy (TT Super League president) -- to prevent the Normalisation Committee (NC) , headed by Robert Hadad, from hosting an Emergency General Meeting that was scheduled today.

“I can say that: It is now clear that the Honourable Madame Justice Gobin, having taken cognisance of all the circumstances and evidence before the Court, has made an order to, among other things, prohibit the purported normalisation committee from convening any meeting in the name of the TTFA. This means that the meeting which was initially carded for tomorrow, 15th September 2020 (today), purportedly in the name of the TTFA cannot lawfully go on,” said Jason Jones, one of the instructing attorneys for the United TTFA.

He added that Gobin had also prohibited the FIFA-instituted Normalisation Committee from using the official logo, letterhead and stamp of the TTFA and that Gobin had also amended the terms of the injunction to prohibit the defendant FIFA and its agents/servants from convening any meeting in the name of the TTFA, in specifying the names of NC chairman Robert Hadad and his two other directors, Nigel Romano and Judy Daniel.

Gobin also refused FIFA’s request for a stay while FIFA -- through their local counsel, SC Christopher Hamel-Smith -- appeal Gobin’s original ruling to proceed, the Justice giving FIFA until Friday to file a defence on the original United TTFA matter to contest the legitimacy of the Normalisation Committee. If FIFA fails to submit a defence by that deadline, the matter will proceed to trial on October 9.

In reaction to the ruling, Interim Pro League chairman Brent Sancho, said: “Well it’s the darkest day in our footballing history. We talk about democracy and the mere fact that it is the membership who called the meeting; a vast majority of the membership at that, called the meeting, yet this group of selfish men and women see it fit to block and not want to hear the membership.”

The timing of Justice Gobin’s decision essentially nullified the FIFA mandate for Hadad to compel or coerce Wallace and company to drop their High Court case.

Sancho, a former Minister of Sport, said United TTFA’s behaviour not to face and consult the membership and act dictatorially, while not surprising, was extremely ironic. “They have shown it from the very start that this has only been about them. They have shown that type of behaviour,” said Sancho, adding, “They have refused to meet with the membership and listen to the plight of not only the membership but the plight of players, administrators, the coaches who now will not be paid because of obvious reasons. Lord alone knows what they are trying to do and prove.”

Sancho opined he foresees sanctions in T&T’s football future as the FIFA deadline for the withdrawal of the case now seems set to expire tomorrow. He added that FIFA also doesn’t need to take the sanctions at the level of their Congress, but may also have the opportunity to impose sanctions at the FIFA Council level.

He said the TTFA membership petition which he claimed had been signed onto by 33 members as of the latest count, was articulated clearly that the majority of the membership wanted Wallace to cease the court action. “They have now left football which is not anybody’s own but the citizens of T&T and made a decision for 1.5 million people without consultation,” lamented Sancho.

“The overarching theme is that as much as whatever has been revealed as it relates to the former president (David John-Williams), we could point similar types of fingers to the regime that was replaced, namely Wallace and company, in terms of costing the TTFA some $14 million in unapproved contracts and decisions,” Sancho contended.

“They have made those poor decisions without authorisation. I am not surprised they have shown complete disregard to the Board, to the memberships, to people and to the players of T&T whose international careers will be ended abruptly,” he concluded.

[FF]

What about FIFA making a decision without any consultation
What about the democratic election held in November? What about those rights? Eh Sancho?

Please

[socalion]

Brent Sancho what's the urgency to be so damn vocal now , what's in it for you ? Let me remind you not too long ago , when DJW and his cronies were running football into the messy state  its in today , you were not speaking with the same urgency and as loudly as you are at the moment , matter of fact your silence was deafening ! Yuh a damn hypocrite Brent sancho not to mention very self serving when it suit you!  What's in it for you Brent Sancho ? Whose agenda are really pushing mister yellow belly !  You have shown your true colours once again

[asylumseeker]

What about FIFA making a decision without any consultation
What about the democratic election held in November? What about those rights? Eh Sancho?

Please

Correct. It would have been a dark day for democracy and justice had there been no recognition by United TTFA of the need to make "polite inquiries". Even if one disagrees with the position of United TTFA, the use of language such as "selfish" to describe persons whose actions are grounded in pride and patriotism is unfortunate. There is not exclusively personal interest at stake here and now is the time for those fearsome of a ban to wrap their heads around a deeper notion of what the national interest is. 

I do not regard Infantino as so blinkered as to be interested in contributing to destroying the game merely because he wants to plant his flag on the mountain top. Gianni, what would happen on the descent?

This entire exercise strikes me as having been useful and instructive for all parties. I don't think much has been lost given that we are in a pandemic, that major sporting events such as the Olympics are paused and that the present moment may be the best opportunity to remedy our maladies and wheel and come again.

Speaking of major sporting events, I noted that the runner-up of the US Open on the men's side earned US $1.5 million. For some reason that figure rings bells between New York City and Panama City. However, how that money made its way to the runner-up's pocket is known. What's not known is whether "amateurish golfing" or Mickey Mouse football administration is lucrative.

I see that Sancho is attributed by Mark Pouchet as stating regarding United TTFA:  “They have now left football which is not anybody’s own but the citizens of T&T and made a decision for 1.5 million people without consultation". Brent, that's a buck per person. Strikes me as a fair rate for drilling down - in the national interest - to the core of this charade.

