Upper Demerara Football Association [UDFA] clubs Eagles FC and Botofago have been issued with one-year suspensions for their non-participation in the UFDA year-end championships in Linden.
This was confirmed by Terrence Mitchell, President of the UDFA.
Mitchell, who also holds the portfolio of the Guyana Football Federation [GFF] Executive Committee member, said that the two clubs have also been fined $50,000 apiece.
According to Mitchell, “Article 14 of the UDFA constitution clearly stipulates that as long as the UDFA organizes an event, all members must participate in the tournament. Article 14 also provides the avenue for their suspension. After clearly investigating the issue, that decision was taken. Failing to comply, the clubs were suspended on the grounds of the article.”
He added, “The constitution states that the Executive Committee can meet and discuss the issue and then take it to the General Council. Basically the General Council made the decision. Eight clubs were present at the meeting and it was a unanimous decision. The two suspended clubs were not present at the meeting.”
Executives from Eagles United and Blueberry Hill opted against commenting on the suspension. However, they did confirm that the clubs have been issued with suspension letters for the stipulated period and fined the aforementioned amount. They also disclosed that clubs will appeal the decision.
“The suspension was based on the fact that during the year-end tournament which we were planning and eventually came off, the two clubs decided they wouldn’t participate. That was at the last meeting which was held to finalize some decisions about the tournament. They choose not to play, you have to ask them because I was most interested in getting the tournament off the ground because we had challenges with our main sponsor Banks DIH who we were trying to get to commit to a contract.”
He disclosed that the company’s commitment would have provided the avenue for the prize monies to be increased, adding that the entity’s non-committal would necessitate the association lowering the prize monies to ensure that the event was staged.
Mitchell further disclosed that the remaining clubs agreed to feature regardless of the possible lowering of the prize monies but the duo opted against participating.
Asked if the GFF is aware of the current suspension, Mitchell declared, “They are fully aware, any missives sent to the clubs were sent to the GFF President and General Secretary. They are au fait with what went on. They weren’t directly involved, as the UDFA looks after its business providing it’s in accordance with the constitution. If the UDFA was wrong, the GFF would step in.”
Meanwhile GFF General Secretary Ian Alves stated, “We are aware of this serious issue and now looking at the matter. A request has been brought to the GFF to enter into the matter. One of the clubs wrote on us on the issue. We are aware of the situation as both sides have been communicating with us.”
