Street football outside GFF’s control – Peters

By Akeem Greene

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and Banks DIH are at logger-heads over who has authority to control ‘Street football’ in the country as the beverage giant hold their first Guinness ‘Greatest of the Street’ Football tournament for the year.
At a press briefing on Wednesday ahead of the West Demerara/East Bank

Demerara Zone of the popular Guinness Greatest of the Street tournament which commences Friday, Banks DIH Communication Manager Troy Peters responding to questions on whether the company will be confirming to GFF’s new guidelines responded saying, the street version of football is outside the scope of the federation’s powers.
“We have always been working closely with the GFF on many fronts for tournaments but for the street football we see this outside the jurisdiction of the GFF so we are continuing along that very line,” Peters stated.
He added, “Street football in itself has its own organisation, its own work-up and for those who follow street football would know that. Not because it has the word football means GFF has the jurisdiction over street football,” Peters asserted.
Last year, GFF President Wayne Forde through a press release from the federation stated, they are seeking to regulate football played in the country and has thus engaged the support of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to ensure permits for tournaments are only granted following the GFF’s approval of a given tournament.
This entails a promoter getting an approval letter from the GFF, which is given to the police in the respective division in which the tournament is being held, before the police authorises the said tournament.
According to the GFF, this initiative follows the actions of some who coordinate tournaments without the secured prize money and other logistical arrangements in place and without the clear guideline and oversight of the country’s ruling body.
However, Peters explained they managed to get the necessary approval from the required stakeholders.
“We had meetings with the [Police] commander of West Demerara and everything was outlined with the plans we have and we have the sanction from all the necessary persons and organisations and it is a go for us,” the Communications Manager conveyed.
More so, the federation approved a 3 percent levy on all tournaments. Forde in explain how the structure works stated, “three percent towards the total prize money or the total gate income whichever is higher of the two.”
Peters firmness on the matter stems from the concept and of sport being as a way of developing communities.
“We when we started it was a community initiative and will continue along that line. If it’s any tournament that is organised and structured by the GFF, definitely we will have to comply because they are the governing body for football in this country.”
In an article appearing on FIFA’s website concerning street football, it addresses more the role of a partnership rather than a governing body. According to the article which was themed “FIFA and streetfootballworld unite,” and now FIFA and streetfootballworld have united to form a strategic alliance for ‘social development through football’. The partnership will begin with FIFA helping stage the ‘streetfootballworld festival 06’ and supporting the work of five street football projects.”