[maxg]

"to the players of T&T whose international careers will be ended abruptly,"


So does that mean Garcia (Levi & Andre) et al(the few guys we have in a few low tier foreign leagues will all be released by their clubs  ? And Will those clubs be re-imbursed by FIFA or to bad eg. AEK just lost a couple million pounds from their overweight bank account ? Does it also mean that the 1 or 2 guys who manage to acquire scholarships won't be able to go next FALL 2021 ? Does that mean no more Premiership or MLS contracts for ALL of our guys ? Does that mean we will be banned from playing football locally, training developing  for the love of the sport ? Does that mean that we won't have to beg other countries for water and accommodation for our girls when they play, and bot male and female Players won't be able to travel home and away to get the amazing exposure that work so well to develop them in the past, especially during these pandemic times ?   Or does it mean our boys can't make the big bucks they making right now in the pro league and they wouldn't now have to options of cancelling out of Concacaf tournaments as they had to in the past due to lack of funds ? 

If item 1 dark days..but wait, Millions of International (Olympics and World) athletes, even amateur World, University athletes, presently seeing dark days, and just trying to survive. I guess we and our players need to join the real world and try to find strategies and possible solutions to live in this new world. Or we can just continue to fight down and criminalize each other just to lighten the load and ease the frustration. Government has to manage not give way.
 Massa provides food and a roof for some of us, why some ppl must leave Massa and try to take care of ourselves, so what if he does us what he wants when he feel like it ? He treats some of us nice,nice, and likes us when we kiss ass equally nice.

I still waiting to see how Football  (or any one thing for that matter )- even reaching the pinnacle of the sport, has served to have our country in a much better place than it was 30 years ago. I see more battles, more crime, more deaths, just as much if not more bitching and disunity than I have ver seen. Upper vs Lower, East vs West, Central vs South, Rasta vs Isis, PNM vs UNC , not as competition to foster development or improvemenrt it's more like spite and war. Unity is strength, well like all that wash way in oil and politics. 'If yuh not for meh, yuh against meh' rules the land. If we disagree, then you must be ah muddass crook, bandit and idiot, while I is ah blasted dog and whatever else makes me different, ah real c@#t.

I guess every country have some crazy issue, why we would be different. Well if the POTUS could lambaste, divide and still rule, who is ex-gov minister in a lil hole country, eh Sanch ? I to old to be able.

[Flex]

FIFA deadline for Wallace's United TTFA.
By Walter Alibey (Guardian).

September 16, could mark a period that will go down in T&T's football history, and one that is likely to surpass any other achievement on the football field.

The country faces a decision by football's world governing body- FIFA, on whether the T&T Football Association (TTFA) will be suspended, as was stated in a letter on August 26 to Robert Hadad, the chairman of the Normalisation Committee, by FIFA General Secretary Fatma Samoura, if the legal challenge against FIFA in the T&T court was not withdrawn by today.

Angus Eve, the outspoken national Under-17 head coach said, "We must have been banned already.

"Considering the deadline given by the FIFA and how Wallace and the TTFA members have been moving, I don't think we will be spared, as Wallace and company will not be backing down. In fact, they have even won again in the court after Justice Carol Gobin granted an injunction to stop T&T's football membership from holding an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) to stop the TTFA from fighting the FIFA in court over the implementation of a Normalisation Committee," Eve said.

However, Eve, using two of the world's popular freedom fighters Martin Luther King and Malcolm X to reference his point, said both men did not sacrifice the masses in their fights but rather themselves, noting that Wallace and his team should do the same and not sacrifice the people of T&T over a point they may want to prove.

According to Eve, the entire country and maybe the world, would agree that the manner in which the TTFA executive was ousted just three months after being fairly elected into office, was not right but then they should not suffer for that fight, saying that the country cannot look forward to FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, CONCACAF Gold Cup, play in the CONCACAF Nations League, referees will lose the opportunity to ply their trade abroad.

The TTFA was removed from office on March 17, after a FIFA/CONCACAF team determined that the TTFA's management flaws had put the sport on the verge of insolvency and illiquidity. But Wallace and company first took their fight to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Switzerland in May before moving to the High Court in T&T, later that month citing institutional bias at the CAS after being asked to pay the the 40,000 Swiss francs (TT$276,000) in associated costs.

Since then, Justice Gobin ruled on August 13 that the matter can be heard in the T&T High Court and seven days later FIFA gave notice to appeal. Then on September 11, Wallace and his team filed an injunction asking the T&T court in its application to stop the Normalisation Committee from:

1. Taking any further steps to convene and/or conduct any meeting, on the September 15, 2020 or any other date, which purports to be an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Claimant;

2. Instructing and/or directing any person or persons to seek to withdraw the instant claim and/or in any way, manner of fashion from interfering with or seeking to undermine, the instant proceedings, except by way of lawful representations made by the Defendant’s duly appointed Attorneys-at-Law or other lawful intervention;

3. Making use of and/or publication of the Claimant’s official logo, letterhead, and stamp/seal; and 2. That the Defendant do pay the costs of this application.

The application has listed 20 grounds for the TTFA requests, while Williams has produced an affidavit with 20 documents which comprised among others, the membership signed petition letter dated August 28, the response from Hadad dated September 4, agreeing to convene the EGM on September 15 and the August 26 letter from FIFA general secretary Samoura, addressed to Hadad, warning that TTFA would face sanctions if it did not withdraw the matter out of the T&T High Court by today.

