Wallace seeks funds for FIFA fight

Former TT Football Association 
president William Wallace. - Marvin Hamilton
Former TT Football Association president William Wallace. - Marvin Hamilton

FORMER president of the TT Football Association (TTFA) William Wallace and his executive, who were removed by FIFA a fortnight ago, when the global govening football body decided to implement a normalisation committee, are seeking funds for their legal battle through the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Wallace, through a media release on Monday, said, “The legitimately elected officers of the TT Football Association, democratically elected by the electorate in the presence of both FIFA and Concacaf officials on 24 November 2019, wish to assure the (TT public) of our continuing rejection of FIFA’s unwarranted and illegal intervention into football in TT.”

The media release continued, “FIFA’s injustice is made all the more transparent by the fact that it failed, consistently, to intervene against the (David) John-Williams administration that operated and generated massive debt for four years—with FIFA’s knowledge and supervision through their annual audit.

“It is ironic that after we assumed office and generated a report which pointed out the absence of any financial internal structures, that the report was sent back verbatim as one of the two reasons given for FIFA’s action.

“Moreover, based on recent information we are aware that FIFA’s intervention was premeditated and the implementation of this action commenced since we won the elections.”

Wallace and the former executive members (vice-presidents Clynt Taylor, Susan Joseph-Warrick and Joseph Sam Phillip) stressed that they will pursue the matter at the CAS in Lausanne, Switzerland.

“We need to be heard and that right is enshrined in the FIFA statutes that govern all Member Associations,” the media release mentioned.

“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable; every step towards the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering and struggle. The expense of this legal challenge is a tremendous obstacle but we are determined to fight for what is right, to defend democracy and the sovereign right of our people to determine our own affairs.

“To that end, we have created a ‘go fund me’ campaign and are calling on all patriots to contribute to our national cause as generously as they can. Please visit (https://www.gofundme.com/f/TTFA-Fights).”

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"Wallace seeks funds for FIFA fight"

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