Coombs struck with two-year ban over ticket scandal
ZURICH, Switzerland, CMC – Football’s world governing body, FIFA yesterday slapped St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation president, Venold Coombs, with a two-year ban and a hefty fine after finding him guilty on corruption charges.
FIFA in a statement said it had investigated Coombs’s re-sale of tickets for the 2014 World Cup and discovered that he had breached its Code of Ethics relating to bribery and corruption, conflicts of interest and loyalty.
He has been banned from all football-related activities at both national and international level and fined US$40 000.
“The investigation into Mr Coombs was opened on 9 June 2016 and focused on the resale of tickets for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil,” FIFA said in a statement. “The investigatory chamber analysed allegations that Mr Coombs had sold tickets purchased by the SVGFF and by him personally, in his capacity as a FIFA standing committee member, for a profiteering mark-up.
“The adjudicatory chamber found Mr Coombs guilty of having violated articles 21 (Bribery and corruption), 19 (Conflicts of interest) and 15 (Loyalty) of the FIFA Code of Ethics. “Mr Coombs is SVG Football Federation president, Venold Coombs.
therefore banned for two years from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international level. A fine in the amount of USD 40,000 has also been imposed on Mr Coombs.”
FIFA said it had also informed Coombs of its decision on Tuesday, with the ban taking immediate effect.
Coombs is the latest Caribbean football official to be sanctioned by FIFA, following a number of high profile cases in recent years.
Last year, Antiguan Gordon Derrick, president of the Caribbean Football Union, was banned for six years on similar bribery and conflict of interest charges, and fined US$31 000. Tickets are now available for the 2018 HERO Caribbean Premier League (CPL) games in Guyana. According to the CPL website, tickets are available for all five of Guyana Amazon Warriors’ (GAW) home matches, billed for the Providence National Stadium.
Tickets were listed at the website www.cplt20.com betw een USD 15-30 dollars with Grass Mound priced at $15, Orange Stand $20, Red Stand $25 and Green Stand $30.
Despite tickets being available on the website, when contacted, a representative from the GAW said tickets were not available at the Office right now nor could she give a date as to when sales will start.
However, she confirmed tickets will be available at the usual CPL Office at the corner of Camp and Quamina Streets.
The GAW will be hunting their maiden title when they participate in the sixth installment of the competition, having reached the finals on numerous occasions.
This year the team will be coached by South African Johan Botha while Guyana Jaguars Assistant Coach/Manager Rayon Griffith will serve as his deputy.
Botha has had previous coaching experience at the Pakistan Super League with Islamabad United and Multan Sultans. Botha has also played at the CPL, winning the title with the Trinbago Knight Riders in 2015.
This year, Guyana will host five home games, an increase from last year with talks about hosting two playoffs are yet to be confirmed as is the ticket prices. GAW will open up their campaign against St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots on August 9 before facing St. Lucia Stars on August 11 and Barbados Tridents on August 12.
The GAW will return to their home base for two more matches, facing Jamaica Tallawahs and Trinbago Knight Riders on September 8 and 9 respectively.
The tournament will run from August 8 to September 16.