FIFA says GFF has authority to decide league composition

The World governing body for football (FIFA) has written the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) upholding the decision of CONCACAF that the GFF has the authority to decide the composition of its tournaments.

Earlier, CONCACAF, the regional governing body for the sport, had indicated that the GFF has the right to decide on the composition of its tournaments following the decision of four of the country’s top clubs to pull out from the GFF Elite League tournament over the number of teams to be included in the league.

“It is within the power of the GFF Executive Committee to change the regulations of the Elite League, including determining the number of participating clubs, unless there is a binding written agreement between the GFF and the Elite League which would state otherwise- to the best of our knowledge, however, such an agreement does not exist,” the letter to the GFF dated February 1, 2017 from FIFA’s General Secretary Fatma Samoura stated.

Four clubs, Alpha United, Slingerz, Georgetown Football Club and Pele   boycotted the second GFF Elite League tournament over the question whether the GFF had the right to decide the composition of the tournament.

In her letter Samoura referred to Article 36.21 of the GFF constitution which states that it is within the powers of the GFF Executive Committee to draw up regulations governing the conditions of participation in and the staging of competitions organized by the federation including the playing schedule.”

“In response GFF President Wayne Forde stated that: The Executive Committee has a statutory obligation to adhere to the directives of FIFA and CONCACAF as do the members of the GFF. MY hope is that we can put this matter behind us and refocus the nation’s attention on the game, and the players.”