Guyana takes case to CAS

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC):

The Guyana Football Fede-ration (GFF) has taken its case against world governing body FIFA and the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF) to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The appeal to the court, based in Switzerland, was made after FIFA rejected GFF's appeal when a disciplinary committee of the world body turned down their protest that St Vincent & the Grenadines (SVG) used an ineligible player during a World Cup qualification match in June. GFF's appeal to CAS was filed by attorney-at-law Sanjeev J. Datadin last week.

The GFF is continuing its protest over the eligibility of Britian-born Garvin James, who played for the SVG national team in the World Cup qualification match against Guyana at the Guyana National Stadium on June 14.

A GFF release argues that James was not the holder of an SVG passport as required by Article 19(3) of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Regulations.

James, at the time, was a holder of a British passport containing a stamp indicating he was a citizen of SVG by descent.

FIFA's Disciplinary Code Article 55 (1) states that teams will forfeit a match and pay a fine if they field an ineligible player.

FIFA had first ruled that no further action would be taken against the SVGFF.

However, in rejecting GFF's initial appeal, the FIFA disciplinary committee cited its decision on technical and procedural grounds.

In the two-match series against Guyana, SVG advanced on away goals after a 2-2 draw in Arnos Vale followed by a 4-4 tie in Georgetown.