NORMALISATION committee chairman Robert Hadad has sent the TT Football Association (TTFA) membership letter, which states their willingness to accept the normalisation committee, to FIFA.
On Sunday, Richard Ferguson on behalf of the TTFA membership, sent the letter to Hadad.
On Monday, in a Whatsapp message to Newsday, Hadad said he forwarded the letter to FIFA. “Yes I have forwarded the request and waiting on a reply.”
On Monday, Hadad also responded to the TTFA membership letter, saying, “The normalisation committee will discuss these matters with FIFA and Concacaf.”
On Sunday, at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), the majority of the TTFA membership voted to accept the normalisation committee to run local football. In doing so, they hope to remove William Wallace and vice presidents Clynt Taylor and Sam Phillip (United TTFA) from office.
Since March, Wallace and his team have been in a battle against FIFA concerning the world football body’s decision to replace the United TTFA and appoint the normalisation committee.
At the EGM, a total of 33 members were in favour of accepting the normalisation committee, while two members decided not to vote.
Santa Rosa FC and a Tobago Football Association representative did not vote. Three delegates did not respond when called upon. The EGM was chaired by Ferguson.
It was the second defeat in three days for Wallace after the Court of Appeal overturned Justice Carol Gobin’s High Court decision which stated FIFA acted illegally in removing Wallace’s executive.
Ferguson, in the letter to Hadad, said the way forward is “for the TTFA to fully comply with its obligation as a member of FIFA, recognising the legitimacy of the FIFA-appointed normalisation committee, and bringing its own statutes in line with the FIFA statutes.”
The TTFA membership letter also gave their commitment “to fully cooperate with the normalisation committee in the fulfilment of its mandate as stated in FIFA’s letter of March 17, 2020” and “be it further resolved that all court matters existing between the TTFA and FIFA shall be immediately brought to a stop.”
The motion was tabled by Osmond Downer, one of the delegates of the TT Football Referees Association, and was seconded by Keith Jeffrey of Central FC.
The TTFA members also said they regret what transpired over the past year.
“Let me take this opportunity to humbly apologize to you, the other members of the normalisation committee, FIFA, Concacaf and CFU (Caribbean Football Union) for any embarrassment and inconvenience caused by TTFA representatives over the last year. I also hope that a strong positive relationship can be re-established as we move forward for the betterment of football in TT.”
After the EGM, Wallace told Newsday he expected the outcome of the meeting.
“There (are) no surprises. Basically this is what the membership has been saying,” he said.
Wallace said it will not be necessary for him to officially resign.
“The point about resignation may be very moot simply because once the normalisation committee is recognised and accepted, it means that there will be no need for a resignation. Once that occurs there will be no need to resign from anything because the normalisation committee would automatically replace the officer.”
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Hadad gets TTFA communication, waiting on go-ahead.
By Roger Seepersad (T&T Express).
Over to FIFA
Chairman of the FIFA appointed normalisation committee Robert Hadad has confirmed that he has officially been informed of the decision of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) membership to recognise the legitimacy of the normalisation committee, however he is awaiting a response from FIFA as to the way forward for T&T football.
“I am still waiting on a reply from FIFA as to what is the next move. I have forwarded the letter from Mr (Richard) Ferguson and I am waiting on them (FIFA) to reply to me as to where we go from here,” Hadad told the Express yesterday.
He confirmed that he had received an official correspondence from the TTFA following an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held on Sunday.
“Once I have a better, clearer indication of where they (FIFA) want to go, I will let you all know,” he added.
Sunday’s EGM comprised 38 delegates and 16 observers during which Osmond Downer, who is a delegate of the T&T Football Referees Association, tabled a motion recognising the legitimacy of the Committee and bring to an end all court matters between the TTFA and the world governing body.
The motion was seconded by Keith Jeffery of Central FC and was endorsed by the membership with 33 delegates voting in favour of the motion. Two delegates abstained from voting while three did not respond when called upon.
Chairman of the EGM, Ferguson, in his letter to Hadad entitled “TTFA Letter of Acquiescence to FIFA Normalisation” stated the TTFA’s intention to comply with FIFA’s normalisation committee and also included an apology from the TTFA for any “embarrassment” caused by “TTFA representatives”.
“Based on the meeting, the TTFA must advise that its members have agreed to abide with the conditions of the Normalisation Committee and will co-operate fully to ensure that the mandate of the Committee is realised.
“In addition, let me take this opportunity to humbly apologise to you, the other members of the Normalisation Committee, FIFA, CONCACAF, and CFU for any embarrassment and inconvenience caused by the TTFA representatives over the last year,” Ferguson wrote.
“I also hope that a strong positive relationship can be re-established as we move forward for the betterment of football in Trinidad and Tobago,” the letter stated.
The normalisation committee was appointed in March just as the Covid-19 pandemic surged to all parts of the world.
Its mandate, according to the FIFA website, includes running the TTFA’s daily affairs, establishing a debt repayment plan that is implementable by the TTFA, reviewing and amending the TTFA statutes to ensure their compliance with FIFA statutes and to organise and conduct elections of a new TTFA executive committee for a four-year mandate.
According to FIFA, “the normalisation committee will act as an electoral committee, and none of its members will be eligible for any of the open positions in the TTFA elections under any circumstances.
The specified period of time during which the normalisation committee will perform its functions will expire as soon as it has fulfilled all of its assigned tasks, but no later than 24 months after its members have been officially appointed by FIFA.”
The TTFA was suspended by FIFA on September 24 after president William Wallace and his executive decided to challenge their removal from office by FIFA in the High Court.