Mr. Gilbert Martina has announced that he will step down as President of the Curaçao Football Federation, effective July 21, 2026, for health reasons.
Mr. Martina was recently diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer following a routine medical check-up. Acting on the advice of his medical team, he will undergo surgery and has decided to resign from his position to focus entirely on his health and recovery.
Given the significant responsibilities associated with Curaçao’s preparations for and participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, President Martina chose not to disclose his diagnosis publicly until now. This decision was made in the best interests of the federation, the national team, and Curaçaoan football, ensuring that full attention could remain focused on Curaçao’s historic, first-ever participation in a FIFA World Cup.
Reflecting on his tenure as president, Mr. Martina expressed his sincere gratitude to the FFK members for the trust they placed in him by electing him president in April 2025.
“It was a tremendous honor to contribute to a journey that ultimately brought our country to a place it had never been before: the FIFA World Cup. This historic achievement is the result of a long-term vision and the collective efforts of many dedicated individuals who have been working toward this goal since 2002.
Qualifying for the World Cup has put Curaçao—a small country in terms of size, but one with an extraordinarily big heart and immense passion—on the global football map. It is an achievement of which our entire community can be rightly proud,” said Martina.
“I am sincerely grateful to the FFK members for the trust they placed in me as president. It was a privilege to fulfill this role with dedication and commitment. However, my health must now take priority, and I need to focus entirely on my recovery,” Martina concluded.
The FFK board expresses its sincere appreciation to Mr. Martina for his dedicated leadership, commitment, and valuable contribution to the continued growth and development of football in Curaçao. During his tenure as president, he helped guide the federation through one of the most significant periods in its history, culminating in Curaçao’s historic qualification for and participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“On behalf of the entire Curaçao football family, we thank Gilbert for his dedication and wish him a full, prosperous, and speedy recovery,” said Vice President Fabi Constansia.
In consultation with the federation’s members, the FFK board will determine the procedure for appointing a new president to ensure the organization’s continuity. Until the next General Meeting, the vice president will serve as acting president. The federation’s operations—including national leagues, national team activities, and FFK’s international commitments—will continue without interruption during this period.
In Papiamentu:
KOMUNIKADO PA PRENSA
GILBERT MARTINA TA BAHA KOMO PRESIDENTE DI FEDERASHON DI FUTBÒL KÒRSOU!
Sr. Gilbert Martina ta partisipá ku, entrante 21 di yüli 2026, e ta tuma e desishon di baha komo presidente di Federashon di Futbòl Kòrsou pa motibu di salú.
Durante un kontrol médiko rutinario ku a ela hasi poko tempu pasá, a konstatá ku Sr. Martina tin kanser di prostat. Esaki ta den un fase tempran. Siguiendo e konseho di su tim médiko, lo e someté su mes na un operashon. Pa e rason aki el a disidí di baha for si su funshon pa por dediká su atenshon kompletu na su salú i proseso di rekuperashon.
Mirando e magnitut di e responsabilidatnan ku tabata bin huntu ku e preparashon pa i durante di partisipashon di Kòrsou na FIFA World Cup 2026, Sr. Martina a skohe pa no hasi su diagnóstiko públiko promé. E desishon aki a keda tuma den interes di federashon, nos selekshon nashonal i di Kòrsou. Di e forma aki tur atenshon por a keda dirigí riba Kòrsou su partisipashon históriko, pa promé biaha, na un FIFA World Cup.
Mirando bèk riba su periodo komo presidente, Sr. Martina a ekspresá su gradisimentu sinsero na miembronan di FFK pa e konfiansa ku nan a dun’é na ora nan a eligi’é komo presidente aprel 2025.
“Tabata un gran honor pa mi por a kontribuí na un trayekto ku finalmente a hiba nos pais na un lugá kaminda nos no tabata nunka promé: Mundial di FIFA. E logro históriko aki ta resultado di un vishon di largu plaso i di esfuersonan konhunto di hopi hende dediká ku a traha na e meta aki for di aña 2002. E klasifikashon pa FIFA World Cup a pone Kòrsou, un pais chikí na tamaño, pero ku un kurason grandi i un pashon inmenso, riba mapa mundial di futbòl. Ta un prestashon di kua nos komunidat kompletu, ku tur nos derecho, por sinti nos orguyoso.”
“Mi ta hopi gradisí na tur e miembronan di FFK pa e konfiansa ku nan a duna mi komo presidente. Tabata un privilegio pa mi por a ehersé e funshon aki ku dedikashon i kompromiso. Awor, sin embargo, mi salú mester tuma promé lugá i lo mi dediká mi mes kompletamente na mi rekuperashon.
Direktiva di FFK ta ekspresá su apresio sinsero na Sr. Martina pa su liderazgo dediká, su kompromiso i su kontribushon balioso na e desaroyo kontinuo di futbòl na Kòrsou. Durante su presidensia, el a guiá e federashon den un di e períodonan mas signifikativo den su historia, ku komo punto kulminante e klasifikashon históriko pa i partisipashon di Kòrsou na FIFA World Cup 2026.
“Na nòmber di henter famia di futbòl di Kòrsou, nos ta gradisí Gilbert pa tur su esfuerso i nos ta dese’é un pronto rekuperashon, kompletu i próspero,” asina visepresidente Fabi Constansia a bisa.
Direktiva di FFK lo determiná, den konsulta ku e miembronan di e federashon, e prosedura pa nombramentu di un presidente nobo, pa garantisá kontinuidat di e organisashon. Te ku e siguiente Reunion General di Miembronan, e visepresidente lo aktua komo presidente interino. E trabounan di e Federashon, inkluí e kompetensnianan nashonal, e aktividatnan di e selekshonnan nashonal i e obligashonnan internashonal di FFK, lo kontinuá durante e periodo aki sin interupshon.
