By Sue-Ann Wayow
FOOTBALL in Trinidad and Tobago is on the verge of collapse with football’s world governing body FIFA suspending this country from all FIFA competitions.
This according to Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith who said young men’s dreams will be killed because of the actions of a few persons who had too big an ego.
Griffith who has been very vocal about the ongoing issue between FIFA and the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) told AZPNews.com that the outcome was expected given that the former leaders of TTFA did not comply with FIFA’s regulations.
Griffith said, “It was an avalanche and it was expected because egos yet again set in. Unfortunately we have been suspended. The good thing about it, is that it has happened already. We need to move on and I say when you get lemons, you make lemonade. What this has done is that it revealed a lot of persons with egos and they were not looking at the bigger picture.
“People must not have selfish intentions when they go out in service of country and especially in a position like this.”
He said FIFA had to do what they needed to do, given the situation and there was still a silver lining.
Griffith said, “In the last few lines of that letter by FIFA, it gives us that window of opportunity where it states that the suspension can be lifted at any time. Now is the time that every single club, member, footballer fan must agree that the normalisation committee should have full control, to take over. Have the normalisation committee make the request to FIFA and have this suspension lifted immediately.”
The normalisation committee led by Robert Hadad was set up in March by FIFA.
He said, “We cannot be dream killers based on our own actions. We are speaking about hundreds of young men losing the opportunity to dream, to represent their country, to get opportunities, for contracts for scholarships. If this is not dealt with we are not going to get a cent from FIFA and I do not think that the government will want to put much into an organisation that is only going to be playing sports internally.
“You are definitely not going to get a cent from the private sector. Football is going to collapse so there is nothing to gain. We saw these individuals so eager to win a battle at the expense of losing a war. Now is the time for us to move forward and do what is required.”
