The Latest in the TTFA v FIFA

In September’s big episode of the TTFA vs FIFA saga, football’s governing body indefinitely suspended the TTFA from all international competitions, which means that Trinidad & Tobago’s national teams and club teams will be missing in action on the pitch until the TTFA “fully complies with its obligations as a member of FIFA”.

FIFA gave the TTFA two deadlines to withdraw the case (to battle FIFA in [Trinidad’s] High Court) - on September 16th and then September 23^rd (at 3:00pm). On September 23^rd, TTFA President, William Wallace, confirmed that they withdrew the case. However, the withdrawal was not submitted until 3:02pm, while the application to discontinue the case was not processed until 8:00pm.

By then, the High Court Civil Registry was closed, and FIFA did not get official confirmation of the withdrawal by the time (FIFA) president, Gianni Infantino, commenced his meeting with the FIFA Council.

This suspension means the Trinidad and Tobago will, most likely, be absent from next year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign.

However, CONCACAF still included Trinidad and Tobago in the tournament draw, pitting them up against Montserrat in the preliminary round. They did state, though, that T&T will only participate in the tournament if the ban is lifted. If the ban is not lifted by 5:00pm on December 18^th, Trinidad and Tobago will be replaced by Antigua and Barbuda, the next highest ranked team based on their 2019 CONCACAF Nations League performance.”

On September 25^th, the plot twisted once more. Wallace withdrew his withdrawal and reignited the High Court case. The TTFA President stated to the press, “I believe that the recent punitive action taken by FIFA against the TTFA because the TTFA is engaged in a legitimate action before the Trinidad and Tobago High Court is high-handed, unreasonable, and does not accord with the principle of ‘fair play’ which lies at the heart of the sport of football; but instead is consistent with ‘fear play’…”.

The saga continued.

On October 5^th, the TTFA received news from the courts stating that their application for an appeal against FIFA was granted. As things stand, a court ruling is scheduled for October 9^th, while FIFA’s appeal is due on October 19^th. To add more heat to the flame, FIFA’s appeal was given a stab as the Registrar of the Courts stated that FIFA will need to deposit TT$60,000 as “security for costs” if they want their appeal to be heard on October 19^th. The fee is meant to spare the TTFA the hassle of chasing FIFA to the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) if FIFA fails to honour a potential order of legal costs for T&T’s football body. FIFA has until (or before) October 15^th to pay up.

Eight days later, the TTFA got what they wanted as Madame Justice Carol Gobin ruled in favour of T&T’s officials. Gobin declared that FIFA’s uprooting of Wallace and his committee was “illegal, null and void and of no effect”. Consequently, Gobin stated that the normalisation committee was also ineffective and appointed “in bad faith for an improper and illegal motive”.

So, the TTFA won, but at what cost? Prime Minister, Keith Rowley, was not impressed by the TTFA’s resilience. On his Facebook page, Dr. Rowley said “Success that comes at such a high price and at other people’s expense sometimes results in the price of the ‘victory’ proving too costly to have been worth it. In that case what happens when the powerful king wins the battle, but the thousands of subjects lose? […] So now United TTFA has ‘won’ and FIFA has lost […] we are now free of the ‘colonial’ FIFA […] that means we can never lose and will always win because we will only be playing by ourselves. Brilliant!”

With internal drama now arising within the TTFA, it doesn’t make things any easier for players, coaches and referees looking on from the sidelines. As things stand, people actually involved in local football are utterly confused about what they will do in the next few months, as they’re now caged by both FIFA and COVID-19.

So, T&T’s football future greatly depends on actions off the pitch. The TTFA still has until December 18^th to satisfy FIFA’s terms. Everyone in Trinidad and Tobago is hoping the situation is resolved by then, or else we all suffer indefinitely. Administrative and legal activities in their favour can cement T&T’s spot in the Gold Cup, at least. Can Wallace and his team render a stalemate with football’s governing body in this tight chess game? We anxiously await the next move.

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