Ousted TTFA executive takes case against FIFA to CAS

Lawyers representing the ousted executive of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) have filed papers before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) seeking to set aside FIFA’s decision to appoint a normalisation committee to oversee the running of the association.

Attorneys Dr Emir Crowne and Matthew Gayle of New City Chambers filed the appeal on Monday night on behalf of the William Wallace executive that was ousted on March 17, four months after they were elected on November 24, 2019.

According to FIFA in the March 17 letter: “There are currently no formal internal policies and internal controls in place, such as procurement, the delegation of financial authorities, financial planning and budgeting, effective oversight of funding and management reporting, which are necessary to meet the TTFA’s objectives.

“FIFA also said there is a lack of documented policies and procedures, financial planning and management of statutory liabilities adding that there no short or long-term plan to address the “urgent” situation.”

However, according to the filing, the lawyers representing the TTFA executive maintained that the move by FIFA is in breach of the constitution of the TTFA and claim that FIFA’s purported appointment of a normalisation committee was either ultra vires, procedurally unfair, unreasonable and/or fueled by oblique motives.

In their filing, they outlined that “On March 17th, 2020, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), without any advance notice and by way of a written letter, informed the Trinidad & Tobago Football Association (the “TTFA”) that it would be removing the duly appointed executives named in this matter and replacing them with a normalisation committee.”

The letter from FIFA also indicated that before the normalisation committee is operational the TTFA administration’s management would be supervised by Mr Tyril Patrick, who will directly report to FIFA.

“The TTFA administration – in its entirety – will, therefore, report to Mr Patrick until the normalisation committee has been put in place,” the letter said.

However, Patrick, in a letter to the TTFA’s lawyers, said he informed FIFA that he would not be supervising the management of the TTFA.

Notwithstanding Patrick’s decision, FIFA in a letter dated March 26, 2020, proceeded to appoint a normalization committee comprised of Mr Robert Hadad (Chairperson),  Mrs Judy Daniel (Deputy chairperson); and Mr Nigel. L Romano (member).

“The FIFA administration, in consultation with Concacaf, will appoint two (2) more members in the following days,” the letter from FIFA said. (Sportsmax)