June 2 – The Cayman Islands, whose most infamous footballing figure was disgraced former FIFA vice-president Jeffrey Webb, are back in the news with another FIFA sanction that this time round looks like a triumph of FIFA bureaucracy over the realities of getting international football played in the most challenging conditions the world has ever seen.
FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee has fined the Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) $55,500 and banned its current president, Alfredo Whittaker, from official duties involving national team competition matches for six months.
The sanctions relate to incidents at the qualifying match between the Cayman Islands and Canada held in Bradenton, Florida in the USA on March 29.
The match, which Cayman Islands lost 11-0, had to be postponed by one day because Whittaker – who was also Cayman’s team manager – did not present PCR Covid test results of players and team officials as required by FIFA’s standard safety protocols.
The reality is that it was not possible for Whitaker to present the test results as the Cayman team had been delayed on their journey from their prior match in Suriname. Delays at departure and then further delays with US authorities preventing them landing at their scheduled airport and eventually being diverted to the closed Tampa airport, meant that they didn’t arrive at their hotel in Bradenton until 1am. Their covid tests had been booked for 4pm the previous day.
Whittaker then arranged new Covid tests at a different lab at short notice only to later to be informed by FIFA that the tests were not the PCR tests they required and they had to be done again. Whittaker arranged for the new tests but at the same time spoke with opposing teams and management about moving the fixture. In the spirit of football co-operation and solidarity there were no issues with agreement reached co-operatively and done in a very friendly manner, according to insiders.
But that goodwill clearly hasn’t extended to FIFA’s match commissioner who reportedly filed a report that Whittaker had put the teams, officials and herself at risk.
FIFA Ethics in its statement somewhat sensationalises the reality of the fixture reorganisation saying: “Furthermore, Mr Whittaker, by way of his conduct, has been found guilty of misconduct and inappropriate behaviour towards a match official, in addition to having demonstrated disregard for the establishment of the safety of the players, officers and referees involved in the match in light of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said FIFA.
It is a stunning rebuke for Whittaker who is a former head of referees at Concacaf and has garnered a reputation as one of the most helpful and positive of Concacaf’s presidents having stepped in, unasked, to help Cuba host its home fixtures in the Cayman, as well as hosting a US vs Canada fixture without incident – two of the more demanding national teams in Concacaf in terms of requirements.
Whittaker’s reputation clearly doesn’t match the rap sheet. He has the opportunity to appeal. The suspension doesn’t prevent him carrying out his presidential duties as Cayman Island president.
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