Urling promises growth and development of football … despite political affiliation

CHAIRMAN of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Normalisation Committee Clinton Urling had stated that his focus is on football and not on the political arena, following his resignation from his NGO Group ‘Blue Caps’, as mentioned in an article published March 7 in Chronicle Sport. 

“Even if I decide on a political party, that shouldn’t affect my position as Chairman (of the Normalisation Committee). A lot of politicians around the world are involved in football but all FIFA is concerned about is that your political leanings don’t affect your decision-making when it comes to football,” Urling had pointed out in the Chronicle Sport exclusive.
Now, one month later and as Guyana heads steep into the political season with the May 11 General and Regional election around the corner, Urling yesterday announced his alliance with the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) appearing on their National top up list of candidates.
Urling, the former Chairman of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, vice-president of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) Dr Karen Pilgrim, former squash player and executive Tariq Williams, Stewart May and Rabin Chandarpal were named by FIFA and CONCACAF as the Normalisation Committee responsible for football in Guyana.
The FÉdÉration Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) through Head of Member Associations Premo Cavaro and CONCACAF’s Director of Legal Affairs Marco Leal announced last October that a Normalisation Committee will run Guyana’s football until September 2015 after disbanding the Christopher Matthias-led GFF.
In an interview with Chronicle Sport yesterday, Urling insisted that he will manage his politics and responsibilities in the GFF, noting “I made a commitment to complete the tenure of the Normalisation Committee and my decision to enter into formal politics will not affect that.”
“Moreover, both FIFA and the GFF Statutes recognise the responsibility to abolish all forms of discrimination in football, including political discrimination,” Urling said.
Strict on political interference in the sport, members of the football fraternity in Guyana were already sharing concerns over how world governing body FIFA will sit with the head of one of its member associations directly involved in a country’s political scheme but insisted that “the work started under the Normalisation Committee will continue in an objective and non-partisan way towards the growth and development of football.”
“I have raised the issue with FIFA and there is no objection on the grounds of my political involvement. Across the globe with Member Associations of FIFA there are examples of political leaders being the president of the respective Member Association.”
“In fact, Article 3 of both the FIFA and GFF Statutes states: “Discrimination of any kind against a country, private person or group of people on account of race, skin colour, ethnic, national or social origin, gender, language, religion, political opinion or any other opinion, wealth, birth or any other status, sexual orientation or any other reason is strictly prohibited and punishable by suspension or expulsion.” Urling noted.
Football in Guyana is in its most testing times. Fragile is how some experts described the situation, and all stakeholders are zeroed in the Normalisation Committee and especially its chairman, to see how everything unfolds.

By Rawle Toney