BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Oct. 1, 2020– As we are about to go to press tonight, a bombshell 5-page release from the Football Federation of Belize (FFB) Elections Appeal Committee 2020 reached our sports desk. Dated September 27 and addressed to FFB General Secretary, Earl Jones, the letter basically declares the FFB elections, held on August 22 of this year at FFB headquarters in Belmopan, to be null and void due to a number of constitutional violations.
Following a State of Emergency restriction against holding the scheduled elective Ordinary Congress at the San Ignacio Hotel, the FFB suddenly changed the venue to its headquarters in Belmopan, against the wishes of some members who requested instead that the Congress be postponed.
After the elections were held, an appeal was lodged to the FFB’s Electoral Appeal Committee by some candidates in the elections, citing a list of perceived violations of the FFB Statutes in the electoral process.
In its report, the Elections Appeal Committee concluded that: “The elections were unlawfully conducted and as such, is null and void.”
And it went on to declare that “the old Executive stands until a new set is elected following the rules of the Electoral Code,” and which “ought to be done before December 31, 2020, in order to fulfill the statutes and to also be compliant with FIFA standards.”
The FFB Elections Appeal Committee letter is signed by Chairperson, Jacqueline Willoughby, JP. LLB. C.L.E.