BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Feb. 13, 2020– Things have been dicey all this week in national/party politics; but also in football politics, and some clubs are so hurt and frustrated, they have opted to seek help outside our borders from the football parent bodies of Concacaf and FIFA. Three Belize District champion clubs – Caesar Ridge FC, FC Elite and Barrack Road FC have shared their letters with us. Caesar Ridge FC wrote their own letter, an open letter “To whom it may concern,” and copied to “Concacaf Club Licensing Administration”; and FC Elite and Barrack Road FC sent a joint letter to FFB, FIFA and Concacaf. Below we share portions of both letters, both dated February 8, the date when the Belize District Football Association (BDFA) Extraordinary Congress was held at Princess Ramada Hotel in Belize City:

Ref: We need your URGENT Help. Corruption and Political games in the Belize District Football Association

Greetings from FC Elite & Barrack RD FC Clubs!

For years we have been actively participating in the FFB sanctioned tournaments held in Belize City. We have been the sole providers and financial sponsors to our own respective Clubs. Both our teams have been champions and sub-champions of the BDFA 1st Division in Belize City. We have both represented the city in National competitions, with FC Elite being the 1st National Inter-District Champions (NALC) 2018, and Barrack RD FC being a quarter-finalist (2019) respectively. Again, both our teams will be representing the city in the upcoming NALC tournament 2020, with FC Elite as the Champion and Barrack RD FC as the Sub-Champion of the 2019 BDFA 1st Division.

Today, in what should have been an extra-ordinary meeting to table the agenda for admittance of new clubs for membership into the BDFA, simply turned out to be a hostile take-over by Mr. Ian Jones and Mr. Luis Pena (Assistant General Secretary). The reason I classify this as such is because Mr. Jones, who is from the National Sports Council, maliciously made threats to the President of the BDFA, Mr. William Moguel, from the meeting was ever called to order, about writing him up and having the entire BDFA suspended, if he did not agree to his terms for the meeting. This is hostility at the highest level. Furthermore, even though we, the prospective club members, were special invited guests by the Chairman, we were all escorted outside with a police officer posted at the door to refuse us any entry. We are even more disgusted by the fact that in this meeting, the members who had the power to cast votes or decide on accepting or denying clubs entry were:

I. Clubs that have never been registered,

2. Clubs that have not participated or been active in the last 3 years or more,

3. Kids, family, friends and current players of the members in the BDFA for clubs that did not exist, except now on paper, for the sole purpose to assure more votes in their favor.

The Belize District has gained recognition and has embellished in the achievements off our hard work. We do all the work and spend our own finances to develop and promote football in the District. We spend thousands of dollars annually on our clubs. The people seeking to be in charge and running for office position spend none, yet they have the right to deny us admission to become members. Enough is Enough! The corruption and political games being played by individuals within the Belize District Football Association and other factions related to football in Belize City has gone on for too long and too far.

If these matters are not rectified and the correct thing gets done, then both FC Elite and Barrack RD FC are hereby seriously considering other options into future participation in both the FFB sanctioned Regional and National Inter-District Tournaments. We can No Longer represent a body of corruption which uses football, a sport we love dearly, for personal gain and position by denying all the legitimate clubs who are actively participating and personally investing their own time and finances to the development of the sport of football in our city.

We are calling on the FIFA, the FFB and all the media houses to expose these transgressions and help to set football in our country on the right road to future development and success.

(Amandala Sports Ed. Note: The above letter was signed by Mr. Benito Juarez of Barrack RD FC and Mr. Ryan Gill of FC Elite)

To whom it may concern:
From Caesar Ridge Football Club (CRFC):

I write to outline and ask for subsequent clarifications on several matters which I observed at the Belize District Football Association Extraordinary Congress which was held on Saturday, February 8, 2020, venue at the Princess Ramada Hotel & Casino Conference Room, in which Mr. Luis Pena, Mr. Ian Jones were a part of an FFB ad hoc committee, and Mr. Billy Moguel sat in as Chairman.

1.) The Meeting was set to commence at 9:00 a.m.; however, it was late because, while others were waiting in the lobby area upstairs, waiting for the quorum to be met, several of the congress members and their delegates were already convened in their own meeting downstairs, which seemed unethical, in bad faith, and most assuredly a conflict of interest.

2.) It was very bothersome and questionable as to why BDFA is being held to a different standard? Other Associations, I was made to understand, were allowed to admit new or prospective members at their respective Extraordinary Congress, whilst it’s not being afforded to BDFA.

3.) Question? Why is it an issue to admit the new or prospective members? Isn’t it hypocritical and unethical that the very clubs who have been representing BDFA as the last three champions to date, i.e. FC Elite, Barrack Road FC and Caesar Ridge FC have all represented at the highest Amateur level: The NALC, which FC Elite won in 2018, and Caesar Ridge FC was Sub-Champion 2019. What is the reason these clubs and others were refused membership? The most active clubs over the past 3 to 4 years have been refused membership, and it seems this (was) orchestrated in advance. Why?

4.) It was learnt that the justification for not admitting the prospective members was because there was lacking some sort of registration regulations in the current BDFA statutes, which was the 2011 statutes. This is likening unto one reporting himself? So now I ask this question: If there is no registration regulation in place to admit new or prospective membership, then how were these very members registered, taking into consideration these processes are dictated by the Statutes which are in force at such time?

5.) Where is the registration regulation which was used to register the current members?

6.) Most shameful of all, that many of named congress members were not active in football and thus not meeting their obligations, and these are the members deciding the fate of the BDFA.

Caesar Ridge FC has been spending thousands of dollars, and has diligently competed in four consecutive BDFA and FFB sanctioned tournaments in which we have placed third, champions of BDFA 2019, and the reigning NALC Sub-Champions. CRFC possess its business certificate, and therefore has legal existence and have met other prerequisites. I ponder what the ground of objecting to CRFC is, and the other clubs who also meet the criteria, why then are we denied?

In effect, what has occurred at this Extra-Ordinary Congress, is that a majority of the members who failed to uphold their obligations for multiple years, were the ones who got to sit and decide on the fate of those who represented them well as Amateur Champions of BDFA? What a shame and travesty! These very members are the ones who decide the fate of the active clubs who have competed and have been representing the BDFA well? How can this be? If this is tolerated, then all has failed. By virtue of the new statutes being accepted today, Saturday, February 8, 2020 at the Extra-Ordinary Congress, means that most of these members who failed to uphold their obligations, will be deciding on the fate of the clubs who have been representing as current and past active champions of the BDFA? Is this for real? …

This is no more than a black eye to football in the BDFA, in the country and among the prospective clubs who have been the backbone of BDFA, finding and spending lucrative monies to keep youths and clubs active in football. These are the very clubs being kept out. It’s about time we act in good faith for the real sake and love for football and not for ourselves.

(Amandala Sports Ed. Note: The above letter was signed by Brenford E. Middleton, President, CRFC.)

(Amandala Sports Ed. Note: We have also received reports of irregularities in the Stann Creek and Toledo football associations. This is an election year for these football district associations, and also later this year for the FFB; and it is the various district association members that will later get to vote for the FFB executive.)