The backseat return of the K&S Organisation?

It has been confirmed and reported that it was the Kashif & Shanghai (K&S) Organisation and not the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) that applied to ExxonMobil for sponsorship for the upcoming GFF/ExxonMobil International Futsal Competition.

The confirmation came from the company’s representative Nicholas Yearwood following a question by a media operative at the tournament’s launch recently. Yearwood admitted that it was the K&S Organisation that approached ExxonMobil for its support.

At the said press briefing, it was also learnt that the promotional outfit was the coordinator of the tournament, while the GFF has taken the lead role as the organiser.

While there may be other sponsors on board, the question being asked is how can the GFF take the lead as the organiser of the tournament when it was disclosed by the primary sponsor that it was the K&S Organisation that was solely responsible for the entity’s presence in the first place? Previous interactions between the two entities and a solid track record were cited as the factors that swayed their decision to come on board. The fact that the K&S Organisation seems content with the label of coordinator has given rise to speculation as to whether the GFF, cognizant of the coordinating body’s inglorious exit from the football landscape, is willing to shelter them from any residue of wrath that may still be lingering within the psyche of football fans and players.

It is truly mind-boggling that the previously prominent football promotional group would conspicuously take a backseat without protest, especially since one would have thought that they would be eager to get back into the swing of things. The K&S Organisation was embarrassingly ushered out of football following 2-3 years of low turnouts at their year-end tournaments, forcing them to confront reality and exit the annual endeavour.

After years of sitting on the sidelines, just as they had coerced previous President Colin Klass to join their bandwagon, the Organisation has been able to pull off the same stunt with the current administration, tempting and eventually succeeding in getting the GFF to join forces to organise a Futsal tournament in its name.

Immediately, one could imagine the sleepless nights of the promotional entity, most likely preoccupied with the likely turnout, especially after the boycott they experienced following the social media storm that erupted during a difficult period in the country’s political history, which severely tarnished the group’s public image.

Testing the waters

Both the GFF and the coordinators are testing the waters with the staging of this tournament and even though it was announced that the Futsal format is extremely popular right now, hence the choice to have one played, many feel that with the GFF struggling to pull numbers in the traditional format, it is possibly the beginning of a more constant collaboration between the two.

Fans and stakeholders must be reminded that one member of this Organisation was a major player in the controversial Mexico World Cup qualifier switch and while this scandal is yet to be settled, he still manages to gain favour with the same entity that promised the electorate and supporters to investigate the matter.

Frankly, the GFF’s decision to collaborate with the K&S Organisation is blatantly contemptible and should be open to inspection and consequent objection.

How could a supposed right thinking entity such as the GFF align itself with an Organisation that has a questionable record? The GFF appears to have now turned the corner and is heading merrily down the road to authoritarianism and unless and until the General Council, clubs, the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), the Ministry of Sport and all stakeholders decide to act, no amount of financial injection will be able to stop the free-fall that continues to characterise the sport’s current state.

The current administration is definitely not interested in listening to fresh ideas from honorable persons, but seems more receptive to those whose only aim is to pimp off the sport. Once again, the call must be made for the players and clubs to organise, rise up and exercise their power. How long will the youths that entertain us in this country continue to be treated with such disrespect?

The only way to end such contempt is to hold the governing body, the General Council, and the respective clubs administrations liable for their ostensible impotence in reining in the power display on show in the corridors of the GFF.

The revelation by ExxonMobil’s Yearwood has highlighted the deceptive nature of the GFF and their willingness to conveniently shelter individuals and entities.

To proclaim ownership of the event to the public and football stakeholders when that is far from reality, is plain deception and the highest form of hypocrisy.

The GFF also continues to duck its other responsibilities. It must be highlighted again that the delayed payment of monies to the winners of the Elite League falls squarely on its shoulders.