ZURICH – FIFA warned Trinidad and Tobago they face suspension from international football if they pursue a dispute through the country’s High Court in contravention of the world governing body’s statutes.
The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) and FIFA have been at loggerheads since March after the latter dissolved the executive of the cash-strapped association.
TTFA president William Wallace opposed this and initially took the case to FIFA’s only recognised body to hear disputes, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but withdrew the complaint citing concerns of bias.
“The insistence of the TTFA former leadership to bring this matter to a local court instead of the established dispute resolution forum at CAS greatly endangers the overall football structure in the country and endangers the position of Trinidad and Tobago football internationally,” FIFA warned in a statement on Thursday.
“The absence of a resolution that is in line with the statutes of both FIFA and TTFA will result in the matter being brought to the attention of the relevant FIFA bodies for consideration and potential further action.”
If the TTFA stick to their guns, the matter will be discussed at the virtual FIFA Congress that is set for September 18, where the Caribbean nation would face suspension.
Trinidad and Tobago’s next competitive fixture is scheduled to be against Guyana on October 8, the start of their qualification campaign for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. (Reuters)
