Forde justifies GFF actions in open letter following U20 fallout

A statement from the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) on Monday evening sparked widespread outrage across the local football fraternity, with accusations of the Federation “not defending” their players after the National Men’s Under-20 team was disqualified from the ongoing CONCACAF U20 Qualifiers and four players subsequently receiving bans.
Taking umbrage with the barrage of accusations on social media, GFF President Wayne Force has since penned an open letter to the football fraternity, detailing the GFF’s actions and procedures followed since being informed of CONCACAF’s review process.
Forde wrote, “Fellow Members of the Football Family, Fans and Stakeholders, I write this letter for one principal reason: to address the narrative circulating primarily on social media, and in other quarters, that the Guyana Football Federation has failed to defend its Under-20 players.
That assertion is categorically untrue.
Over the past several hours, our Under-20 players, their parents and guardians, our technical staff and our wider football community have endured significant hurt and disappointment following the decision of the CONCACAF Disciplinary Committee to disqualify Guyana from the 2026 Under-20 Qualifiers.
We remain convinced, based on the video recording in our possession of the altercation, that our players did not provoke or instigate the incident. That conviction does not diminish the emotional toll this matter has taken on young men whose reputations have been subjected to intense public scrutiny. It has also affected their families, who have had to contend with harsh and, in many instances, ill-informed commentary circulating across social media platforms.
I acknowledge and understand the anger and frustration of supporters who rallied behind this team. The incident and its aftermath have been damaging to the image of the players, to the Guyana Football Federation, to Concacaf, and to our country. Emotions are understandable. However, clarity and facts must guide responsible discourse.

To that end, here are the key timelines that have guided our actions thus far:
• 28 February 2026: Match Incident
In the 85th minute of the match, a mass confrontation occurred involving players from both teams. Multiple red cards were issued. The match was subsequently abandoned after Anguilla fell below the minimum number of players required under the IFAB Laws of the Game. As is standard procedure, the Referee and Match Commissioner submitted official reports detailing the incident.
• 1 March 2026 (Morning): Opening of Disciplinary Proceedings
The GFF received formal notification from CONCACAF that disciplinary proceedings had been opened. We were advised that our written position had to be submitted by 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time that same day. The timeline was compressed because a decision had to be rendered prior to our next scheduled fixture, given the sporting, logistical and financial implications tied to match operations, hotel bookings and international travel arrangements.
• 1 March 2026 (Within Deadline): Submission of GFF Position
Within the limited window provided – a matter of hours, the GFF submitted a detailed written response. That submission included a comprehensive account of what was observed on the video recording in our possession, together with reports from our delegation and technical staff on the ground. We advanced our position clearly and unequivocally, defending our players and contextualising the sequence of events as we understood them.
• 2 March 2026: Decision Rendered
The CONCACAF Disciplinary Committee rendered its ruling. The decision imposed four- match suspensions on four Guyanese players, levied a financial sanction, declared subsequent matches forfeited, and disqualified Guyana from the competition.
When incidents of this nature arise at the international level, there is no public hearing, no oral advocacy before a panel, and no forum for protracted debate. The regulations provide for written submissions within strict deadlines. That is the established process across global football governance.
The suggestion that the Federation did not defend its players is therefore not only inaccurate, but fundamentally misinformed. We acted within the regulations, met every deadline, and presented our case comprehensively.
It is also important to understand that in disciplinary matters of this type, the primary evidentiary documents considered are the Referee’s Report and the Match Commissioner’s Report. While video evidence may be reviewed, those official reports carry substantial weight.
Under Law 12 of the IFAB Laws of the Game (Fouls and Misconduct), violent conduct constitutes a sending-off offence. Crucially, even where a player is first attacked, retaliation may independently amount to violent conduct and attract a red card. This principle is consistently applied in football worldwide.
We lodged a strong protest in relation to our Captain, Max Robinson. Based on the recording, he appears to have been attempting to restrain a teammate rather than participate in the altercation. Nevertheless, he was dismissed. In the absence of audio evidence, it is conceivable that the sanction related to language used, as players may also be sent off for offensive, insulting or abusive language. These are determinations made by match officials in real time.
Let me be unequivocal: our boys are not violent, indisciplined or devoid of respect for the game. They are good young men. In our considered view, they were drawn into a volatile situation that escalated rapidly, one in which many individuals, in the heat of the moment, might have reacted similarly. That context does not excuse misconduct, but it does matter.
The GFF is investing heavily to ensure that our young players are consistently afforded opportunities to compete on the international stage. We are building pathways and expanding exposure precisely because we believe in their potential. We therefore respectfully encourage those with significant public platforms to devote equal energy to promoting and celebrating their achievements as they do to amplifying moments of controversy.
As is standard practice of the Guyana Football Federation, we carefully utilise the regulatory window for appeal in matters of this magnitude, irrespective of the immediate outcome. That process, too, is governed by strict timelines and procedures, and will be approached with the same discipline and diligence that have characterised our actions thus far.
Support for our players is not measured by public theatrics. It is measured by responsible, strategic action taken within the rules that govern our sport.
I ask our football family to remain measured, informed and united as we navigate this challenging moment.”
While Guyana was disqualified after playing just two games at the qualifiers, their two remaining games were registered as 3–0 forfeits to Haiti and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Additionally, players Max Robinson, Mateo Clarke, Sheldon Kendall and Shaquan David were handed four-match bans to be served in the U20 or higher age groups in FIFA or CONCACAF competitions.