Judge Gobin granted Wallace and his team's request on Monday.

Eve, a former national captain, described the situation as unfortunate, noting that if the TTFA does not want to follow the FIFA rules now, then they never will.

"This could mean the TTFA could be thinking about starting its own footballing body with its own rules and potential members," said Eve.

Meanwhile, FIFA will hold its Congress on Friday and will have on its agenda, suspension and expulsion of Member Association. Eve said he did not want to predict what action, if any action, will be taken against T&T.

FIFA's decision to implement a Normalisation Committee to manage the TTFA after it enforced Article 8.2 of the FIFA Statutes which states: "Executive bodies of member associations may under exceptional circumstances be removed from office by the Council in consultation with the relevant confederation and replaced by a normalisation committee for a specific period."

The TTFA is represented by attorney Dr Emir Crowne, Matthew Gayle, Crystal Paul and Jason Jones, while FIFA's legal team is Cherie Gopie and M. Hamel-Smith & Co.

RELATED NEWS

Deadline day for TTFA.
By Joel Bailey (Newsday).

AS THE threat looms of either a ban or a suspension from FIFA, the United TTFA team, led by ousted TTFA president William Wallace, is not backing down from FIFA’s suggestion that they withdraw their case, against the global governing body for football by today, September 16.

The United TTFA team of Wallace, his vice-presidents Clynt Taylor, Susan Joseph-Warrick and Joseph Sam Phillip, Northern Football Association (NFA) president Anthony Harford and Super League president Keith Look Loy are challenging FIFA’s decision, on March 17, to remove Wallace and his executive from office and install a normalisation committee, led by businessman Robert Hadad, due to the TTFA’s mounting debt of $50 million.

On Monday, Justice Carol Gobin, in the Port of Spain High Court, granted an injunction to the United TTFA to stop Tuesday’s proposed Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), which was called by the normalisation committee to deal with United TTFA’s legal battle against FIFA.

FIFA, on August 26, gave the United TTFA a deadline of September 16 to withdraw their case from the High Court and have it heard at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), or face disciplinary action (either a ban or suspension) at the FIFA Congress, which will take place virtually on Friday.

Wallace said on Tuesday, “Our position at this time, at 4.42 (pm) on the 15th remains the same. We are going forward with our matter.”

He continued, “After that expose (on the local media about the Home of Football project) which actually was the evidence that we lacked, our primary action was based on knowing that this whole thing (installing of the normalisation committee) was a cover-up. This has reinforced our position.”

There is a view that this impending decision could be detrimental to the T&T football hopefuls.

Wallace stated, “There is nothing to play for until 2021 March. That is the proposed (international) date that (Concacaf nations) may start back to play football because of covid19.

“They are talking about the youths being disenfranchised and all of that,” he continued. “One of the things that we’re overlooking is that domestic football can continue to play. Schools football can continue to play. The only thing what we’ll be banned from is FIFA-organised competitions.

“Where we are at the moment, over the last four years, if anyone can bring the evidence to me to show players going overseas or scholarships from clubs as against schools, if anyone can show me the real fall-out, let them show me. (Even) with this ban, players can still ply their trade. It doesn’t interfere with the individual players per se.”

Michael Awai, business development officer of Pro League club AC Port of Spain, and ex-national striker Ron La Forest, owner/coach of recently-formed Real West Fort United, are calling for United TTFA to withdraw from their legal battle against FIFA, for the good of T&T football.

“If they don’t withdraw, and the 18th comes upon us, either the Council or the Congress bans the TTFA,” said Awai. “If we are banned, I think we’re looking at between two to five years.

“On the good side, it gives an opportunity to clear the table and get a proper structure (for us) going forward,” Awai added. “The bad side is that we would not be playing international games.”

Awai pointed out that creditors will still be seeking monies owed from the TTFA.

“The possibility exists that one creditor, or creditors, can file for liquidation of the company, of the TTFA,” he said. “If that happens, nobody will get any money. I’m hoping that good sense will prevail. What we’re trying to do is save the football for the young players coming up.”

According to La Forest, “FIFA (is like) your daddy, and the way we were brought up, you obey your mother and father as you go along. If these people continue to fight FIFA, the young footballers of this country are going to suffer badly. (The Wallace) administration has no regards for the younger ones, (they) are looking at themselves.”

With regards to opting out of the legal challenge against FIFA, the former national Under-17 coach said, “Everybody’s saying that. There is something called common sense. I always tell my players they sell common sense in the drug stores.”

T&T bracing for international football ban.
By Ian Prescott (Express).

DEADLINE TIME

NORMALISATION COMMITTEE chairman Robert Hadad has strongly hinted that Trinidad and Tobago will be banned from international football and FIFA funding withdrawn, should United TTFA not comply with today’s deadline to cease High Court action against the Fédération Internationale de Football Association.

“We would continue speaking to FIFA when we get our chance and we will try our best to alleviate our suspension issue, but they (FIFA) did speak to a suspension...if the matter is not withdrawn by the 16th,” stated businessman Robert Hadad when he and banker Nigel Romano were guests on Monday’s version of 195FM’s ISports programme, hosted by Andre Baptiste.

With a ban, the TTFA will be left saddled with a $100 million debt. Hadad also surmised that with an international ban, the only way back into FIFA’s fold for T&T football would be through the Normalisation Committee.

