President of the Dominica Football Association (DFA) Glen Etienne, in his first public comment since the Morocco voting matter broke says that his executive will be meeting today April 9, 2018 where that matter will be discussed.
“We have an executive meeting on April 9, 2018 and we will discuss that matter after which a statement will be released by the DFA,” Etienne said.
Pressed by journalist Carlisle Jno Baptiste when will that statement be issued he said, “After our meeting this week.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Francine Baron recently announced Dominica’s support for Morocco in its bid to host the 2026 World Cup, although FIFA rules prohibit political interference in national soccer associations.
“On behalf of Dominica, I am pleased to announce the support of my country for Morocco in the organization of the 2026 World Cup,” Baron said after meeting with a Moroccan diplomat recently.
There was no similar announcement endorsing Morocco from the DFA.
FIFA’s statutes demand national soccer associations are “independent and avoid any form of political interference.”
World soccer’s governing body, which has previously suspended federations if there is evidence of government interference, did not respond to questions about the ethics of Dominica’s endorsement coming via a minister.
FIFA also bars votes being linked to development projects but, according to the Moroccan government announcement on the bid endorsement, Dominica now hopes to expand intergovernmental ties with the North African nation, including in agriculture and student scholarships.
St. Lucia also recently announced its support for Morocco’s 2026 World Cup bid but Randolph Harris, the interim president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), of which the DFA is a member, has cautioned that the recent endorsements by St. Lucia and Dominica of Morocco’s bid, don’t necessarily mean that is how the countries will vote.
Glen don’t be a Coward , stand up and make a statement . Francine Baron was out of place to make that announcement you should be man enough to say so .
This is not a political issue. This has nothing to do with Red vs Blue. The last 2 world cup bids with seriously damaged by scandals and fraud! They resulted in a number of high profile officials losing their jobs and receiving lengthy bans from FIFA! The USA was one of the countries “victimized” and it is no surprised that it was three US media outlets that broke this story. DFA can be suspended from FIFA without a vote of the Congress if the Council feels we have violated our obligation to operate independently. That means we can’t receive aid, can’t compete, and can’t make sporting contact with other FA’s. We currently have 60 national team players in training, and 3 FIFA referees. All these people are now at risk of losing what they have committed themselves too. People trying to defend the issue as “petty politics” and “some blue vomit” are completely inconsiderate of the people who will affected by this. People like me who did 3 courses through the DFA last year…
This is a very serious matter and it should be taken seriously by our authorities. This is precisely the kind of thing that FIFA abhors and has legislated against. Our politicians must exercise more care and attention in their public utterances.
We hope that this incidence will not have a significantly negative impact on the development of football in Dominica and more importantly will not further damage our national image in the international community.
There is precedence to expel DFA from FIFA. Nigeria was suspended in 2013 for similar reasons. So little Dominica should pay attention.
What is it about NO Gov’t should interfere with any local Football Association that Skerro and Francine can’t understand ? And thy told me she is a lawyer? \
Skerritt, you can rule your ministers how you want but you do not have any international tolls to do your dirty business.
I hope Glen grow a pair and demand that Francine retract her statements.
Politics has engulfed Dominica to the extent, everything in Dominica, is either Red or Blue, regardless. This might be one of the biggest international scandals to have hit us in recent times, and instead of coming together as a country, as a united front and tell the government its action was wrong, we are all over the national press taking sides. When FIFA suspends Dominica from participation in international football, I hope we will be able to honestly tell the young people, we were unable to dump our political colors, and put them first.
Sir
The govt must first admit it was wrong if it wants the citizens to support it
Very interesting. Every time Dominica makes international news, one has to hold their breadth boy? I mean we have so sold our souls that we don’t even know that we ought to be ashamed and embarrassed when our mother’s name (Dominica) is being dragged about in the international scene?
Things like this is going to keep happening unless we hold our politicians accountable, all of them.
I waiting to see the FA’s response.
How does a whole country become so nervous and subservient..The government continues to pi$$ in the water and we’re all afraid to say something let alone do something!!
Of late, the Birds and now the DFA.. People it’ not because you don’t love the Government that you say speak out..It’s for love of country moreso that we should disagree with bad decisions and unfounded policies. Otherwise we’re doomed in this country.
Can the government support Morocco’s bid for the 2026 world cup? If so how does it work? Is the government a member of FIFA? If the government has no legal standing to support Morocco its pronouncement is simple a gesture of goodwill and nothing more. I might be wrong but the endorsement should come from the local football association. Again big fuss about nothing and an opportunity for disgruntled politicians to grumble.
