Klass's greatest challenge
Sports Scope Our opinion
Stabroek News
August 13, 2004
Colin Klass has faced many challenges ever since he took over the presidency of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) way back in 1989. But come Monday, Klass will face his biggest challenge yet; a challenge that could result in him being relieved of the presidency.
In a way, it had to happen. Klass has ruled over Guyana's football with an iron fist and atight one at that, since there seems to be little in terms of football development to show for the US$1M in FIFA funds the GFF has received over a four-year period.
Klass has successfully fought off challenges from now deputy Commissioner of Police Henry Greene and Attorney-at Law Joe Harmon, for the presidency of the GFF and from former Guyana Defence Force officer Oliver Hinckson, a past president of the GFL who was engaged in a running battle with Klass over a host of football-related issues.
However, in the face of his many challengers, the diminutive Deloitte and Touche accountant has stood tall. He has changed the constitution on numerous occasions.
When Klass took office some 15 years ago, elections were held annually as is the case with most national associations. But, showing vision even more acute than 20/20, Klass changed the constitution whereby elections were held bi-annually and then, every four years. But he did not stop there. In a move unprecedented in Guyana's football history, Klass stumped many followers of the sport with the introduction of staggered elections. Subsequently last April, Klass was returned as president for his second four-year term while second vice-president Frankie Wilson and assistant secretary - organising Aubrey `Shanghai' Major were elected unopposed. Next year will see elections for the first vice-president, assistant secretary - administration and treasurer positions.
Now, however, the challenge from Presidential Adviser on Community Development Odinga Lumumba could have Klass wondering if this is the end of the line. For although many tried, most notably FIFA referee Gerald Laurie who wrote to the CFU, CONCACAF and even FIFA to no avail, no one it seems, until the advent of Lumumba could force Klass's bosom pal Jack Warner to launch an investigation into the workings of the GFF. In fact, Warner told a gathering of journalists at Le Meridien Pegasus sometime back that what Klass did with FIFA's money was no business of the media, the government or the people of Guyana. It was a most disrespectful statement coming from such a high ranking FIFA official.
Perhaps now that the challenge to Klass is coming from Lumumba, who is making no secret of the fact that he intends to challenge Klass for the post of GFF president when the time comes, it appears that Warner may finally be looking at giving Klass the boot. Certainly, Lumumba, because of his style and his position in the government, might be more useful to Warner than Klass's accountancy skills. The fact that Warner has mandated, Harold Taylor, to investigate the impasse between the GFF and the GFL is a deviation from Warner's previous position. Insiders have told Sportscope that Warner and Klass are not as chummy as before. So is this the end of the line for Klass? The GFL has raised the issue that the current GFF executive may be unconstitutional. That may be so. But will CONCACAF be able to declare the last elections null and void thereby forcing new elections, one which Klass might not possibly win?
The 46-year-old Klass, to his credit, has worked himself up the ladder of CONCACAF and the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) where he is a second vice-president.
He is also a member of the Standing Committee of FIFA's Committee for Futsal for the period 2002-2006 and he also serves as chairman of the Futsal Committee of CONCACAF. Can Warner afford to get rid of such a powerful person in Caribbean football circles? One who has been as loyal as they come? It is an interesting scenario.
Lumumba has labelled the issue democracy versus dictatorship and in a way he is right. The GFF has been accountable to no one and has repeatedly trampled on the rights of local footballers who continue to make little progress at home while Klass and company reap the benefits that the footballers should be reaping.
It is Klass and company who go on frequent trips on football related matters but do little or nothing to move the sport forward. In fact, most of the sub-associations have been dissolved and are being run by interim committees; the GFL being one. And while Suriname has managed to erect a football facility, compliments of FIFA's Goal Project, the GFF is yet to acquire land to facilitate the construction of the facility to which FIFA had pledged US$400,000.
With that and a host of other issues swept under the playing field so to speak, Sportscope welcomes the visit of Harold Taylor and hopes that at the end of the investigation democracy would have returned to Guyana's football.