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Simmering unrest in the football family

SportsSimmering unrest in the football family

BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Feb. 4, 2021– Since the early “post Chimilio” and “post Vicente” days, as the Football Federation of Belize (FFB) briefly seemed poised, under Interim-President Marlon Kuylen, to enter a period of stability and progress toward excellence, we have observed a steady and disturbing decline of morale inside the football family; and while we had hoped to see an early breakthrough to the festering differences and dissatisfaction within the ranks, it seems that there are still dark clouds to pass before we can welcome that silver lining.

Football fans are no doubt weary of all the details involved, and just want to see football back on the field of play. In the meantime, many choose to satisfy their sporting urges with Concacaf, European and MLS football on T.V., and this weekend it’s all eyes on the American Super Bowl.

When the Government finally gives the green light, the various district associations and the Premier League will move to launch their competitions. In the meantime, they are making preparations, and probably soon there will be announcements about registration of teams.

But there are worrisome issues involved even in that process; and we hereby give a glimpse into serious concerns being raised by some members of the football family.

First of all, it needs to be realized that 2020 was an election year for the Football Federation of Belize (FFB); and that election was to be preceded by an election of the Premier League of Belize (PLB), and also by the seven (7) district associations, as the latter bodies would cast their vote in the big election for leadership in their parent body, the FFB. And recently, it’s been all about petty football politics, which seems to have become like a cancer inside the FFB.

There was much turmoil and grief in the district association elections in late 2019 and early 2020, the most glaring being in the Belize District, where, because of new club licensing regulations, the reigning First Division champion and sub-champion found themselves unable to vote in their Belize District Football Association (BDFA) Congress; because they were “not duly registered as member clubs.”

An intervention from the then FFB official authorized to determine who was and who was not compliant with the licensing process, and who saw things differently from the FFB General Secretary, resulted in that FFB official being terminated, and those clubs remaining excluded from the BDFA elections process.

The long and short of the scenario, (which reportedly may have been duplicated in other district association elections), is that the election process may have been compromised to favor clubs who were known to support candidates considered favorable to the incumbent FFB executive. Each of the seven district associations is entitled to two (2) votes at the FFB Elective Congress.

The Premier League of Belize (PLB) is entitled to seven (7) votes at the FFB Elective Congress. And the PLB’s own elective congress also had its ups and downs. After a controversial first effort was declared “null and void” by the FFB’s own Appeal Committee Chairperson, because of the unfair disenfranchisement of two PLB clubs, new elections were ordered. But those two clubs were known to support a new challenging slate of candidates for the PLB executive elections; and that new slate, led by Punta Gorda’s Clifford King, was known to NOT be in support of the current FFB leadership; while the incumbent PLB executive under President Ian Haylock of San Ignacio were fully supportive of the current FFB executive led by President Sergio Chuc, also of San Ignacio. Therefore, indications were that the PLB challenging slate, if successful, would proceed to throw their support behind the challengers at the then upcoming FFB executive elections.

So, what happened?

Well, first, the Chairperson of the FFB Appeal Committee was summarily removed from her post, on the charge that some breach in the process had occurred.

Then, the FFB called its Elective Congress with the incumbent friendly PLB executive in attendance; and they, as expected, voted for the FFB executive incumbents, and Sergio Chuc was re-elected President of FFB. But, was that election ethical or valid, considering that the PLB elections were still “up in the air”?

Some disgruntled member clubs of the Premier League then followed the process dictated in their Statutes, and called an Extraordinary Congress, which was held on December 5, 2020, and where the two clubs were reinstated, and a new Executive body was elected for the PLB, with Clifford King as its new President.

However, the FFB leadership having gotten over the hump of its recent elections, is still supporting the former PLB Executive, and refusing to recognize the latest elected PLB Executive body. The suspected reason being that in four years’ time, the PLB Executive will again be casting their (7) votes at the next FFB Elective Congress, and FFB President Chuc prefers Ian Haylock to be in control of those votes rather than Clifford King as PLB President.

Belize is scheduled to participate in World Cup 2022 qualifiers beginning in late March of this year; but of late the FFB leadership may be diverting much of its focus and energy on “the fight to remain in power.”

In this tussle for legitimacy, with a new PLB season expected sometime soon, the new club licensing process being implemented by the FFB will determine which clubs meet the requirements to be licensed, and thus can be officially recognized by the FFB as “members” of the PLB and district branch associations. If there is bias in this process, the FFB can thus “stake out” any club it deems unfriendly to the FFB’s favored PLB or district association executive. Who decides the clubs, directly affects the make-up of the congress. If there is any unfairness in the process, then, the voting at the next congress can thus be influenced by those who control the club licensing mechanism.

The situation is ripe for meddling, manipulation and politicking; and that is why the former FFB official in charge of club licensing, Idemuei TVPLGMoss is adamant that the FFB may be about to employ a dangerously flawed process.

With that little bit of background, hopefully fans can glean a better understanding of the situation now by looking at some quotes below from two individuals: First, a letter by recently elected PLB President, Clifford King of Punta Gorda, addressed to the FFB Disciplinary Committee Chairman; and second, some comments to football stakeholders from the former FFB club licensing official, Idemuei TVPLGMoss.

Clifford King’s letter
Date: Thurs. Jan. 28, 2021
From: Clifford King
To: Chairman, FFB Disciplinary Committee
Thru: General Secretary, FFB

Dear Mr. Morales,
Kindly find attached documentation regarding a legally constituted convened III Extraordinary Congress of the PLB that was held on December 5, 2020.