“We remain here, in case TTFA will like FIFA to reinstate the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association as a member associate and should they want that we are the ones that will report back to FIFA that we could perform our duties free of interference,” Hadad stated.

On August 28, FIFA general secretary Senegalese Fatma Samoura gave an ultimatum that TTFA president William Wallace and his United TTFA faction withdraw High Court action against world football’s governing body or face sanctions. Wallace is challenging FIFA’s decision to replace his fourth-month old executive with its own Normalisation Committee. FIFA statutes forbid member associations resolving disputes in local courts. FIFA insists that the matter be settled by the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

“We firmly request the TTFA to ask to the TTFA former leadership for an immediate withdrawal of the claim at the Trinidad and Tobago High Court by 16 September 2020, at the latest. We deem that a failure to comply with this directive would result in the commencement of suspension proceedings via the relevant FIFA bodies,” Samoura stated via email.

Monday’s injunction issued by Justice Carol Gobin allowed United TTFA to proceed with its High Court court action unhindered by an attempt from TTFA delegates to halt the court proceedings via an Extraordinary General Meeting. “No meeting about the TTFA can be held by the Normalisation Committee or any other person acting on behalf of the TTFA,” TTFA attorney Matthew Gayle stated following Monday’s legal proceedings. Gayle also indicated that United TTFA plans to press on with the case.

And given United TTFA’s position and the injunction preventing TTFA members from stopping its court action, Hadad felt a ban was coming --possibly as soon as Friday when FIFA holds it 70th Congress.

With a FIFA ban, Hadad stated power will revert to United TTFA and that no funding will be provided to the TTFA.

Career banker and National Four Mills chairman Romano estimated the TTFA’s debt was made worse in the four months United TTFA were in charge and now estimated it at $100 million, inclusive of $37 million to hotels, travel agencies; $18 million to coaches; $12 million in court orders; $2million to staff; $5m to Government for NIS and so on.

The debt was increased by unfavourable but legally-binding contracts to Peter Miller, Terry Fenwick and AVEC Sport. When United TTFA hurriedly fired Dennis Lawrence in January, it also left the Association having to pay both him and his English replacement Fenwick; as well as similarly fired coaches Stephan De Four and Stuart Charles Fevrier.

Without FIFA funding Hadad thinks that United TTFA cannot run football.

“We have been constantly trying to get away from these sanctions. As a Trinidadian that is not something I want to see,“ Hadad said. “Where are we going to get financing. Where are we going to get support. Who are we going to play against?”

He continued: “They will be faced with a lot of judgment. The debt, the way we see it, is upwards of $100 million.”

[gawd on pitch]

https://www.tv6tnt.com/news/7pmnews/fifa-challenged-to-pay-ttfa-debt/article_c9bab5c4-f7bd-11ea-9f92-377a4927797a.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=user-share

Interesting development.

[Flex]

United TTFA: Fifa and normalisation committee trying to cover up DJW’s ‘crimes’, govt must step in.
Wired868.com.

“[…] In all of this malfeasance, Fifa was either guilty of gross ignorance of its own regulations and, therefore, gross mismanagement; or it was guilty of gross negligence and complicity in the actions of David John-Williams.

“In any event, United TTFA concluded from the outset that Fifa imposed its normalisation committee to prevent the forensic investigation that had been ordered by the TTFA Board, and to cover up all of John-Williams’ financial shenanigans…”

In the following release, United TTFA members  William Wallace (TTFA president), Clynt Taylor (TTFA 1st vice-president), Susan Joseph-Warrick (TTFA 2nd vice-president), Joseph Sam Phillip (TTFA 3rd vice-president), Anthony Harford (Northern FA president) and Keith Look Loy (TT Super League president) respond to Mark Bassant’s investigative feature on the stewardship of former football president David John-Williams and the alleged complicity of Fifa and its normalisation committee:

The unexpected, grave and shocking revelations of Mark Bassant’s investigative report, ‘TTFA’s Secret Panama Trail’, have not only confirmed what was already known by United TTFA and others, but have added new facts and allegations to the long file of financial mismanagement and malfeasance of the David John-Williams administration.

No one knew the full extent of the financial disaster provoked by the former president’s actions, but this was the central issue in TTFA under John-Williams. Ultimately, United TTFA, and others, acted on 24 November 2019 to remove the former president and his enablers from power, despite Fifa president Gianni Infantino’s open support for John-Williams.

The necessary assessment of TTFA finances in the immediate aftermath of our election victory brought facts to light that some wished to remain under cover of darkness. The revelation of these facts, some of them financial crimes under Trinidad and Tobago law, provoked an oppressive reaction by FIFA—the imposition of a so called normalisation committee on 17 March 2020.

On several occasions prior to the November 2019 election, United TTFA and TTFA Board members brought dubious practices in TTFA’s general financial management—and in the management of the Home of Football project, in particular—to the attention of FIFA’s head official for Africa and the Caribbean and project supervisor, Veron Mosengo-Omba, during his visits to Couva.

Mr Mosengo-Omba’s stock response was: ‘That is internal TTFA business. Fifa is satisfied’.

FIFA ‘was satisfied’ despite the fact that it conducts an annual audit of TTFA finances and despite the glaring contravention of its project management regulations. In all of this malfeasance, Fifa was either guilty of gross ignorance of its own regulations and, therefore, gross mismanagement; or it was guilty of gross negligence and complicity in the actions of David John-Williams.

