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• TTFA files termination order on appeal of FIFA-imposed suspension

  Attorneys representing the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association today filed a termination order before the Court of Arbitration for Sport effectively ending their appeal of the suspension imposed on the association by FIFA last month.

  The termination order is in keeping with the resolutions arrived at on Sunday by the delegates of the association who voted en masse to end their seven-month dispute with the world governing body over a March 18 decision to appoint a normalization committee to manage the affairs of the debt-ridden association until the next Annual General Meeting scheduled for some time within the next three years.

  The delegates also voted to end all legal action against FIFA, which resulted in the termination order being filed today.

  The TTFA is hoping their actions along with others will see FIFA lifting their suspension before December 18. This will allow Trinidad and Tobago to participate in the draw for the 2020 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

  The TTFA was represented by Dr Emir Crowne, Mr Matthew Gayle, Ms Crystal Paul and Mr Jason Jones.

   

• FIFA president Infantino tests positive for coronavirus

  FIFA president Gianni Infantino has tested positive for coronavirus.

  The 50-year-old is experiencing mild symptoms and has begun self-isolating, world football's governing body confirmed on Tuesday.

  "FIFA president Gianni Infantino has received confirmation today that he has tested positive for coronavirus," a statement said.

  "The FIFA president, who has reported mild symptoms, has immediately placed himself in self-isolation and will remain in quarantine at least for 10 days.

  "All people who came into contact with the FIFA president during the last few days have been informed accordingly and they are being requested to take the necessary steps.

  "FIFA sincerely wishes president Infantino a speedy recovery."

  Infantino is in his second term as FIFA president, having won re-election in June last year.

  The former UEFA general secretary first took office in February 2016.

  Infantino has spoken recently of his determination to make sure the 2022 World Cup in Qatar takes place with fans attending, despite the coronavirus pandemic forcing domestic competitions to continue to restrict the number of supporters going to stadiums or banning them entirely.

  "I cannot imagine the Qatar 2022 World Cup without fans because playing a competition the size of the World Cup without spectators is almost no point in having, causing us big issues, and there is no doubt that the next World Cup will definitely be held in Qatar," he said.

  "We have sufficient time in order to contain the coronavirus pandemic, and the global community will have done this by winter 2022.

  "At the present time the crisis threatens football and for the first time since World War II, football competitions around the world have been stopped. The situation has been very difficult, especially for those countries that depend on the income of fans attending."

• TTFA outlines Sunday's resolutions in apologetic letter to Normalization Committee

  Richard Ferguson, Chairman of Sunday’s Extraordinary General Meeting of the delegates of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association has written to Robert Hadad of the FIFA-appointed Normalization Committee stating that they will comply with its obligation as a member of FIFA and that they will cease all legal action against the sport’s governing body.

  The move effectively brings to an end the seven-month long dispute between the association and FIFA, who in March 2020, dissolved the TTFA’s administration four months after it was duly elected in November 2019.

  FIFA cited weak financial controls and systems that plagued the heavily indebted association. However, the matter led to a month's long dispute that went before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the Trinidad and Tobago High Court of Justice and eventually before the Trinidad and Tobago Appeals Court, who ruled in favour of FIFA late last week.

  Today’s letter follows on the heels of resolutions that were overwhelmingly accepted during Sunday’s EGM and from which former TTFA President William Wallace and members of his executive withdrew.

  It states that the TTFA has decided to “comply with its obligation as a member of FIFA, recognizing the legitimacy of the FIFA- appointed Normalization Committee” and to bring its own statutes in line with the FIFA statutes.

  They have also resolved to fully cooperate with the Normalization Committee in the fulfillment of its mandate as stated in FIFA's letter of March 17th, 2020 and critically, that all court matters existing between the TTFA and FIFA shall be immediately brought to a stop."

  Ferguson also stated that the “TTFA must advise that its members have agreed to abide with the conditions of the Normalisation Committee and will co-operate fully to ensure that the mandate of the Committee is realized.”

  He also apologized to Hadad and members of the Normalization Committee, FIFA, CONCACAF and CFU “for any embarrassment and inconvenience caused by TTFA representatives over the last year.”

  “I also hope that a strong positive relationship can be re-established as we move forward for the betterment of football in Trinidad and Tobago.”