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Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) fined for U-15 no-show
published: Tuesday | September 18, 2007
Gordon Williams, Contributor
Jamaica has been fined for failing to play in a Caribbean Football Union (CFU) tournament last month, but the game's regional governing body has accepted the country's no-show as "unintentional" and has imposed the minimum punishment for the offence.
According to the CFU, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) was notified of the financial penalties levied against it within the last two weeks.
"They have received the fine," General Secretary Angenie Kanhai confirmed yesterday from her office at CFU's headquarters in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
Additional costs
Kanhai said the JFF was informed of the total of the fine slapped on by the CFU, which includes US$3,000 for withdrawing from the Under-15 Youth Cup before it kicked off last month in Trinidad and Tobago.
That amount is the minimum levied on teams which back out after the draw for a CFU tournament, but before the start of the event. However, Kanhai explained that the JFF earned additional penalties linked to costs incurred "in preparation for hosting Jamaica" in T&T.
"(The US$3,000) is the minimum, but there are other expenses," she said.
The JFF, Kanhai said, is awaiting "back-up" or supplemental information from the CFU, which contains details justifying those "other" costs - including accommodations and transportation - and, therefore, the total fine. Kanhai said the CFU will provide that information shortly, but declined to state the total amount the JFF had been fined. "I can't release that," she explained. "I would rather they (JFF) release that information."
Efforts to contact JFF General Secretary Burchell Gibson yesterday, through the JFF's office telephone number and his e-mail address, were unsuccessful. Therefore, it is still not clear what the JFF will do about the fine.
The JFF incurred the penalties after Jamaica failed to show up for the two-week tournament, which was won by guest team El Salvador. The JFF explained that Jamaica's original travel arrangements, which included a direct flight to Trinidad, had to be scrapped because the squad was named late, forcing the airline to cancel the touring party's reservations. Subsequent plans, which included travel through the United States, had to be abandoned as well when players could not obtain U.S. visas in time.
'Not intentional'
CFU President Austin 'Jack' Warner had criticised the JFF for failing to honour the fixtures and promised to punish Jamaica.
However, while the JFF had been accused of bureaucratic bungling by some football observers, the CFU spared Jamaica penalties harsher than the fine - including possible suspension - and appears willing to accept Jamaica's no-show as a mistake.
"In reality, I believe it was a series of unfortunate events that came together at the wrong time," Kanhai said. "It wasn't intentional on Jamaica's part. The president would not like to suspend anyone.
"When you suspend, they won't be playing football. That is not the aim. The president has always wanted development at youth level."
Gordon Williams is a Jamaican journalist based in the United States
published: Tuesday | September 18, 2007
Gordon Williams, Contributor
Jamaica has been fined for failing to play in a Caribbean Football Union (CFU) tournament last month, but the game's regional governing body has accepted the country's no-show as "unintentional" and has imposed the minimum punishment for the offence.
According to the CFU, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) was notified of the financial penalties levied against it within the last two weeks.
"They have received the fine," General Secretary Angenie Kanhai confirmed yesterday from her office at CFU's headquarters in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
Additional costs
Kanhai said the JFF was informed of the total of the fine slapped on by the CFU, which includes US$3,000 for withdrawing from the Under-15 Youth Cup before it kicked off last month in Trinidad and Tobago.
That amount is the minimum levied on teams which back out after the draw for a CFU tournament, but before the start of the event. However, Kanhai explained that the JFF earned additional penalties linked to costs incurred "in preparation for hosting Jamaica" in T&T.
"(The US$3,000) is the minimum, but there are other expenses," she said.
The JFF, Kanhai said, is awaiting "back-up" or supplemental information from the CFU, which contains details justifying those "other" costs - including accommodations and transportation - and, therefore, the total fine. Kanhai said the CFU will provide that information shortly, but declined to state the total amount the JFF had been fined. "I can't release that," she explained. "I would rather they (JFF) release that information."
Efforts to contact JFF General Secretary Burchell Gibson yesterday, through the JFF's office telephone number and his e-mail address, were unsuccessful. Therefore, it is still not clear what the JFF will do about the fine.
The JFF incurred the penalties after Jamaica failed to show up for the two-week tournament, which was won by guest team El Salvador. The JFF explained that Jamaica's original travel arrangements, which included a direct flight to Trinidad, had to be scrapped because the squad was named late, forcing the airline to cancel the touring party's reservations. Subsequent plans, which included travel through the United States, had to be abandoned as well when players could not obtain U.S. visas in time.
'Not intentional'
CFU President Austin 'Jack' Warner had criticised the JFF for failing to honour the fixtures and promised to punish Jamaica.
However, while the JFF had been accused of bureaucratic bungling by some football observers, the CFU spared Jamaica penalties harsher than the fine - including possible suspension - and appears willing to accept Jamaica's no-show as a mistake.
"In reality, I believe it was a series of unfortunate events that came together at the wrong time," Kanhai said. "It wasn't intentional on Jamaica's part. The president would not like to suspend anyone.
"When you suspend, they won't be playing football. That is not the aim. The president has always wanted development at youth level."
Gordon Williams is a Jamaican journalist based in the United States
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