Elite League Clubs calls for ‘mediation’ to resolve GFF impasse

Disgruntled Elite League Clubs – Alpha United FC, Slingerz FC, Pele FC and Georgetown Football Club, all voting members of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), are unequivocally calling for the initiation of an arbitration process, as laid out in the statutes of the GFF to resolve the current impasse between the Elite League Members and the Federation’s Executive Committee.

“We are of the firm view that arbitration is necessary since repeated efforts by both the Elite League Clubs and the GFF to arrive at consensus that would allow for the commencement of the Stag Elite League have all proved unsuccessful, hence the reason we choose to follow the mechanism put in place via the rules and regulation of the GFF to resolved all matters of concern” the clubs said in a joint statement issued today.

The Elite League Clubs are maintaining that “fairness prevails and the current executive honour and respect the GFF constitution and contract guiding the formulation and operations of the Stag Elite League that was agreed upon in September 2015 between the Clubs and the FIFA installed Normalisation-Committee”.

“We are hopeful that this arbitration process would result in an agreement suitable to all parties so that our players and fans and by extension all, are winners and the beautiful game is returned on a path that will see Guyana really taking its place in the world sport” the clubs added, further stating that “it therefore means that whatever we do as stakeholders must be in keeping with the vision of placing the sport and the interest of players, first”.

The Clubs are of the view that the current situation that is ongoing does not benefit anyone, and that what it is really achieving is long term damage to the image of the sport as a result of poor judgement on the part of a few who do not really understand the implications of the perceived infringement that has been perpetrated against the Clubs and by extension all the affiliates of the GFF.