In a significant development, FIFA’s appointed Normalisation Committee has tentatively scheduled the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) elections for president and the executive committee for April 13, 2024.
The proposed date was shared with TTFA members and follows advice from FIFA official Nodar Akhalkatsi, who is the director of Strategic Projects and Member Association Governance.
This decision marks the third extension for the Robert Hadad-led Normalisation Committee, which was imposed on the local football association in March 2020. However, this extension is expected to last just two weeks. FIFA acknowledged that the committee would be unable to complete its mandate within the current timeframe, and they aimed to avoid holding elections over the Easter weekend.
Expected to be officially ratified shortly
Nodar Akhalkatsi stated, “In order to respect the statutory prescribed specific electoral timeframe, requiring a minimum of 60 days for the Normalisation Committee to convene an elective Congress and a minimum of 45 days for candidates to submit their candidatures to the general secretariat of TTFA, the elections for a new TTFA Executive Committee will statutorily not be able to take place before the end of the mandate of the Normalisation Committee on 31 March 2023.”
He further added, “Furthermore, it is of utmost importance to provide the potential candidates as well as all the members with sufficient time for the electoral process, to allow candidates enough time to organize their slates and campaign for the support of members.”
The proposed election date is expected to be officially ratified shortly by the Bureau of the FIFA Council, chaired by FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
In line with this proposed date, TTFA General Secretary Amiel Mohammed announced that the Normalisation Committee would issue the notice for the Extraordinary Congress on or before Tuesday, February 13. Candidates interested in Executive Committee positions must submit their nominations to the TTFA General Secretariat by February 28, with the official list circulated to local football membership on April 3. The Extraordinary Congress for the election of the executive committee is set to be convened on April 13.
Potential candidates
While official nominations for the TTFA presidency are yet to be announced, local stakeholders have revealed potential candidates. Some of the notable figures include Denis Latiff, Kieron Edwards, Selby Browne, and Sham Mohammed. Denis Latiff, the president of the Southern Football Association (SFA), has expressed his intention to run for the presidency. Kieron Edwards, president of the Eastern Football Association (EFATT), and Selby Browne, president of the Veteran Footballers Foundation of Trinidad and Tobago (VFFOTT), are also considering entering the race.
Meanwhile, Sham Mohammed, CEO of Miscellaneous Marketing Limited, is another potential candidate.
This development is significant for Trinidad and Tobago football, as it marks a crucial step toward holding elections and shaping the future leadership of the TTFA. The TTFA has not held an election since November 2019, and stakeholders are eager to see the process move forward.
