Saint Lucian elected new CFU president

President of the Saint Lucia Football Association, Lyndon Cooper, is the new president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU).

He takes over the position previously held by Barbados Football Association President, Randy Harris, who opted not to seek re-election after being elected to the FIFA Council on Saturday.

Cooper, who served as vice-president of the CFU Executive Committee for the past 13 years, was elected after running unopposed at the CFU’s 48th Ordinary Congress at the Royalton Hotel on Sunday.

The newly elected vice-presidents include Michael Ricketts (Jamaica), John Krishnadath (Suriname), Jean Dartron (Guadeloupe), and Ivan Rivera (Puerto Rico).

The executive members are Glen Etienne (Dominica), Anya James (The Bahamas), Girdon Connor (Anguilla), and Mark Wade of Bermuda.

During his acceptance speech, Cooper said he was committed to fostering consensus among the CFU’s 31 member associations and maintaining strong relationships with FIFA.

“We have and will continue to enhance the value we provide to our members through our initiatives and partnerships with Concacaf, FIFA, and all stakeholders.

“This collaborative spirit will define my leadership, as we pool our resources instead of relinquishing them,” Cooper said.

He also emphasised the need for unity, challenging members to leverage football as a means to transcend cultural barriers across the English, Dutch, French, and Spanish-speaking regions.

“As I take on this presidency, I urge everyone to use football as a means to unite, eliminate obstacles to development, and foster relationships and alliances,” Cooper further added.

Meanwhile, Harris reflected on the tremendous strides that had been made during his time as CFU president, which began in 2017.

“We prioritised accountability, integrity, and transparency as our guiding principles, and we succeeded in this endeavour.

“I take pride in our achievements which have enhanced both our reputation and the advancement of football in our region,” the outgoing president said.

(CMC)