By Neto Baptiste
President of the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA), Everton Gonsalves, has rubbished claims that the body’s appointment of former national defender Sowerby Gomes as technical director and former women’s national goalkeeper Kelesha Antoine as head of the referees department are unconstitutional.
Speaking on the issue for the first time since the appointments were made early July, Gonsalves said he is not worried over threats from one member of his executive and presidential hopeful, Barbara Coates, that she will write to both CONCACAF and FIFA seeking their intervention in having the decision rescinded.
“I rubbish it and I wait for the letter from these regional and international bodies as to the allegations so that I could answer them publicly and, based on the requirements of the job and consultation with my international partners and regional partners and regional partners and my local advisors, I am pleased [with the appointments],” he said.
Coates has argued that according to the FA’s constitution, the decision should have been made by the executive but said she was only made aware of the appointments when they were announced via the media.
It is however unclear whether or not Coates has already written to the international bodies.
Gonsalves also sought to address concerns over the selection process utilised when choosing whose images appears on the perimeter wall at the FA’s technical and training center at Paynters.
“I am happy that the wall, which was once a wall of shame, is now a wall of fame and there is much discussion about it. Anything anybody wants to know about the determination as to how you get your picture up there then please come to the office and the committee would be more than happy to explain,” he said.
There has been recent concerns regarding the FA’s selections of which players are placed on the walls and whose names are attached to stands and other areas at the venue.