In any event, United TTFA concluded from the outset that Fifa imposed its normalisation committee to prevent the forensic investigation that had been ordered by the TTFA Board, and to cover up all of John-Williams’ financial shenanigans.

In April, Fifa’s normalisation committee chairman, Robert Hadad, made it amply clear to the media he was ‘not here to play a blame game’—that is, to examine TTFA’s immediate past under John-Williams.

Since that time TTFA’s general secretary, Ramesh Ramdhan has stated that: 1) Hadad allegedly advised him that he knew he had been appointed to shield John-Williams; and 2) John-Williams is allegedly a key Hadad adviser who speaks with Hadad regularly.

During the 27 August 2020 meeting of selected TTFA members, hosted by the Minister of Sport Shamfa Cudjoe, John-Williams featured and supported the normalisation committee. In that meeting Hadad claimed John-Williams ‘did nothing wrong’ during his tenure, and further, that one United TTFA member was ‘lying on him’.

In Bassant’s film national football icon and ESPN commentator Shaka Hislop described Hadad’s behaviour as a ‘dereliction of duty’.

United TTFA has long described the normalisation committee as illegal. That is the basis of our court case against FIFA.

However, given the long standing record of complaints by TTFA Board members against John-Williams’ financial mismanagement and malfeasance, and given Bassant’s film, Hadad’s stout defence of John-Williams clearly demonstrates the lack of independent judgment, integrity and credibility one would rightfully expect from a Fifa representative and from Fifa itself.

United TTFA refuses to bow to Fifa and its discredited normalisation committee in its effort to remove the Wallace administration, which is actually victim of John-Williams’ actions.

United TTFA refuses to allow FIFA to ‘normalise’ what the entire country saw laid bare by Bassant’s documentary.

United TTFA refuses to allow FIFA to continue turning a blind eye to the victimisation of our country’s youth and its football development.

‘TTFA’s Secret Panama Trail’ has amply demonstrated that Fifa has no moral authority to remove the Wallace  administration, and that Fifa has many questions to answer itself.

In light of what is now in the public record regarding the past administration, the normalisation committee’s public support for John-Williams, and John-Williams’ alleged key role as advisor to said committee, United TTFA now calls for the following:

1. The chairman of the normalisation committee must resign immediately;

2. Fifa must remove the normalisation committee and must recognise the elected TTFA officers;

3. Fifa must begin talks with said officers to devise a joint approach to existing issues;

4. Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Minister of Sport Shamfa Cudjoe should approach Fifa in support of TTFA in this initiative;

5. The appropriate state authorities should access and examine Bassant’s documentary file on the Home of Football project.

These measures would immediately set the stage for resolution of all issues and facilitate the stabilisation and progress of Trinidad and Tobago football.

Finally, we call on our Caribbean brothers and  sisters to unite in our support in this our gravest hour. It is the Caribbean that brought leadership change to Fifa once before. And it is the united Caribbean that can make Fifa a more humane organisation—one that is guided by global democracy, global equality, and global justice.

RELATED NEWS

Media Monitor: CNC’s Bassant to the rescue again; T&T football family sees big picture at last.
By Earl Best (Wired868).

Wired868’s Lasana Liburd is far and away the best football reporter in Trinidad and Tobago, arguably in the West Indies. So if any proof were needed that the current protracted TTFA vs FIFA issue is not about football, it came on CNC3 last night.

I am sure Liburd and Wired provided relevant footballing information but the television documentary was the work of investigative reporter Mark Bassant.'

Bassant has dared go where Liburd has not ventured precisely because the TV reporter is emphatically not in the football business. That’s more than can be said, the documentary makes clear, of former TTFA president David John-Williams.

For him, football is business, lucrative business.

Full disclosure: I am more than half-ready to deliver my verdict as juror in the David John-Williams case.

No lawyer—not even close—I am, however, very clear on the notion of presumption of innocence, both its legal underpinnings and its value in a court of law. I have found, though, that it has less value in the court of public opinion, which is where Bassant last night prosecuted the case.

I know to the last nuance the difference between an allegation and justiciable evidence, a charge and a conviction, a mere response, responsible or otherwise, and a real refutation. I have been, after all, in the business of teaching language all my adult life.

For more than ten of those adult years, I was a sports editor. That was back in the days when Jack Warner was first the TTFA’s Voice of One and then a big sawatee in Fifa. Ergo, I had plenty bullshit to cut through.

Bassant’s essential story is that DJW has been collecting TTFA money from Fifa, some of it in advance of its scheduled disbursement date. But he has been doing little of what the funds are specifically allocated to do: paying staff and creditors and servicing operational costs as well as building the Home of Football. Coaches, officials, players, contractors and service providers went continuously unpaid and authentic TTFA day-to-day needs were unmet. The House of Football is still unfinished.

And all the while, DJW played his credit cards very close to his chest.

“What do you prefer,” Bassant told us the then president asked rhetorically, “financial stability or wins on the field.”

“Neither came,” the investigator laconically commented.

However, as the organisation’s debts mounted, DJW was accumulating personal wealth—over a million US dollars—in a personal bank account in Panama, which it seems, was fraudulently set up using defunct, off-the-shelf companies.

