Majority of TTFA members vote to end FIFA battle

THE majority of the TT Football Association (TTFA) members voted on Tuesday to end United TTFA’s court action against FIFA.

A virtual meeting ended at 9.30 pm. Earlier on Tuesday, ousted TTFA president William Wallace told Newsday he was willing to hear the views of the TTFA membership and called the informal meeting, a day before FIFA’s September 23 deadline given to TTFA to withdraw the matter from the High Court.

After the meeting, TT Pro League acting chairman and TTFA board member Brent Sancho told Newsday, “The majority (voted) against the court matter.”

Sancho is hopeful that Wallace and the United TTFA listen to the TTFA members.

“At the end of the day, I suspect good sense will prevail tomorrow (Wednesday) and the matter should be taken out of court and more importantly, I think this group was looking for a reason to step aside and they knew the writing was on the wall.”

Sancho said the number of people who wanted to withdraw the court matter was approximately three times more than those who were in favour of continuing the court battle against FIFA.

FIFA removed Wallace's executive, on March 17, after just four months in office owing to TTFA’s mounting debt and "very real risk of insolvency and illiquidity."

A normalisation committee, led by businessman Robert Hadad, was put to run the TTFA affairs, a decision Wallace's executive had previously refused to accept.

The United TTFA, led by Wallace, did not seem willing to have a change of heart before the previous deadline by FIFA of September 16 to withdraw the matter.

FIFA insists the Court of Arbitration for Sport is the sole authority to hear disputes between FIFA and its member associations.

At last Friday's FIFA Congress, TTFA's battle with FIFA was not discussed but FIFA later extended the deadline to Wednesday. FIFA reiterated that TTFA faces suspension if the case is not dropped.

Before the meeting on Tuesday night, Wallace said he was willing to listen to the opinions of the TTFA members.

"Whatever comes out of the meeting today, we would take into consideration in terms of making a decision. I'm not saying if the membership say drop the case we will drop the case, I'm saying whatever is discussed with the membership today would affect how we move forward."

With the draw for the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup on September 28 FIFA could ban TT through FIFA's seven-member Bureau of the Council and TT's Gold Cup dreams could be dashed if the United TTFA does not comply.