Football’s governing body FIFA turned down another offer by former Trinidad and Tobago Football Association executives to have mediated discussions as a solution to an impasse between the two bodies, which is headed to the local courts.
Under the “United TTFA” banner, TTFA president William Wallace and his three vice presidents have made a claim against FIFA in the T&T high court, challenging the decision of the world body to replace them on March 17, when imposing its own normalisation committee to run local football.
On Thursday, one of Wallace’s representatives, attorney Jason Jones, wrote FIFA’S local representative Donna Denbow on behalf of United TTFA, offering a mediated solution.
The “United TTFA” group had requested that Denbow give an indication by 2 p.m. yesterday as to whether FIFA was favourable to their request. Denbow has not responded.
“No, no, no response whatsoever,” stated attorney Matthew Gayle, advocate attorney for United TTFA.
“Not even an acknowledgement,” Gayle added. Previous to Jones’ correspondence to Denbow, his colleague Gayle had also written FIFA seeking bilateral talks. “The response to my letter, basically, was, ‘we have retained attorneys, contact them’,” said Gayle.
Jones’ letter to Denbow represents the fourth time United TTFA has formally approached FIFA, proposing dialogue. Gayle said United TTFA will now vigorously pursue its T&T High Court claim.
“In the interest of football, we were hoping we could reach out and have some discussions,” said Gayle. “Our client would be obviously disappointed that the end of the day has come and we have not even had an acknowledgement.
“My perspective is that it never hurts to talk. But to talk, you must have two willing parties,” Gayle declared.
“Our instructions are to progress with the claim in the normal way. That’s where we are. We are pushing forward with the claim.”
Denbow’s lack of response is the latest in a series of slights to the former TTFA executives from the world body, FIFA.
On Thursday, attorney Jones wrote: “Our client’s president, Mr William Wallace, has repeatedly called upon your client to discuss the way forward with himself and his executive; but calls have thus gone unanswered.”
Wallace first wrote to FIFA president Gianni Infantino on March 24, a week after the world body announced its takeover of local football. Pleading his case that the TTFA’s $50m debt was historic and not of his three-month old executive’s making, Wallace asked two important questions: “If specialist persons have to be sent, why can’t they work with the elected executive? Why is there a need for new elections if the elections held in November was free and fair?” he asked.
The response from FIFA through general secretary Fatma Samoura was that there would be no negotiations.
SOURCE: T&T Express