By Paul Nicholson
April 11 – Antiguan clubs are rebelling against their federation, the Antiguan and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA), and calling for FIFA or CONCACAF to step in and take control. They want the ABFA audited and full financial transparency by an independent body.
Following the news yesterday in INSIDEworldfootball that ABFA had mortgaged the Paynters St Georges ground for $1.1 million – a ground that had been gifted to the federation by the Antiguan government and provided with over $1 million of FIFA Goal development funding – an open letter was sent to clubs.
The letter from Clubs Westham, part of which has been seen by INSIDEworldfootball, says: “The absolute quiet from our executive whose responsibility it is to manage the affairs of the Association is not only deafening, it is bordering on frightening.”
The letter requests “the convening of an Extraordinary Congress to begin the process of understanding the status of our organisation and moving forward with external and internal stakeholders.”
Antiguan clubs have been quick to support the letter with Parham FC, Tyrum FC and Freemans Village FC endorsing the call for an extraordinary congress. Parham FC said it “agrees with the need for a meeting and hereby request the inclusion of an investigation into the ACB Loan Agreement and the use of funds.”
The Clubs Westham letter calls for:
– Presentation of the 2013 profit and loss and cash flow statement (unaudited if that is all available so we can get idea of our financial position)
– Presentation and Approval of the 2014 budget and related activities
– The appointment of a committee to review the funds received and expended on the FIFA goal project
The letter says that: “The reality is that we have been hearing many negatives about the finances and management of our Association from all sources but very little, almost nothing from our executive and when there is anything it is in an environment of hostility as if to suggest we have no right to ask.”
Kethroy Black, president of Tyrum FC, said: “We know what the problems are but what is the solution? What we are hoping is CONCACAF or FIFA will come to Antigua and run an investigation and put an interim executive in place to allow us to run our national programmes while this audit continues.”
After the INSIDEworldfootball story yesterday, news emerged via the Antigua Observer that ABFA has reported that the charge previously placed on the lands housing the FIFA Goal Project by Antigua Commercial Bank (ACB) has been discharged. There was no detail whether the mortgage loan money had been repaid, just that the charge by the bank had been released.
It would be unusual for a bank to release a charge held over land that had been mortgaged, unless the mortgage had been repaid. General secretary of ABFA Gordon Derrick (pictured) is also vice chairman of the bank of Antigua.
According to the Antigua Observer the ABFA statement says the document “paves the way for the ABFA to recommence its previous excellent relationship with FIFA in relation to the Financial Assistance Programme.”
The statement was signed by ABFA president Everton Gonsalves, who said that the completion of the Goal Project remains one of his primary objectives.
UEFA president and FIFA vice president, Michel Platini, visited Antigua earlier this week for two days. He met with Gonsalves and Derrick – Derrick is also president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), a potentially powerful voting block in FIFA elections. Platini was there to ostensibly discuss the Memorandum of Understanding signed with CONCACAF earlier in the week though during the trip he had again made comment that he was the only person who could beat FIFA president Sepp Blatter in an election.
To beat Blatter, if he were to run, he would need the Caribbean vote and Derrick would be the man to deliver it for him. Though, with the focus on Derrick’s activities in Antiguan football in particular and the revolt amongst clubs on the island, Platini would be choosing an interesting supporting partner to say the least.
For his part, Derrick has let it be known openly on the island in football circles that he covets the CONCACAF presidency and that he feels he could win an election.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734934740labto1734934740ofdlr1734934740owedi1734934740sni@n1734934740osloh1734934740cin.l1734934740uap1734934740