GFF, Kashif and Shanghai face fall out over disputed team
By Steve Ninvalle
Stabroek News
December 23, 2003
The Kashif and Shanghai Organisation and the Guyana Football Federation seem headed for a fall out following the playing of a football game in the competition that included a team dubbed the Kashif and Shanghai All Stars.
At a press conference held at the Water Chris Hotel yesterday Kashif and Shanghai executive, Kashif Muhammad, stopped short of labelling the GFF vindictive, but declared that the GFF was seeking to disrupt the smooth operations of the 14-year-old organisation.
The potential squabble centres on Kashif and Shanghai All Stars, a team that basically comprises players from the Western Tigers Club.
The GFF had written to the organisers of the tournament stating that the general council had made a decision that Western Tigers be excluded from the invitational competition.
The letter, dated December 19 stated that the decision to exclude Western Tigers was taken by the highest decision-making forum in the GFF and must be respected.
However, Muhammad said that the GFF was high-handed in its action since the decision to exclude Western Tigers was made long before the general council met.
He claimed that his organisation had documents to prove this.
Muhammad added that up to now the GFF has offered no reason for the exclusion of the club, a finalist in the last competition.
Western Tigers, Muhammad said, played in the recently concluded GFF Futsal competition and was invited to participate in the Business Schools' Under-15 competition currently being played. So he questioned why the club was being denied participation in such a prestigious competition.
Muhammad disclosed that his organisation was advised by General Secretary of the GFF, George Rutherford that even though Western Tigers was being excluded, the name of the club could be changed to facilitate participation, hence the Kashif and Shanghai All Stars becoming a reality.
Sunday's match between the Kashif and Shanghai All Stars and Uitvlugt All Stars, one of the most exciting games seen in the competition this year, almost was not played.
Stabroek Sport was informed that a high ranking member of the GFF telephoned a representative of the Referee's Association moments before the game, instructing that no member of that body should officiate in the match.
However, that instruction was not carried out since another high-ranking member of the GFF, present at the game overruled the instruction, claiming that it was for the good of football.
Efforts yesterday to contact GFF president Colin Klass and Rutherford proved futile.
"There is no rule, regulation or circumstance that justifies the decision. It is simply a demonstration of power by those charged with administering football in Guyana," Muhammad said.
"There exists a clear understanding between the GFF and ourselves that the Kashif and Shanghai Football Tournament is an invitational event. We reserve the right to invite the participation of clubs of our choosing. Our invitations are guided by the objectives of first, bringing the best football clubs in Guyana together, and secondly, involving clubs from various administrative regions of Guyana in a high standard of competition in order that the less fashionable regions can benefit from such competition," Muhammad said.
"The countrywide popularity of the tournament and the sustained support of our sponsors reflect a widespread recognition of the contribution that the tournament makes both to football as a whole and to the public entertainment during the Christmas period. The position taken by the GFF leaves us to wonder whether we are victims of our own success," Muhammad added.
It was revealed that Kashif and Shanghai pays GFF tournament fees in excess of $750,000. "Ironically, the GFF's actions will have the effect of lowering gate receipts, and by extension, undermine our ability to pay those fees."
Meanwhile, the status of the Kashif and Shanghai All Star team remains in limbo. Expressing frustration at the GFF's handling of the issue Muhammad said that his organisation will adapt a wait and see attitude.
"Chances are that it will sour the relationship between the two organisations," Muhammad said.
Kashif and Shanghai All Stars defeated West Demerara All Stars 4-2 at the Wales ground on Sunday to book a quarterfinal place. However it is not yet know if they will play any further part in the tournament.
In reaction, the GFF has called an emergency meeting for this afternoon at 5 pm where the executive who gave the instructions for the game to go ahead will have a chance to defend his actions.