Exclusive: FIFA’s Dave Booth Decision

Sisket versus David Booth.

Thai League Football has been given exclusive access to the seven page FIFA investigation into the dismissal of Dave Booth from Sisaket FC.
The bare bones of the case are these:
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee met  to consider its binding response to the long running feud between the club and their former coach. The three man committee was led by mister Marcel Mathier from Switzerland and met at the Mayfair Hotel in London on July 28th regarding a failure to comply with a decision passed by a FIFA body; otherwise known as Article 64 of the FIFA disciplinary code. Way back on February 16th, Sisaket were ordered by FIFA to pay Booth $225,000 US within 30 days with 5% interest as well as 12,500 Swiss Francs ( 400,000 THB). The club were given a window of ten days to pay the fine and avoid costs, but chose not to do so. In fact,the club did not communicate in any way with the committee meaning that, on May 14th, disciplinary proceeding were put in motion. Whilst reminders were sent to Sisaket on both the 5th and 28th of July, the club continued to make no communication with FIFA.
The range of fines available against the club go up to 1 million Swiss Francs (32.2 million baht),points deductions, relegation, a transfer embargo and, if the Thai FA fail to ensure that sanctions take place, the committee reserve the right to expel all Thai clubs, both league and national, from all FIFA sanctioned competitions.

In the first instance, Sisaket have thirty days to pay 483,000 Baht or be deducted six points. The next sanction for non payment is relegation. The club also have to pay the original fine of $225,000.

For those of us that have followed this sorry case, from the beginning Dave tried to reconcile and compromise. In return he received appalling treatment and even death threats. His only recourse left was to appeal to FIFA. If Sisaket and their latest guise think that Worawi’s simpering friendship with Blatter will get them off the hook in the same way that Thai clubs have avoided proper licensing for AFC competitions, they need to think again. Dave Booth deserves better than this and, for once, FIFA seem to agree.

Matt Riley