In an effort to clear the air following the stadium fiasco the Guyana Football Federation has issued a press release in which the organisation has acknowledged receiving annual disbursements from FIFA.

The release, signed by president Colin Klass expressed regrets for any controversy or confusion over the proposed FIFA funded stadium for Guyana but contended the US$20M cost was an indicative cost for the construction of a stadium and was never intended as a cost to be borne solely by FIFA.

"At no time did I or the GFF feel that Guyana would be the recipient of US$20M from FIFA. We were never promised this sum by anyone be it Jack Warner or Sepp Blatter and we have nothing to correct officially nor did it surface in any of our interactions with other stakeholders," the release stated.

"The fact of the matter is that FIFA had committed US$1M to Guyana for its GOAL project funds for the construction of a football facility or stadium, the total cost of which is determined. This is still the position as was reiterated by both president Blatter and Mr. Warner at their recent press conference in Guyana. The US$1M for Guyana was no hoax, it is real. FIFA's commitment is US$1M to be released in two trances of $400,000 (earmarked to be spent during the first quarter of 2002) and $600,000 in 2003."

The GFF has already said it received a faxed communique from the FIFA Development officer Keith Look Loy who has the responsibility for administering the GOAL Project. The communique reiterated FIFA's commitment to the Project and requested from the GFF the following documentation for Phase 1 which is scheduled to begin next year: Evidence of land ownership or extended lease, technical drawings for the facility, quotations from at least three construction companies and an estimate of the cost of operating and maintaining the facility once it is completed," the release continued.

With respect to the issue of FIFA's annual disbursement to the GFF of US$250,000, the release stated that the information has been in the public domain since 1999.

"This matter was featured in the GFF financial report to the last AGM and was given extensive coverage in the print media. It should also be stressed that the expenditure from this grant must conform to FIFA guidelines and is the subject to their audit and approval. It should be recalled that earlier this year FIFA conducted an international audit of the GFF's use of this Grant and I'm happy to report that except for a few minor queries, for which clarifications have been submitted, FIFA is quite satisfied with our stewardship in respect of the utilisation and accountability of resources they provided to GFF. The GFF's record of transparency and its commitment to the development of football in Guyana and the region can be defended at anytime," the release concluded.