I’m bringing this matter to your attention, in this initial instance, to notify you of the following:

1. The FFB has been notified of the results of the extraordinary congress having been called and convened.

2. The FFB has been notified of the results of the extraordinary congress via the Minutes and of the results of the elections of the new PLB Executive Committee.

3. The PLB Secretariat has been notified accordingly as well.

To date, the FFB Secretariat has NOT recognized the submissions made accordingly and has neither instructed the PLB Secretariat of the same.

Additionally, the ‘defunct’ PLB Executive Committee has refused to demit office after effectively handing over to the duly elected new Executive Committee…

We request that the Disciplinary Committee address this matter and take disciplinary actions against all persons that have facilitated these ongoing transgressions.

Cordially submitted for urgent action!
(Amandala Sports Ed. Note: 4 relevant attachments accompanied the above letter.)

Idemuei TVPLGMoss’s comments
FFB Club Licensing System under control of bodies loyal to Sergio Chuc in contravention of FIFA guidance

Tues. Feb. 2, 2021
Dear football stakeholders,
I share with you an excerpt from FIFA Club Licensing Handbook. What is happening in the FFB club licensing universe is 180 degrees separated from the guidance of FIFA, which has mandated that club licensing be used as a tool to professionalize football clubs for greater effectiveness, and not as a mechanism to ensure political stranglehold within FFB.

Football club operations are costly and there is no cash contribution towards those costs from FFB, so it is imperative that this corruption of the FFB club licensing system be made known to all football stakeholders.

I have added comments (in italics below) into the body of the excerpt for direct effect.

FIFA Club Licensing Handbook

 A summary of the recommended approach
MAs are recommended to approach the establishment and implementation of their national club licensing system with a positive and open attitude, and with the following as strongly recommended guidelines:

“Do Not”
– Copy and paste from any confederation or MA CL regulations.
– Ignore local circumstances or the feasibility of implementation.
– Fail to provide support for clubs on club licensing implementation.
– Fail to communicate regularly with clubs on club licensing implementation.
– Fail to consider the possibility of a wider application of the club licensing system.
– Refrain from updating the criteria each season.
– Fail to comply with the core process of the club licensing system.
– Appoint First Instance Body or Appeals Body members who are on another MA, league or club body, represent a club, or lack knowledge and competency in club football.
– Seek to interfere in the decision-making of independent bodies

(By appointing FFB employees, DA executive members, Secretariat operatives to club licensing bodies, FFB Executive Committee ENSURES THAT IT WILL interfere in the decision making of the bodies.)

“Do”
– Implement a national club licensing system as a fundamental football development tool and to achieve the strategic plan of the MA.
– Engage in open communications and cooperation with all stakeholders at every stage of the development of the national club licensing system.
– Ensure that the criteria properly reflect wider social, economic and political contexts.
– Adopt criteria and timelines that create the best possible prospect of sustainable, long-term compliance with the highest possible standards and on a cost-effective basis.
– Consider the option of application to leagues other than the top men’s division, for instance the men’s second division and the women’s league.
– Consider the progressive implementation of higher standards over time.
– Ensure open and clear communication with clubs throughout the planning and implementation phases, and create educational seminars with all relevant club personnel.
– Ensure equal treatment of clubs and effective compliance with criteria.
– Ensure that the members of the First Instance Body and Appeals Body are independent, neutral and competent.

(FFB Executive Committee has appointed
1. Rafael Avila, an FFB employee as the club licensing manager who cannot be neutral nor is he independent.

2. First Instance Body members
i. Godfrey Arzu as chairman. Arzu is a member of the PLB Executive and thus is neither neutral nor independent of FFB as PLB is a FFB member.
ii. Rafael Avila is employed as Director of Competitions and as such cannot be independent since he takes orders from FFB President.
iii. Luis Pena is employed as Asst. General Secretary and reports to both FFB GS and FFB President; thus is not neutral or independent and is definitely incompetent in club football operations.
iv. Fernando Sanchez is a member of the Orange Walk Executive Committee which is loyal to President Chuc and thus is not neutral nor independent to FFB since OWFA is a member of FFB.
v. Penelope Matus

3. Appeals Body members should be neutral, independent and competent. The members are:
i. Ray Davis, an employee of FFB and thus subject to influence of GS and FFB President. He is not neutral nor independent, thus his competence can be compromised.
ii. Philip Marin is the Technical Director of the FFB and was on same slate as Sergio Chuc in the 2016 22-round elections. As an employee of FFB he is not neutral nor independent.
iii. Eugene Sanchez is a member of the Toledo FA executive committee and as such is not neutral or independent of the FFB as he was installed in the TFA executive by the FFB General Secretariat and FFB Executive Committee.
iv. Paul Casimiro is an executive member of the Belize District Football Assn and was installed by FFB Executive Committee and so is beholden to FFB, so he is not neutral or independent.
v. Alvaro Marin is an executive of the OWFA and a staunch ally of President Chuc, so will always act in the best interest of Sergio Chuc, so he is not neutral nor independent.)

The FFB General Secretary and FFB Executive Committee, in an effort to ensure that Sergio Chuc remains FFB President for three terms, has overlooked FIFA guidance in setting up FFB club licensing bodies in such a way that clubs which are suspected of hostility to district executives loyal to Sergio Chuc will be marginalized to ensure the election victory of those district chairmen loyal to Sergio Chuc.

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