While senior football in Guyana is at a pause, the off-field antics are certainly in full effect as Slingerz Football Club Secretary Collin `BL’ Aaron disclosed that the club has no intentions of returning to West Demerara Association (WDA) Football after being relegated from the Elite League.
“We [have] already been through that and we are not going back. If we were found guilty, we didn’t have a choice but the [Guyana Football Federation] disciplinary committee already ruled. We did nothing wrong”, Aaron said in an interview with Guyana Times Sport yesterday.
GFF President Wayne Forde
On Wednesday, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) in a released stated that they commenced efforts to reintegrate Pele Football Club and the Georgetown Football Club into the activities of their Association, the Georgetown Football Association (GFA), following their relegation from the Elite League.
However, no mention was made of Slingerz FC and Alpha United, the other two clubs relegated due to their non-participation in the league.
The clubs absence from the league was due to them not being in agreement with GFF Executive decision to expand the league with two clubs (Victoria Kings and Top XX).
The released added, “The GFF had taken the decision to relegate both clubs in accordance with Article; 13,1a and 13,1c of the Constitution of the Guyana Football Federation following their withdrawal from the senior league.”
Slingerz General Manager, Colin “BL” Aaron
Article 13 s 1(a) states “The Members have the following obligations: a) to comply fully with the Statutes/Constitution, regulations, directives and decisions of FIFA, CONCACAF and the Federation at all times and to ensure by a statutory clause that these are also respected by its Affiliates”.
While article 13 s 1(c) states “to take part in competitions (if applicable) or other sporting activities organised/approved by the Federation”.
Aaron also added that “Slingerz is not doing that we have all the judgement against them, we are not wrong in no way so we are not doing it. That is why we are in the court.”
The GFF is being sued by the Alpha United and Slingerz Football Clubs for over $88 Million. The clubs have since been granted an interim injunction against the GFF, which restrains the respondent from holding and electing officers of the executive committee at the Congress; paying out the prize money of the Guyana Football Federation’s Elite League 2016/2017; and holding congress to amend the constitution to increase the membership of Elite League clubs from eight to ten.
Aaron confidence in the matter being adjudged in their favour stems from the fact that Disciplinary Committee comprising of Attorneys Sanjeev Datadin (Chairman) and Natasha Vieira, along with Dr. Clement McEwan ruled that the executive committee’s decision to move the STAG Elite League from eight to ten teams was ultra vires their powers and unconstitutional and that the GFF Constitution can only be amended by Congress and the Executive Committee had no authority to unilaterally amend the Constitution in any manner whatsoever.
However, GFF President Wayne Forde with the support of FIFA had stated last month that the committee had no such powers rule on the matter.
When this publication contacted the President for a comment on the issue, he explained that it would “difficult for the clubs return given the legal dispute”.
“Ultimately, each one of the clubs have a choice, they can spend 10 years in the court and don’t play any football or they can do what is right and play football because the interest of the players is most important to us”, Forde revealed.
In explaining why the other clubs were given an attempt at returning to football, Forde stated that it was they showcased a willingness to play football.
“Those clubs want to play football, they have been relegated and they didn’t challenge their relegation so for the right thing for us to do is to facilitate them to be reintegrated”, Forde stated.
He added, “We have to take things one step at a time and we are happy they are starting at the youth level and I’m sure they will have opportunities to play at senior level. The federation is available and will support them to in any way possible that they need to be supported so they can get back into football”.
