TTFA Sunday GM in doubt

THE validity of Sunday’s Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) involving the TT Football Association (TTFA) membership is now in question as it is unclear who is in charge of local football.

On Friday, the Court of Appeal ruled that the imposition of a normalisation committee by FIFA should have gone to arbitration before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Chief Justice Ivor Archie and Justice of Appeal Nolan Bereaux both agreed that the filing of proceedings in the local courts by TTFA’s president, William Wallace, and his executive, was a breach of the local football body’s Constitution which provides that any dispute against a decision by FIFA must be heard by the CAS.

As a result of their decision, the decisions of Justice Carol Gobin in August and last week were set aside. In her ruling last Tuesday in the High Court, Gobin ruled that FIFA’s removal of the TTFA executive and implementation of the normalisation committee, after it had only been in office for four months, was illegal.

The normalisation committee was appointed in March by FIFA because of TTFA’s massive debt. On Friday, the TTFA was also ordered to pay the legal fees of the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

In an interview with Newsday following Friday’s ruling, Wallace responded to the order that TTFA must pay the legal fees. “I respect the decision of our courts.” Discussing the amount that TTFA will have to pay, Wallace said, “That has not been quantified. I don’t know.” Wallace said the membership will decide on the future of local football after Friday’s ruling. Discussing the TTFA EGM scheduled for Sunday at 9 am, Wallace said that may now be out of his hands.

“That also at this point in time I am not sure of. I need to have that conversation with the legal team…from my point of view I think that any meeting would have to be called now will have to be called by the normalisation committee.”

TTFA board member and former national defender Brent Sancho said he is also of the understanding that the normalisation committee is in charge again.

Sancho, who believes members may still attend Sunday’s EGM, said Wallace needs to make it clear who is going to pay the legal costs.

Sancho said the validity of Sunday’s meeting “comes under severe questioning.” He added, “I highly suspect that this meeting from a legal point of view and the persons that called it is now deemed illegal. I could only suspect that.”

Chairman of the normalisation committee Robert Hadad, asked for a comment on the latest ruling, said, “No comment yet.”

Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Shamfa Cudjoe said she was not “too surprised” by the ruling as TTFA is part of FIFA and certain statutes must be followed.