By Neto Baptiste
A number of Premier Division football clubs have signed a petition asking for an investigation into the alleged illegal transfer of players registered with the Tryum Football Club to at least two other top flight clubs outside of the stipulated transfer windows.
Reports are that nine clubs had originally signed the letter sent to the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) on December 30 last year, with one subsequently withdrawing its signature.
Spokesperson for the group and President of the Grenades Football Club, Chester Hughes, said the clubs are concerned with the manner in which the alleged illegal transfers may have taken place.
“We asked for it because it was drawn to our attention that a number of players were entered into the league outside of the transfer windows which were closed since the 16th of October at midnight, [when] clubs received an email advising of the closure. Under the rules of the ABFA, there are only two windows where players could transfer, whether it be domestic or international, and those two windows, one ended the 16th of October and the other window, which we are currently in, ends on the 31st of January,” he said.
Tryum FC, although completing the registration process ahead of the 2023/24 domestic, has not fielded a team in the Premier Division this season. Reports are that players registered with the club were allowed to transfer to both the Greenbay Hoppers FC and the Empire FC outside of the transfer windows.
Hughes labelled the move as unfair and questionable from an ethical standpoint.
“Football is about fair play, and up until this date, at no time were the Premier Division clubs advised of the reasons for Tryum not participating in the competition. At no time up to this date was the Premier Division advised that this decision was open and players from Tryum were allowed to transfer. We heard it was said in a meeting with the First Division, we heard it was said in a meeting with the Second Division, but nothing was said up to the night of the 11th to any Premier Division club the day before these transfers started taking effect,” he said.
Hughes said the clubs will be requesting a meeting with the FA in hopes of getting the answers they seek.
“The ABFA has written us back and the clubs met today [January 27] and discussed the response, and we will be contacting the ABFA for a formal meeting with the clubs to discuss the response. We want to see documentation and evidence of minutes and papers that were signed and dated, along with looking at the system to see when these transfers were effected along with rules and the whole question of whether or not there were any ethical violations by any member of any committee of the ABFA,” he said.
Grenades FC, All Saints United FC, Swetes FC, SAP FC, Old Road FC, Garden Stars FC, Green City FC, Bullets FC and Rangers FC all signed the petition, but All Saints United subsequently withdrew their signature.