You may not be aware of the rules governing these matters and as such you made such a statement. However, in a effort to discourage corruption governments are not to directly insert themselves int these matters. Rather the national football governing body, the football associations is the one mandated to do do in every member country. Additionally, the country’s vote should not be linked to the exchange of any favors.
Like Skerrit’s support for his friend king Mohammed against self determination for the people of the Western only a gesture ? He denied these people the right to independence.
Etienne we all know what Skerrit and his corrupt ministers say no one but LENNOX CAN GO AGAINT THEM ,YOU JUST HAVE TO SUPPORT THEM ETIENNE.
This is why his big mouth making him pay so much. LENNOX CANT KEEP HIS MOUTH CLOSED.
He don’t know when to speak and when to stay out of a conversation
So let him speak talk or bla bla bla
He have to die and his kids still will be paying his bills for his long tongue with his empty head which lacks common sense and knowledge
I swear you need a doctor…are u still frothing ??
I glad we have someone with the bals and intelligence like Lennox to speak up for us. You Don’t always have to agree with him and that is good also.
Why are the pro corrupt govt statements in pink on ths forum? Could it be that the Iranian oil and dodgy passport money is being used to try and manipulate any anti Skerro govt club statements? This is still a poor attempt to buy your way out of trouble through trying to control the media. It is so transparent that it seems amateurish. If you take a look at world politics you will notice a trend of ex leaders being prosecuted and held accountable for crimes committed while holding power in office.
A lot of their sing-for-supper supporters have gone mute and hide now. Time will tell no one is invincible.
“St. Lucia also recently announced its support for Morocco’s 2026 World Cup bid but Randolph Harris, the interim president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), of which the DFA is a member, has cautioned that the recent endorsements of by St. Lucia and Dominica of Morocco’s bid, don’t necessarily mean that is how the countries will vote”.
Nice try Mr. Randolph Harris. I see you’re trying to pull your sister Dominica out of the deep …. she finds herself in over this new debacle. However, we know you’re just playing semantics. An endorsement is as good as a Yes vote in these international forums. In any case, even if you all wanted to keep it hush-hush, Morocco done sell all you out with its declaration of assistance with Tourism and Agriculture.
You need to wash your hands like Pontius Pilate.
Let the Dominica government answer to their mischief.
Dominica isn’t in any deep.
Because we know what we do and say.
We speak from an informed standpoint
Unlike you all who speak from Thompson Lennox and Matt information
Myou all don’t spend time to do research in this moden times where information is at our fingertips
This is why ignorance is so high among UWP and their supporters
It takes nothing to just google to get you all informed on an issue uno. But NO let me hear wat mat Lennox blessings and Thompson have to say and that is gospel.
It’s so sad that I’m this times you all are this way.
BUT THANKS GOD YOU ALL ARE VERY FEW IN NUMBERS
BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF DOMINICANS THINK PROPERLY AND WONT FALL IN U ALL DRAMA.
We inform our self well when we hear an issue ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES FROM UWP AND OR THEIR OPPERATIVES.
Because the history of UWP is to mislead people starting from the Gonzales issue to dual citizenship of Ron to Earl to Edison now the worse of all that NOVICE 66 year old man
What are talking about? This comment is completely irrelevant to the topic at hand! How much of your time have you invested in football in the past 2 years? The DFA is the most organised sports association in the country, that is made possible through FIFA! What does the government do for football????? If you want to talk about politics, where is the gym the prime minister promised so long ago???? They can’t even deliver that to athletes yet they trying to take what we do have away from us. Again I don’t expect someone who has invested nothing in Football to feel anything about the prospect of being suspended by FIFA, however my national team players, the majority of them U20, are the ones who are going to suffer. The 11 and 13 year olds in my club will be the ones to suffer. Not Red or Blue. Because at the end of it all no one in politics ever did much for sports in Dominica!
The arrogance of these people. Nobody can tell them what to do. Despite signing up to all sorts of international conventions, not only are we delinquent in settling our fees in time but wilfully ignore our obligations under these agreements. Except when it comes to demanding aid and donations from the rest of the world as if by right, by entitlement. A lot of these countries must be getting pissed of with this attitude of a little fleabite of a country like ours acting so uncouthly and with few graces and manners. It is not our leadership, which is suffering because of this but the majority of our ordinary citizens. We are not reliable partners and if we do not change soon we shall end up as pariahs.
Especially when these “fleabite” of a country has an equal vote with the mightiest football nations
Glen Etienne, is now between a rock and a hard place, now he got to show if he got gwen bef (cowballs) or he got a pair of wayzin (grapes)
