Protesting World Cup players threaten bankruptcy proceedings

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, (CMC):

Disgruntled members of the 2006 Trinidad & Tobago team that played at the FIFA World Cup in Germany have threatened to file bankruptcy proceedings against the T&T Football Federation.

This stems from the long-running dispute between the national governing body and the players over payments and bonuses that were owed to them, following their historic qualification for the famous tournament.

"Two months after receiving a court order to make an interim payment of US$710,000 within seven days, the T&TFF has yet to hand over a single dollar of the sum due to us, the 13 Soca Warriors of the 2006 World Cup Team," the group stated in a media statement appearing on the Soca Warriors Online website.

"This is the sixth Christmas our families and ourselves have had to endure without our bonuses, remuneration for which we worked hard and which the T&T High Court agreed we deserved. This is a scandal of monumental proportions."

The group added: "We have won legal decisions through arbitration in Britain and through the courts in T&T, yet the T&TFF has refused to comply with the law.

'No other alternative'

"We have been left with no other alternative but to begin bankruptcy proceedings against the T&TFF to recover the money owed to us. Also, these proceedings will allow an insolvency practitioner to carefully scrutinise how every dollar was spent and examine the various accounts money may have entered."

The players also chided Minister of Sport Anil Roberts for his reticence on the matter.

The protesting players said it was unfortunate that the new administration was saddled with the responsibility and called on the acting president to settle the matter.

Before the 2006 World Cup, the T&TFF reached a deal between the federation and the players to share the proceeds from their participation in the tournament.

After the World Cup, the federation declared revenue of just over US$3 million and costs of just under US$3 million, offering the players a split of just under US$950 apiece.

The players rejected the figure, disputing the federation's numbers, a stance reinforced when the T&T government revealed that the T&TFF received close to US$30 million.

The T&TFF proposed that the bonus dispute be heard before the British Sports Dispute Resolution Panel, and arbitrator Ian Mill, QC, ruled in favour of the players.