Urling, committee up for the challenge ahead

Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Normilization Committee Chairman Clinton Urling says that the mission of the FIFA appointed body will be to develop the sport locally.

Urling is the head a five-member FIFA appointed committee tasked with running the affairs of the sport after the previous executive was disbanded.

The other members of the body which was officially announced on Tuesday are Tariq Williams, Stuart May, Dr. Karen Pilgrim and Rabin Chandarpal.

Speaking in another section of the media,Urling said:“We have people with expertise in business management, marketing and one with a great amount of knowledge about sports and how things should be done correctly, so this is something we’re all looking forward to because in the end, what we have been mandated to do, Guyana will benefit tremendously.”

Urling noted that while the current situation poses a challenge, it is one he is relishing.

“We are all doing this voluntarily; we’re not being paid a salary but we’re all looking forward to working together on this.”

   Christopher Matthias
Christopher Matthias
Clinton Urling
Clinton Urling

He added that it was important for the committee to work along with all the stakeholders within the sport inclusive of the media, adding.. “The press plays an important role in what we have to do, so we will be looking to work closely with them.”

The committee will hold a press briefing at the GFF headquarters in Section K Campbellville today where the entire details on their FIFA mandated work will be made known.

The Normilisation Committee was setup by FIFA in discussion with CONCACAF after the GFF’s failure in having a constitutional quorum. This occurred due to the walking out of two consecutive congresses by several affiliates over the contention of voting rights for certain associations.

The lack of a quorum resulted in FIFA Head of Associations Primo Cavaro and CONCACAF Director of Legal Affairs Marco Leal declaring on October 11th upon their arrival to local shores, that the body will be formed to govern Guyana’s football for a period of 11 months. This period is expected to conclude in September of next year.

The decision to set up the committee led to President Christopher Matthias and his remaining executives being removed from office. Cavaro, during a press conference before his departure said that the body will have all the constitutional power of an elected body.

Mandated tasks for the committee will be to amend and adopt new constitutions for the GFF and their respective affiliates as well as to create a properly structured electoral process based on the new constitutions.

They will also be tasked with running the daily machine of the federation.

Primo Cavaro
Primo Cavaro
Marco Leal
Marco Leal

Cavaro declared that the only difference between the normalization committee and the executive body is that the former is appointed by FIFA while the latter is elected by the congress at elections.

He further said that the chairman of the committee will act as the president and as such, will have the same power of an elected president and will be the one in contact with the world body under that guise.

Leal, during the same briefing said that committee cannot be removed internally and that only FIFA who created and commissioned it can remove it.