So, we are hearing feedback out there and in the newspapers that the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) is taking a principled stand against FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), and some good may yet come out of this.
Risking the future of football is well worth the sacrifice these local administrators are taking by struggling for local control of football in T&T. I agree being shut off from the mainstream of football by FIFA may give T&T football the time to do the introspection and adaptation necessary to bring about a positive administrative approach to our football. But isn’t this also achievable with the help of FIFA and application of its standard operating procedures as applied to all other countries?
Even though this too can be considered debatable.
As a story for comparison of context, let us say FIFA is like a multinational corporation (MNC) with its subsidiaries scattered across the globe. Looking at this through the lens of the corporate world, what are the legal measures usually open to governments that no longer wish to facilitate subsidiary companies of an MNC?
These local governments seek nationalisation of their local subsidiary, to compensate the MNC for its investment, and then take charge of their local resources and operations.
In the football context, what will the local High Court be capable of doing through its adjudication?
Rule in favour of effectively nationalising local football, by restraining FIFA from setting up its normalisation committee and keep them out of T&T football per se?
Will they compensate FIFA for its investment in T&T football as well? Can they also rule on measures that will dictate how FIFA must engage T&T football in the future, and provide ultimatums or penalty and charges to FIFA if they choose to deviate their involvement in local football?
Nobody seems to want nationalised football and even not to the extent that it excludes FIFA entirely. Then what will become the position of FIFA—running world football within the boundaries set by the T&T local High Court mandates, or even within the confines of the T&T political directorate, for that matter?
Wouldn’t that be a form of imperialism by T&T upon FIFA?
Won’t we then, in effect, be trying to do to FIFA the exact thing we are already accusing them of doing to us?
For another example, take the US and its membership in the World Trade Organisation (WTO). In cases of disputes over unfair trade practices with other countries, the US will not accept any judgment imparted to it by the WTO, wherever such judgments go contrary to the desires of the US Congress.
Basically, if its governing institution disagrees or dislikes a WTO judgment then, as a trading country, the US will not be bound to accept that judgment. It is under those conditions the US eventually agreed to join the WTO.
What we are asking seems similar. FIFA must be subject to the deliberations and boundaries of our High Court before it can legally manage T&T football. Is it then we are defending T&T on the principle that we must be allowed imperialist status over FIFA?
This is the world we spent the last two centuries building, and at this juncture imperialism of this sort is mainly frowned upon. Seems to me the TTFA’s cause is more a backward one than forward-looking.
FIFA contributes millions to the operation and development of football in T&T, and this largess has become deeply coveted by a self-interested few. Could this be the real reason behind all this narcissism?
John Thompson
St James