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Local sporting events becoming less of a family affair
published: Sunday | October 14, 2007
LEFT: File
Burchell Gibson, general secretary of the JFF.
RIGHT: Contributed
Edward Seaga, president of the Tivoli Gardens Football Club.
Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer
IT was Sunday, September 30, and half-time at Ferdie Neita Park in Braeton, St. Catherine, where Portmore United, runners-up in last season's Premier League, were hosting Clarendon's Sporting Central, who were playing their first-ever match in the nation's top football competition, the Cash Plus Premier League.
Ferdie Neita Park was brimming with activity as the new, eastern stands were almost filled to capacity, a rarity for the team, which is yet to be accepted by the Portmore community after changing its name from Hazard United and moving base from Clarendon a few seasons earlier.
However, Portmore did pull a crowd for what was dubbed an 'away' Clarendon Derby, including what must have been close to a hundred or more children under 16 years of age.
As the players made their way to the dressing rooms, the sound system, a Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) mandatory at Premier League games, blared: 'She say she want mi, she say she want mi, squeeze her breast dem like di trigga of ma gun. Tun her backways and @#$%^&her until she %^&&.'
A quick glance at the referees and match commissary indicated no reaction as the song, done by popular but controversial dancehall singjay, Movado, continued, digging deeper into the gutter of what has now become accepted as the dancehall culture - men bragging of gun violence and crude words depicting their perceived sexual prowess.
Instil national pride
Ironically, sound systems were introduced to the Premier League in the 2002-2003 season by the JFF to help instil national pride by playing the National Anthem at the start of games, as well as provide entertainment during the half-time interval.
Home teams are responsible for ensuring the anthem is either sung or played during the break.
Horace Reid, a no-nonsense disciplinarian, CONCACAF executive and manager of Portmore United, told Sunday Gleaner Sports he was already in the dressing room with his players and did not hear the lyrics of the music being played.
"I did not hear it, but it was brought to the attention of the management by people at the ground," he said.
"It was the first we were using this particular system and it was a culture shock for all of us. It is something being addressed," he added.
Leading up to Jamaica's qualification for the 1998 World Cup, promotion and sponsorship of Jamaica's football took on a new face as corporate Jamaica came on board. What was once seen as a game for the poor masses, unlike cricket, which has long had established membership clubs, spread mainly across the corporate area of Kingston and St. Andrew.
Names of cricket clubs such as Melbourne, Kensington, Lucas and the prestigious Kingston Cricket Club were a far cry from football clubs such as Arnett Gardens, Tivoli Gardens, Seba and Wadadah, and also attracted a different crowd.
Qualification for France 1998 saw football being promoted as a family affair. Clubs, led by Harbour View, started building mini-stadiums with floodlights, and sanitary conveniences became mandatory.
Game fit for hooligans
However, incidents such as what occurred at Ferdie Neita Park, continue to dog football or soccer, which was described by the late Gleaner columnist Morris Cargill as a game fit for hooligans.
Shelly-Ann Weeks, marketing manager of the Cash Plus Group, which has pumped $150 million into a three-year sponsorship of the Premiership, said her company had invested in a family-oriented sport and would ensure half-time entertainment was kept clean.
"We recognise football as a family affair and we want something positive," she said.
"What we intend to do for half-time, we're trying to put together an entertainment package. Unfortunately, I was not at Ferdie Neita Park, I was at Harbour View, and we did not have that challenge there," she added.
Clyde Jureidini, general manager at Harbour View, said his club's entertainment package is mainly done through its cheerleaders, is rehearsed and vetted beforehand.
"We try and get what is put on by having a rehearsal with the group," he said. "This is done by our cheerleaders and under jurisdiction of the person in charge of that group."
However, Jureidini admitted there have been slips in musical selections.
"The guidance and general mode is clear. At times, something might slip and we intervene, but by and large, like everything else, you have to supervise it," he added.
Lewd music
Edward Seaga, former Prime Minister, president of the Tivoli Gardens Football Club and chairman of the new Premier League Clubs Association (PLCA), said such music shouldn't be tolerated at sporting events.
"We wouldn't expect at gatherings of sporting events, open to the public, any music would be used, either recording or live, which would be obscene or anti-social," he said.
"There is plenty of other music to choose from and clubs would be asked, however, music is to be provided, disc jockeys or sound systems, that this message is conveyed to them in strong terms."
Burchell Gibson, general secretary of the JFF, echoed Seaga's sentiments and promised to investigate the matter.
"Lewd music or anything defamatory is not allowed at games. What I will do is investigate the matter. We will have further discussions with the clubs and the PLCA. The match commissary should monitor everything that happens at the events.
"I will check the match report and have a word with the club and all other clubs to ensure there is no recurrence," he pointed out.
Meanwhile, Reid gave his assurance there would not be a repeat at Portmore United. "We strive on producing a package conducive for family. Anything not keeping to the moral standards established, it would be something we would turn our noses up against and I am sure it will not happen again," said the former JFF general secretary.
published: Sunday | October 14, 2007
LEFT: File
Burchell Gibson, general secretary of the JFF.
