More than three years after the world’s governing authority for football, FIFA was forced to step in and attempt to ‘normalise’ the operations of the T&T Football Association (TTFA), the very body appointed with that task could themselves be heading to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) and very soon.
Back in 2020, a FIFA-led investigation into irregularities found that the TTFA had “extremely low overall financial management methods and together with its massive debt, the was facing a very real risk of insolvency and illiquidity.
These findings led to the suspension of the then-elected executive and the appointment of an independent normalisation committee in March 2020, a firm requirement if T&T were to be allowed to compete in FIFA-sanctioned competitions and continue to receive the organisation’s funding.
The Robert Hadad-led normalisation committee, which has been in charge of local football since, was appointed with a clear understanding that control of football was to be returned to a duly elected local executive after a clearly defined FIFA mandate was fulfilled, which included amendments to the TTFA constitution.
However, reports reaching Guardian Media Sports say that several clubs, led by Selby Browne, president of the Veteran Footballers Foundation of T&T (VFFOTT) could be looking to drag the FIFA-appointed normalisation committee before CAS as they seek to overturn several recent decisions that in his opinion, are being imposed on member clubs of the TTFA.
On August 20, TTFA’s general secretary Amiel Mohammed issued a letter to members stating that the normalisation committee has worked on the amendments to the TTFA constitution as has been mandated by FIFA to get local football back on track stating:
“Pursuant to the communication shared in July 2023 at the University of T&T (UTT), National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Port-of-Spain, it was indicated that the Normalisation Committee has worked on the amendments to the TTFA Constitution (Statutes) with FIFA and CONCACAF. Proposed amendments were shared with FIFA and CONCACAF for their feedback at that time, noting that the requisite personnel in FIFA and CONCACAF would be engaged in a very active August 2023 period which included the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
“In consultation with our colleagues in FIFA and CONCACAF, the following timeline has been targeted regarding this matter: Normalisation Committee to meet with FIFA and CONCACAF in early October 2023 at FIFA Forward Workshop to finalise proposal of Statutes; Proposed Statutes to be shared with TTFA Members by the end of October 2023.”
It also stated: “Consultation discussions led by FIFA and CONCACAF with TTFA members to be held in November 2023. Convening of a general meeting to approve statutes in December 2023, before proceeding to TTFA elections by mid-March 2024, but not before the members approved of the changes to constitutional (statutes) - slated to be the second-to-last thing to be completed by the normalisation committee, to accomplish their mandate.”
In addition to the release, Mohammed told Guardian Media Sports that members will have the opportunity to discuss their thoughts with the TTFA and CONCACAF on the proposed changes before the listed timelines.
Yesterday though, Browne called on the normalisation committee to not link the election with the amendments to the constitution, saying the committee already had over three years to complete everything.
In responding almost immediately to the TTFA letter Browne said, “Let me first state that VFFOTT and other members of the TTFA reject in the strongest manner the announcements and timeline stated above, and consider as totally unacceptable, any such attempt to link approval of the amendments to the TTFA Constitution (Statutes) with the date set for termination of the term of the normalisation committee, March 2024.
“The above therefore puts to nonsense, the frivolous pronouncements advanced, for not having the proposed amendments to the TTFA Constitution (Statutes) presented to the TTFA congress for the past three-years and six-month period.”
He added, “Further, it has now become necessary to seek legal answers to the position held by VFFOTT and other TTFA members that approval of any amendments to the TTFA Statutes (and other regulations where necessary) by the TTFA Congress and must now seek to be rushed as a prerequisite for the completion of item four of the mandate: - to organise and to conduct elections of a new TTFA Executive Committee for a four-year mandate.”
Browne, who also made it public his intention to be among the members that will be contesting the position of president when the election bell is rung, said the VFFOTT and other TTFA members are of the view that approval of any amendments to the TTFA Statutes (and other regulations where necessary) should now become the responsibility of new TTFA executive committee when elected for their four-year mandate.
“The answers to both these matters are now immediate and urgent and shall be sought through legal arbitration, given the need to ensure the term of the normalisation committee comes to an end in March 2024, after year four, of what was supposed to be a two-year mandate.
“We trust FIFA and CONCACAF would agree with VFFOTT and the TTFA membership, that taking this action now may be considered critical and necessary to facilitate bringing the work of the normalisation committee to a close in March 2024,” he said.
Meanwhile, the annual general meeting of the TTFA that was scheduled to be held on Saturday at the association’s home in Balmain, Couva, was adjourned until October 14 as Guardian Media Sports was reliably informed that of the 48 recognised members, only 16 showed up and this was eight short of the 24 members required to form a quorum for the meeting to proceed.
SOURCE: T&T Guardian