As prosecutor, Bassant does an excellent job. The sheer wealth of information provided is quite impressive as is the attention to detail. An alert juror has no difficulty at all connecting the dots of dates, email and other addresses, flight information, customs documents, invoices, bank information and identification of FIFA connections, legitimate and shady. Not forgetting the concrete reality of the Home of Football.

Bassant tells the jury that: ‘Article 8D of Fifa’s Forward Development Programme regulations (…) states that associations may only use bonafide accounts to transact project business, (but) materials were paid for via RBC and Republic Bank accounts, when all three of TTFA’s accounts are at First Citizens’.

Fifa, he points out, deposited its funding into those First Citizens accounts.

He calls our attention to the suspicious purchase of two monomix machines. These machines were not on the customs form for the containers in which they were supposed to be but they ‘bizarrely appeared on the construction site of the Home of Football later on’, disappearing again in November 2019.

Contacted, the prosecutor tells us, a named official of ECOTEC, the supplier identified on the customs form, at first says that they do not sell that product. He would later change his tune. Too late!

Bassant cuts off John-Williams’ access to the knee-jerk defence of many an accused person: how can you be sure that it was me?

Dare he maintain that there are two people in the world, he asks, called David Apullnaris John-Williams? The chances are infinitesimal.

Bassant repeatedly opted for running footage of himself accompanying DJW on the golf course. I feel certain the ‘live’ footage moves the jury closer to making their minds up. The ex-president tries hard to make us believe he has only contempt for Bassant’s absurd investigation. But the sneer on his face, his embarrassed smile—if smile it can accurately be called—his equally embarrassed silences and his generally traitorous body language together convey an entirely different message.

But would mere commentary over more carefully selected images interspersed with well-placed sound-bites not have been more effective?

Maybe. Maybe not. Not in doubt is the verdict which has been reached in the court of public opinion. Already social media voices are calling for government intervention. One commentator has gone so far as to call for the resignation of the minister of sport, whom he sees as culpable since she publicly blamed the duly elected president, William Wallace.

My mind, though, remains only half open. I wait to hear the defence’s case but I’m convinced they have it all to do.

I see three real options: (1) A ‘plea deal’ (2) Turning State’s witness or (3) A win on a technicality.

In a corrupt country, of course, there is always a fourth. There is nothing Bassant can do about that.

I thought he did a splendid job on the sea bridge investigation in 2017. But there was no Covid-19 then, no closed borders.…

In November 1989, I was gutted when Warner off the field and Everald ‘Gally’ Cummings on its edge combined to cut the national World Cup qualification effort off at the knees.

Now, almost three decades later, even if we are not in a position to stop the recurrence, it looks to me as if we are certainly well placed to bring perpetrators to justice.

Thanks to Mark Bassant’s excellent, top-drawer, investigative work.

[gawd on pitch]

That's right. It's up to the PNM to step in. I guarantee if the gov't does, this issue will get much more attention. As historically speaking, FIFA tends to think they are above the law.

All it's going to take is for DJW to get arrested, and FIFA's house of cards will crumble. Once that happens, Wallace might actually have a chance in front of the CAS. The CAS is not going to side with FIFA when there is conclusive evidence of FIFA trying to cover corruption by implementing the NC.

[Flex]

Wallace: We considered giving up but Bassant changed our minds.
By Walter Alibey (Guardian).

FIFA Bureau of Council to meet today

Ousted T&T Football Association (TTFA) president, William Wallace and his executives, remained firm in light of Wednesday's deadline by football's world governing body - FIFA, to drop their court matter against it, or face sanctions.

Wallace, who instructed their Attorneys Dr Emir Crowne, Matthew Gayle, Crystal Paul and Jason Jones last Friday to file an injunction to stop the TTFA's membership from holding an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on Tuesday to prevent he and his three vice presidents — Clynt Taylor, Joseph Sam Phillips, and Susan Joseph-Warrick, from going ahead with their court case against FIFA and the recognised the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee (NC), told Guardian Media Sports on Wednesday that his group seriously considered holding discussions to decide on how they should move forward in light of calls for them to stop.

"With calls from players and coaches, Minister of Sports Shamfa Cudjoe and many others, we considered holding discussions on whether we should move forward with our court matter, but when we saw the documentary by CNC3's reporter Mark Bassant on September 10, it confirmed some of what we had already known and informed us of what we didn't know.

"After that story, we found it hard to back down because we were now sure that the appointment of a Normalisation Committee was a cover-up for the corruption that took place under former president David John-Williams," Wallace said on Wednesday.

Whether Bassant is a hero or not, the football fraternity is preparing for FIFA to administer sanctions of T&T which qualified for the FIFA World Cup in 2006 and was close to qualification in 1973 when they scored five goals and lost 2-0 to Haiti in Port-au-Prince, and in 1989 when the famous 'Strike Squad' was edged 1-0 by the United States at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, Port-of-Spain.

FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura, in a letter on August 26 to Robert Hadad, the chairman of the NC which also comprise attorney Judy Daniel (deputy chairman) and retired banker Nigel Romano (member), warned if the TTFA didn't withdraw the matter from T&T's High court, the country faced being sanctioned.

FIFA also urged Wallace and his team to accept the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland as the jurisdiction for settling all FIFA-related disputes. The TTFA has been challenging a decision by the FIFA to replace them (TTFA) with a Normalisation Committee on March 17.