RIGHT: Contributed
Edward Seaga, president of the Tivoli Gardens Football Club.
Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer
IT was Sunday, September 30, and half-time at Ferdie Neita Park in Braeton, St. Catherine, where Portmore United, runners-up in last season's Premier League, were hosting Clarendon's Sporting Central, who were playing their first-ever match in the nation's top football competition, the Cash Plus Premier League.
Ferdie Neita Park was brimming with activity as the new, eastern stands were almost filled to capacity, a rarity for the team, which is yet to be accepted by the Portmore community after changing its name from Hazard United and moving base from Clarendon a few seasons earlier.
However, Portmore did pull a crowd for what was dubbed an 'away' Clarendon Derby, including what must have been close to a hundred or more children under 16 years of age.
As the players made their way to the dressing rooms, the sound system, a Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) mandatory at Premier League games, blared: 'She say she want mi, she say she want mi, squeeze her breast dem like di trigga of ma gun. Tun her backways and @#$%^&her until she %^&&.'
A quick glance at the referees and match commissary indicated no reaction as the song, done by popular but controversial dancehall singjay, Movado, continued, digging deeper into the gutter of what has now become accepted as the dancehall culture - men bragging of gun violence and crude words depicting their perceived sexual prowess.
Instil national pride
Ironically, sound systems were introduced to the Premier League in the 2002-2003 season by the JFF to help instil national pride by playing the National Anthem at the start of games, as well as provide entertainment during the half-time interval.
Home teams are responsible for ensuring the anthem is either sung or played during the break.
Horace Reid, a no-nonsense disciplinarian, CONCACAF executive and manager of Portmore United, told Sunday Gleaner Sports he was already in the dressing room with his players and did not hear the lyrics of the music being played.
"I did not hear it, but it was brought to the attention of the management by people at the ground," he said.
"It was the first we were using this particular system and it was a culture shock for all of us. It is something being addressed," he added.
Leading up to Jamaica's qualification for the 1998 World Cup, promotion and sponsorship of Jamaica's football took on a new face as corporate Jamaica came on board. What was once seen as a game for the poor masses, unlike cricket, which has long had established membership clubs, spread mainly across the corporate area of Kingston and St. Andrew.
Names of cricket clubs such as Melbourne, Kensington, Lucas and the prestigious Kingston Cricket Club were a far cry from football clubs such as Arnett Gardens, Tivoli Gardens, Seba and Wadadah, and also attracted a different crowd.
Qualification for France 1998 saw football being promoted as a family affair. Clubs, led by Harbour View, started building mini-stadiums with floodlights, and sanitary conveniences became mandatory.
Game fit for hooligans
However, incidents such as what occurred at Ferdie Neita Park, continue to dog football or soccer, which was described by the late Gleaner columnist Morris Cargill as a game fit for hooligans.
Shelly-Ann Weeks, marketing manager of the Cash Plus Group, which has pumped $150 million into a three-year sponsorship of the Premiership, said her company had invested in a family-oriented sport and would ensure half-time entertainment was kept clean.
"We recognise football as a family affair and we want something positive," she said.
"What we intend to do for half-time, we're trying to put together an entertainment package. Unfortunately, I was not at Ferdie Neita Park, I was at Harbour View, and we did not have that challenge there," she added.
Clyde Jureidini, general manager at Harbour View, said his club's entertainment package is mainly done through its cheerleaders, is rehearsed and vetted beforehand.
"We try and get what is put on by having a rehearsal with the group," he said. "This is done by our cheerleaders and under jurisdiction of the person in charge of that group."
However, Jureidini admitted there have been slips in musical selections.
"The guidance and general mode is clear. At times, something might slip and we intervene, but by and large, like everything else, you have to supervise it," he added.
Lewd music
Edward Seaga, former Prime Minister, president of the Tivoli Gardens Football Club and chairman of the new Premier League Clubs Association (PLCA), said such music shouldn't be tolerated at sporting events.
"We wouldn't expect at gatherings of sporting events, open to the public, any music would be used, either recording or live, which would be obscene or anti-social," he said.
"There is plenty of other music to choose from and clubs would be asked, however, music is to be provided, disc jockeys or sound systems, that this message is conveyed to them in strong terms."
Burchell Gibson, general secretary of the JFF, echoed Seaga's sentiments and promised to investigate the matter.
"Lewd music or anything defamatory is not allowed at games. What I will do is investigate the matter. We will have further discussions with the clubs and the PLCA. The match commissary should monitor everything that happens at the events.
"I will check the match report and have a word with the club and all other clubs to ensure there is no recurrence," he pointed out.
Meanwhile, Reid gave his assurance there would not be a repeat at Portmore United. "We strive on producing a package conducive for family. Anything not keeping to the moral standards established, it would be something we would turn our noses up against and I am sure it will not happen again," said the former JFF general secretary.
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