NOT INTIMIDATED
WILLIAM WALLACE will not be intimidated by FIFA, and has vowed to press on with his court battle against football’s world governing body.
The former Carapichaima Government Secondary School vice-principal views a recent FIFA press release as a threat but vows to continue his fight “to be heard”. But, having taken recent court action against FIFA as “United TTFA” and using their own financial means, Wallace does not believe the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association has to fear FIFA sanctions.
“It is a threat to us,” Wallace declared.” It a threat to William Wallace, Clynt Taylor, Susan Wallace and Sam Phillip.”
With its 70th FIFA Congress due to be held in Zurich, Switzerland, in just under a month’s time FIFA could, according to its rules, bring sanctions against the TTFA for contravening FIFA statutes barring association from taking disputes to local courts. The FIFA Congress is scheduled to take place virtually on September 18 and one of the tabled agenda points is suspension or expulsion of a member association.
Wallace and his three vice-presidents laid a claim before the T&T High Court in May, challenging FIFA’s decision to replace their four-month TTFA executive with its normalisation committee, which has been given the mandate to run T&T football. United TTFA then won the opening court matter on August 13 when Justice Carol Gobin ruled that the High Court has jurisdiction to hear their claim. FIFA has since appealed the verdict.
FIFA laws specifically prevent member associations from taking such matters to local courts and on Thursday, it issued what seemed a final warning to Trinidad and Tobago via a media release.
“The absence of a resolution that is in line with the statutes of both FIFA and TTFA will result in the matter being brought to the attention of the relevant FIFA bodies for consideration and potential further action,” FIFA’s statement said.
FIFA further maintained that its dispute with T&T needed to be taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), located in Switzerland where FIFA is based, and not the local High Court.
“The insistence of the former TTFA leadership to bring this matter to a local court instead of the established dispute resolution forum at CAS greatly endangers the overall football structure in the country and endangers the position of Trinidad and Tobago football internationally,” FIFA said.
Wallace re-emphasised that his group had done everything to comply with FIFA law and had many times sought mediation. They then went to CAS before withdrawing in May, citing unfair procedures, and finally took their case to the High Court.
“We did go the road of CAS and we were not fairly dealt with by FIFA, in terms of their cooperation and so on. So we did go down that road. When we could not get justice down that road, and that justice was denied, we decided to go the other way and this is where we are — that point.”
Wallace said the next move is FIFA’s, although he recently said he is still open to dialogue.
“FIFA has appealed the matter. So, as far as we are concerned the matter is before the court,” Wallace stated.