The TTFA decided to seek justice in the High Court in Port-of-Spain after being asked to pay the 40,000 Swiss francs (TT$276,000) in associated costs. Wallace's team called CAS bias and withdrew the matter and filed in the T&T High court in May.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Council of the FIFA will today meet ahead of tomorrow's FIFA Congress in Switzerland, at which it is expected the ban will be handed down to T&T. The Bureau of the Council shall deal with all matters requiring immediate settlement between two meetings of the FIFA Council. The committee shall consist of the FIFA president and one member from each Confederation appointed by the FIFA Council and chosen from among its members, for four years.

Wallace said his group will issue a release soon to explain their position.

A ban on the TTFA will prevent all T&T football teams, from youth to senior levels and all match officials from participating in World Cup Qualifiers, from CONCACAF Gold Cup, from having its clubs pursue titles at the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) or CONCACAF Club Championships, among many other tournaments, while all FIFA-registered officials will be prevented for plying their trade outside of T&T.

[FF]

No evidence so far that the bureau council decided anything on T&T today. Read into that what you may

On to the full congress 

[gawd on pitch]

No evidence so far that the bureau council decided anything on T&T today. Read into that what you may

On to the full congress 

https://www.fifa.com/who-we-are/news/2020-fifa-congress-live-streaming

Scroll down and open the Agenda for tomorrow's congress. The fourth matter on the agenda is
" Suspension or expulsion of a member".

Maybe this is something that is always part of it.

If we are suspended, and DJW is charged, this case will be going in front of the CAS.

Anything FIFA does to TT at this point, is going to look as a retaliatory. Especially when the time comes for the handcuffs to be slapped on to DJW.

[FF]

No evidence so far that the bureau council decided anything on T&T today. Read into that what you may

On to the full congress 

https://www.fifa.com/who-we-are/news/2020-fifa-congress-live-streaming

Scroll down and open the Agenda for tomorrow's congress. The fourth matter on the agenda is
" Suspension or expulsion of a member".

Maybe this is something that is always part of it.

If we are suspended, and DJW is charged, this case will be going in front of the CAS.

Anything FIFA does to TT at this point, is going to look as a retaliatory. Especially when the time comes for the handcuffs to be slapped on to DJW.

Yes indeed that is a standing item

[Flex]

United TTFA ready to resume control.
By Walter Alibey (Guardian).

Well-placed sources close to the T&T Football Association (TTFA) have said the group, despite being criticised in some circles of the local football fraternity and embraced in others, have revealed that the William Wallace-led United TTFA which won the TTFA elections in November 2019, is set to resume their mandate of managing the affairs of local football.

This, amid concerns that the TTFA and by extension T&T face the risk of being sanctioned by the sport's world governing body FIFA, for its failure to drop a court action challenging FIFA over the group's legal challenge of its removal on March 17, and replaced by a FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee (NC) on March 27, to manage local football.

FIFA held its Bureau of Council Meeting on Thursday and is expected to levy sanctions against the TTFA, today at its Annual Congress in Switzerland for violation of the FIFA Statutes, which outlines that disputes are to be settled at the Court of Arbitration for Sports.

Embattled TTFA president Wallace said his three vice presidents — Clynt Taylor, Joseph Sam Phillips, and Susan Joseph-Warrick, associates Keith Look Loy, the T&T Super League president and Anthony Harford, the Northern Football Association president, will stand firm on their stance to battle the FIFA in the court against injustice, despite not having the majority support from the sport's general membership.

Wallace believes the country has been divided in the matter but feels they will prevail.

However, on Wednesday, a member of the TTFA who wished to remain anonymous, said the TTFA is ready to resume all its negotiations with sponsors, as well as all the contracts they have entered into.

"We intend to secure sufficient sponsorships whereby we will not need the assistance of FIFA. Once we can accumulate enough funding then the FIFA will withhold its funds. I believe once the court rules in our favour as the legitimate administrators of the sport in T&T, then we will get the opportunity to put structures in place for the sport to be run effectively, we will develop the game and put the sport in a position where, when the ban is over, it will lead to a smooth transition back to the fold of the FIFA," the TTFA member said.

In the football association's short time in office, it entered into a $25 million deal with UK Sportswear company Avec Sports which was expected to outfit all the country's national teams, from youth to senior levels, as well as generate much-needed income to the country. The TTFA also formed a partnership with Caribbean Chemicals and Agencies Ltd, as well as a multi-million Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with UK architectural company Lavender for the construction of a multipurpose facility on the Arima Velodrome, a deal that was scheduled to land the TTFA a whopping $12 million upon signing alone.

on Thursday, the official said his United group is still keen on revisiting those sponsorship deals as they are still open to them and will serve well in laying a solid foundation for local football.

However, a decision will have to be made in the court with the parties set to face the Appeal Court on October 21.

Up to Thursday, FIFA did not file a defence in the High Court action, after missing Monday's September 4 deadline. It is understood Justice Carol Gobin, who initially ruled in favour of the TTFA to have the matter heard in the local High court on August 13, as oppose to the CAS in Switzerland, gave FIFA until Friday to file its paperwork, or the matter will go to trial on October 9.

Justice Gobin also granted the TTFA its request for an injunction to stop an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) which was requested by more than 51 per cent of the TTFA membership, which was set to take place on Tuesday with an aim of voting for Wallace and his team to honour FIFA's directive and withdraw the court matter and to recognise the NC and the administrators of the sport. The request on August 26 was sent by FIFA General Secretary Fatma Samoura to NC chairman Robert Hadad.

