Jaguars’ Mexico FIFA World Cup 2014 qualifier to be investigated
The Congress of the Guyana Football Federation on Saturday passed a motion to investigate the details surrounding the National Senior Male Football team (Golden Jaguars) FIFA World Cup 2014 qualifier against Mexico.
The match was initially set to be played in Guyana on October 12, 2012, but the GFF, under its acting president Franklin Wilson, sold the hosting rights for the game, which was then hosted at the BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas, where the Jaguars went down 0-5 to Mexico.
The Golden Jaguars went down to Mexico 0-5 in the infamous switch of venues to Texas, details of which have not fully been made public which has caused an investigation into the matter
“The motion was tabled and passed successfully. The essence of the motion is that the Executive Committee commenced the investigation of the circumstances surrounding the selling of the game rights and everything that would have ensued after”, Forde said. Fruta Conquerors Football Club has tabled a motion mandating that an investigation be launched into the scandalous switch.
“Be It Resolved: That this May 27, GFF Congress mandates the executive of the GFF to commission an investigation, within 14 days of this Congress’s consent, into the fiasco of the Mexico-Guyana game in the USA, and have a report of the findings presented to the next Ordinary Congress,” the motion stated.
The Fruta Conquerors’ motion also detailed: “Be it Further Resolved: That this investigation address whether any oral or written contract was entered into with players and staff for that game; and if the-then GFF was a party to the same.”
Forde revealed that the assistance of FIFA and CONCACAF would be sought to unearth the details.
“The Executive Committee supported the motion, and we now have the tools that we need to reach out to FIFA and CONCACAF for support, both in terms of investigative capacity and necessary funding that would be needed to undertake such an investigation,” Forde disclosed.
He added, “Guyana Football needs closure on this matter, and we are happy that one of our members brought this to the floor and we have a clear mandate to resolve”.
No specific timeframe was given by which to resolve the matter, but the Federation well get the proceedings started in the next 14 days.
Recently, former National Captain Christopher Nurse told <<Guyana Times Sport>> he was hopeful that the matter would be addressed.
According to Nurse, prior to the match, then acting GFF President, Franklin Wilson, had signed an agreement with the players concerning their remuneration packages due to the switch in venue, after previously ignoring them. “He [Franklin Wilson had] ignored the earlier request for an agreement, (and that had) led to the strike the night before (the) Mexico [match],” Nurse revealed.
He further disclosed: “It’s common courtesy for the team to be notified how much the game was sold for and how much the GFF received. Out of that (amount) the players are due 12 per cent. One crucial instance took place and it [was] announced to the national team (that) $75,000 was received. However, only $45,000 was deposited into the GFF account, and the players were never compensated as per the agreement”.
Back in 2012, Wilson had deemed moving the match as in “the best interest of football”, since “the revenue will be used to pay off outstanding debts and other expenses the Golden Jaguars have incurred”.
It is understood that the Federation would have reaped approximately US$2 million (Gy$400 million) in profits. However, no documentation was provided to substantiate these claims.
