CONCACAF, which "can't seem to put a governance foot in the right direction," is now being accused by its own federations of "breaking its own statutes by not appointing an interim president," according to Paul Nicholson of INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL. The complaints have forced CONCACAF acting General Secretary Ted Howard to issue a letter arguing that the decision taken by the confederation's exec committee not to appoint an interim president "is the best decision" for CONCACAF. Howard: "In acts of unity and in the best interests of the confederation, both vice presidents, who were eligible to accede to the office, agreed that the position should only be filled through an election and not by appointment." This "essentially leaves" the confederation under management of the exec committee but, "perhaps more crucially, under the significant influence of its American consultants;" law firm Sidley Austen LLP, and management consultants Alvarez & Marsal. Between them the consultants earn a "whopping" $1.4M per month -- more per month than national associations "receive in a year from central grants." So far the consultants have earned more than $6M and will "likely earn" close to $15M before the election of a new president in May. There has been "growing concern" in the Caribbean that the U.S.-centric takeover of the confederation since the arrests of CONCACAF leaders last May "has reduced the ability of other member nations to participate in the decision-making process." The decision to not appoint an interim president through to the May elections has been "officially protested against" by a letter from St. Martins FA President Fabrice Baly, who instructed his legal team to review the CONCACAF statutes (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 12/29).
