The T&T Football Association's (TTFA) stance to fight against the implementation of a Normalisation Committee to govern the sport of football here is being supported by some of its members.
On Monday, the embattled football association which is led by William Wallace was bombarded by letters of support from the Northern Football Association, the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL), of which Wallace was once the president, the T&T Super League, the T&T Football Referees Association (T&TFRA) and the T&T American Youth Soccer Organization (TTAYSO).
However, some members of the Super League camp, which is being represented by TTFA board member Keith Look Loy, said they are not in support of the football association stance to go against, the world governing body for the sport- FIFA which issued a letter last Tuesday (March 17) indicating that the elected officers have been removed from office and it will send a Normalisation Committee to govern T&T football which has been struggling with mounting debt and it appears there's no solution of solving it.
However, president Wallace and his executive which was elected into office on November 24, 2019, has hired attorneys Matthew G W Gayle and Dr Emir Crowne to challenged the decision and file a pre-action protocol in the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Switzerland.
This new development has led to mixed views from different quarters of the public, including the members of the Super League, who on Monday made it clear of where the League's support lies.
However, Randy Hagley, the Guaya United founder and managing director and Derek Edwards, the Petit Valley Diego Martin United manager, both said they found out about the letter after it was written and sent by Super League secretary Peter Thomas.
Both football administrators have since called for the letter highlighting the names of the teams that support the TTFA to be published for all to see, noting that there were lots of Super League clubs that do not support the TTFA stance.
Edwards, who for years has been a critic of the leadership style of Look Loy, the current Chairman of the Technical Committee and the TTSL representative on the Board of Directors of the TTFA, told Guardian Media Sports that the normalization committee is the only way to get T&T football back on track, saying the problem of the high debt has plagued the sport for many years and the normalization committee is the only way to solve the problem.
He also called for the letter of support to be pulled back and let clubs sign a petition to show those who support the TTFA and those that don't. The pair lack of support follows that of the T&T Pro League letter on Thursday which made it clear and advised its Board member Brent Sancho, that the clubs are in support of FIFA's normalisation committee.
Meanwhile, a letter sent by the NFA and signed by president Anthony Harford on Monday said: “It is curious that after three and a half months of substantive tenure, FIFA would take such a decision, when for the two years before our elections, the majority of stakeholders were clamouring for their intervention to no avail. It is even more galling that the elections of November 24, included 100 per cent of the delegates and witnessed by FIFA officials and deemed to be free and fair. We remain steadfast in our belief that this is a breach of justice and we sincerely hope an undogmatic way is found to solve this problem. We look to you prevailing in this matter.”
Another letter of support came from the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) which reads: The SSFL wish to communicate their support for the democratically elected officers of the T&T Football Association; who FIFA has stated their intention to unilaterally remove from office. The SSFL condemns the decision, which it views as premature and arbitrary, given the fact that the said officers have been in office merely four months. Secondary Schools Football League supports and encourages the TTFA to explore every available avenue to have the FIFA decision rescinded.”
Letters from the TTAYSO and The T&T Football Referees Association also echoed similar sentiments.
ABOVE SOURCE: T&T Guardian
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Wallace gets support: ‘premature’ decision.
By Joel Bailey (Newsday).
FIVE local football bodies have all thrown their support behind the TT Football Association (TTFA), in its battle against FIFA’s decision to send a normalisation committee to conduct the affairs of local football.
Last Tuesday, FIFA decided to scrap the TTFA executive, led by president William Wallace, and implement the committee due to mounting debt by the TTFA, which was more than $50 million.
On Wednesday, FIFA appointed TTFA finance manager Tyril Patrick to head the TTFA until the committee was implemented. However, on Saturday, Patrick declined FIFA’s offer, stating that he did not want to attempt interfering in the running of the duly elected TTFA executive.
The local bodies who have all offered support are the TT Super League, the Northern Football Association (NFA), the Tobago Football Association (TFA), the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) and the TT American Youth Soccer Organisation (TTAYSO).
In a letter to TTFA general secretary Ramesh Ramdhan on Monday, which was issued by TT Super League secretary Peter Thomas, “the clubs of the Super League wish to communicate their support for the democratically elected officers of the TTFA, who FIFA have stated their intention to unilaterally remove from office.”
The Super League has condemned the decision by FIFA, “which it views as premature and arbitrary, given the fact that (the TTFA executive) have been in office merely four months.”
And the Super League has encouraged the TTFA “to explore every available avenue to have the FIFA decision rescinded.”
NFA president Anthony Harford, who addressed his letter to Wallace, said, “It is curious that, after just three and a half months of substantive tenure, FIFA would take such a decision, when for the two years prior to our elections, the majority of stakeholders were clamouring for their intervention, to no avail.”
Harford added, “We remain steadfast in our belief that this is a breach of justice and we sincerely hope an undogmatic way is found to solve this problem. We look forward to your prevailing in this matter.”
Via a letter issued by its vice-president Samuel Orr to the TTFA on Saturday, the TFA, “(raises) its disappointment at the action initiated by FIFA.”
The TFA has also urged the TTFA to seek any available means to get the FIFA decision rescinded.
Also, on Monday, the SSFL general secretary Azaad Khan and TTAYSO area director Dale Toney both sent letters to the TTFA, condemning the move made by FIFA.
On Thursday, the TT Pro League expressed their support towards the setting up of the normalisation committee.
“As a football company who have invested over $200 million into the national economy over the last 18 years, the TT Pro League stand ready to work alongside the Ministry of Sports and the FIFA appointed normalisation committee for the continued development of the game.
“The TT Pro League will not support any move by the former administration to engage in any legal battle against FIFA over their removal from office,” said the Pro League, in a media release.