In a letter on Wednesday, Wallace gave the assurance he and his team would drop the case if the court rules against them. He noted also that if the court rules in their favour, his first order of business will be to call an Extraordinary General Meeting to discuss TTFA’s leadership, and the future and all contract matters that have arisen since March 2020.

[Flex]

No word from FIFA on T&T's fate ahead of Congress
By Joel Bailey (Newsday).

ROBERT Hadad, head of the FIFA-appointed normalisation committee, which replaced the William Wallace-led TT Football Association (TTFA) in March, is not sure if FIFA will decide today (Friday) whether or not they will suspend T&T from all FIFA-organised internationals and competitions.

Wallace is the head of the United TTFA team that successfully challenged for leadership of the TTFA in November 2019.

Wallace and his vice-presidents Clynt Taylor, Susan Joseph-Warrick and Joseph Sam Phillip, are challenging FIFA’s decision, on March 17, to remove the TTFA executive from office and install a normalisation committee, led by Hadad, to the TTFA’s debt of $50 million.

FIFA, on August 26, gave the United TTFA a deadline of September 16 to withdraw their case from the High Court and have it heard at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), or face disciplinary action (either a ban or suspension) at the FIFA Congress, which will take place virtually on Friday.

Wallace, on Tuesday, was adamant that the United TTFA was not backing down from their legal battle against FIFA.

Asked on Thursday, if he was aware of any decisions made during a FIFA Council meeting earlier in the day, Hadad replied, “I have not heard anything. I know (on Friday) we have the Congress. I really don’t know more than that.”

The Congress will begin at 9 am (TT time).

“The problem is I don’t know what’s going on and I’m in much as in the dark as you are,” Hadad added.

[Tallman]

Ban or not? Look Loy, Downer don’t see FIFA action today
T&T Express

Will Trinidad and Tobago be suspended from world football today? United TTFA spokesman Keith Look Loy has his doubts, and so does a local football constitution expert.

Today the 70th Congress of world governing body FIFA will be held, where in theory, two-thirds of the 214 delegates can agree to a ban or suspension of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association because of the current High Court action being undertaken by sidelined president William Wallace and his three vice-presidents, going under the United TTFA banner.

However, Keith Look Loy, chairman of the TTFA’s technical committee before FIFA instituted a Normalisation Committee on March 17, and part of the United TTFA group, does not believe that a ban will come today.

“I personally do not expect anything to happen at the Congress,” he said on TV6’s Morning Edition programme yesterday.

Giving weight to Look Loy’s contention is the absence of the matter of the TTFA’s suspension on the agenda of the FIFA Congress or the FIFA Council, which met yesterday.

Vice-president of the Trinidad and Tobago Referees Association and one of the framers of the TTFA’s revised constitution in 2015, Osmond Downer, told the Express yesterday that delegates going to the Congress must be informed beforehand of any matter to be discussed. He said while the matter of suspensions is a mandatory item on the agenda, the TTFA matter is not specifically there.

In addition, Downer said the TTFA issue was also not discussed at the meeting of the FIFA Council, which met yesterday. Explaining that the Council can put to the Congress any motion for expulsion or suspension, he said: “I saw the agenda for the Council meeting and it has on it ratification of matters coming from the Bureau. But there is no item ­regarding suspension for Trinidad and Tobago.”

The Bureau comprises president Gianni Infantino and the presidents of FIFA’s six confederations, which met within the last week.

Downer added: “Following ­normal procedure it (a suspension for the TTFA) would not be a matter to be discussed by the Congress because such a matter would have to be brought to the Congress by the Council. So unless some irregular way is found to bring it to the Congress for discussion, it will not be discussed, because the Council is not discussing it today (yesterday).”

Wallace and his United TTFA had been given until Wednesday by FIFA to withdraw its legal action in the High Court or face the possibility of a suspension or ban.

United TTFA has not withdrawn its case and on Monday was granted an injunction by Justice Carol Gobin which prevented the Normalisation Committee from sanctioning an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) that could have seen the TTFA dele­gates instructing the group to stop its action. And yesterday, Look Loy remained steadfast despite the ban threat.

Look Loy reasoned that even in the event of a ban: “In the real world of Covid, there is no football to be played until the second quarter of next year... There is no domestic football for the rest of this year... Concacaf has already put off all qualifying and international play until March of 2021. There is no football for the next six months. No boy or girl is going to get a scholarship to the United States until August of next year, that’s ­almost a year from now, so I’m saying if we are sanctioned, in the real world, what are we going to miss?”

He added: “This case is going to be settled within that period or long before... the end of that period. If the matter goes the way of FIFA, we have said publicly, then we walk away. I personally have no interest in pursuing this to the Privy Council and Appeal Court and all of that. If Justice Gobin decides in favour of FIFA, we walk away.

“If she decides that the Wallace administration is the legitimate administration then we address it, bring the membership together and we begin to deal with the solution together... I repeat, Trinidad and Tobago football is going to be missing nothing under a suspension until April of next year.”

[Tallman]

AGENDA ITEM NO. 4

#FIFACongress confirms that no member associations are suspended. All 211 member associations are present and eligible to vote at the 70th FIFA Congress.