August 21 – FIFA is not stepping back from its own statutes and rules of law and is maintaining that the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) is the correct forum for the ousted former Trinidad and Tobago FA leadership who have complained against their replacement by a Normalisation Committee.
Last week a Trinidad and Tobago High Court ruled that it was the proper court to hear a claim from the ‘United TTFA’ group – who had taken control of the TTFA in elections at the end of 2019 – that they were removed illegally and without cause.
FIFA has appealed this ruling saying it “is a formal step, and as football’s world governing body, FIFA further insists that the only recognised path to resolve such a dispute is the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS). The recognition of the CAS as the correct forum in which to hear the dispute is in accordance with the FIFA Statutes that all 211 FIFA member associations have agreed to, as well as in agreement with TTFA’s own statutes on this matter.”
On winning the judgement former TTFA technical committee chairman Keith Look Loy provocatively claimed in local media “…it is a massive statement in the sense of our national sovereignty and democracy.”
FIFA’s somewhat more measured response in the press statement announcing its appeal said: “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.”
However, FIFA did warn that if they lose the appeal the matter will be referred to FIFA’s other bodies “for consideration and potential further action.” Which for the TTFA would mean almost certain and immediate exclusion for all activity and fixtures, including World Cup qualifying.
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