Several national team players, registered coaches and match officials have been provisionally suspended from all football activity with immediate effect pending a Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Disciplinary Committee investigation following reports of an unauthorised football event in Buxton.
The individuals will be unable to participate in any international or club football until the resolution of Disciplinary Committee proceedings and could face further disciplinary action.
They will be notified of the venue, date and time of their separate hearings in due course.
The provisional suspensions apply to the following:
National team players: Trayon Bobb, Kelsey Benjamin, Nicholas McArthur, Kevin Dundas, Sese Norville
Match officials: Dwayne Johnson, Deon Feasall, Roydon Ramsay
Coaches: Dwayne Jacobs, Philbert Moffatt, Sharon Abrams, Sherwin Neblett
This action, in line with the GFF’s constitutional mandate and responsible governance duties, has been taken following notification of an unsanctioned football event at the Buxton Community Ground.
Further, GFF investigations into the participation of other individuals are ongoing and may result in similar disciplinary action in due course.
To defend the integrity of the game and protect the safety and wellbeing of its membership, the
GFF Constitution – approved by FIFA – contains specific clauses related to unauthorised football activity.
Under Section 5.3 of the Constitution, registered “players may not take part in football matches that are not under the jurisdiction of the Federation and/or FIFA and /or Concacaf”.
Under Section 13.1(a), “members must comply fully with the Statutes/Constitution, regulations, directives and decisions of FIFA, Concacaf, and the Federation at all times and to ensure by a statutory clause that these are also respected by its Affiliates”.
Under Section 13.1(h), members are obliged “not to maintain any relations of a sporting nature with entities (e.g. clubs, Leagues) that are not Members or Affiliates nor with Members that have been suspended or expelled”.
Section 13.2 states that the “violation of the above-mentioned obligations by any Member may lead to sanctions”.
Furthermore, under current official COVID-19 restrictions designed to save lives and protect communities, gatherings of more than 10 people are banned. Since the onset of the pandemic, the only football event the GFF has sanctioned with approval from the National COVID-19 Task Force has been the GFF “Bounce Back Classic”, which took place at the turn of the year behind closed doors without fans and under strict health protocols.
The GFF Disciplinary Committee is one of the three independent oversight bodies of the Federation and addresses any alleged breaches of the GFF Constitution. (GFF)
