Gordon Pierre, coach of T&T Super League team Petit Valley Diego Martin United is crying victimisation by Keith Look Loy, the TTSL president for his reluctance to accept the team in the TTSL this season on the basis that it is non compliant.
The team won League Two of the TTSL last season, but is one of 14 clubs on a list to have received provisional suspensions due to it being non compliant by the T&T Football Association at an April 7 meeting held at the office of the TTFA in Couva.
Pierre said his club has been unable to provide audited financial statements for 2016 because it was not legally registered with the Ministry of Legal Affairs. Clubs can have audited financial statements only when they are officially registered with government.
The Petit Valley Diego Martin United combination team has since been incorporated, but its entry into this year's super league still depends on the willingness of Look Loy as the TTSL representative on the Board of the TTFA, to argue its case for special consideration.
Look Loy's argument will be based on documentation detailing the club's financial affairs which have already been submitted to the TTFA on March 20.
If Look Loy is unable to convince the Board that the club's is worthy of special consideration, it will be suspended for a year.
Yesterday, Pierre said Look Loy has already made it clear he will not support thev West-based club's cause for entry, having already said so at the March 7 meeting. Pierre also accused the TTSL president of infringing on the constitutional rights of members of the suspended clubs to put forward their arguments why their clubs were non compliant at the March meeting.
At an Emergency General Meeting set for April 21, a two-thirds majority vote will be required to confirme the provisional suspension and if the vote goes through, the The Petit Valley Diego Martin United team will be suspended officially.
Apart from the Petit Valley Diego Martin United outfit, the 13 other clubs that will have their fate also decided at the meeting are - Central FC, Police FC's Pro League and super league teams, WASA FC, Point Fortin Civic, Guaya United, 1976 Phoenix, UTT, Siparia Spurs, Central 500 Spartans, Perseverance Ball Runners, Harlem Strikers and Youth Stars. Pierre told Guardian Media Sports his team's entry into the super league is a matter of life and death due to the spiralling crime rate on the north-west peninsula, and called on Look Loy to be considerate about it.
Contacted Look Loy said his decision will be based purely on the documents he will be provided by the TTFA on the club.
He noted nobody likes to see a club kicked out of football, and particularly with the impact that Petit Valley Diego Martin United has on the north-west peninsula, he will definitely support the club. However, he believes that he must be given a leg to stand on, noting he will not support any team breaking the law either.
Look Loy referenced a number of individual situations by clubs in the TTSL he believes are deserving of his support, such as Guaya United which claimed all documents were submitted; Police which explained that an audit is being done on the TTPS Sports Club which include other team; and Harlem Strikers which join the league in 2017 and had no financial documents for 2016.
SOURCE: Trinidad and Tobago Guardian
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