The Government of Jamaica has given the go-ahead for the resumption of sporting activities on a case-by-case basis.
The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, says provision for the resumption of sporting activities has been included in the Disaster Risk Management (Enforcement Measures) (No. 2) Order, 2021.
“Under the Order, organizers of sports events must first send an application to the Director of Sports in the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport. We will review the application to see that it meets the requirements as outlined in this Order and transmit it to the Director-General of ODPEM,” Minister Grange said.
“If the ODPEM is satisfied, after consultation with the Ministry of Health, that the venue is appropriate, and that sanitization, mask-wearing and distancing protocols will be strictly observed, then the ODPEM will approve the application for the specific training and/or competition to take place at the specified place and time. This is the process, and we all must follow this process.”
The Order mandates that sports events may be held only at venues that are enclosed by perimeter fencing, where there is access to proper sanitary conveniences and at places that are conducive to appropriate security measures.
Minister Grange emphasized that “no spectator will be allowed at sports competitions or training sessions at this time.”
She said each sporting activity must involve “regular cleaning of gear and equipment and the taking of the temperature of all athletes, coaches and officials who must be the only people allowed at the sports event.”
Each person at a sporting event must wear a mask, except when participating in any strenuous activity or water activity, and the person shall change the mask at least every four hours or upon the mask becoming wet.
The Order also mandates that there shall be no unnecessary contact between persons such as hugging, high-fives or touching, and personal items such as water bottles or towels shall not be shared.
“I am happy that this new Order has made provision for sporting events. We had been lobbying on behalf of sporting bodies to receive special exemptions for their events to take place. Now that the Order has made provision for sports events, I am asking those sports bodies including the JAAA, boxing, swimming and others to resubmit their applications — no longer asking for an exemption, but to stage their events, including training sessions, under the provisions of this new Order,” the minister said.
“You can’t just resume training or hold a competition. You must follow the process and get approval.”
The minister has urged sports officials and athletes to become familiar with the rules for the resumption of sports and to follow them scrupulously as they are designed to keep everyone safe, adding that there will be consequences if the rules are not followed.
“I emphasize that the process must be followed. Only one entity has the authority to give approval for sports events, including training sessions. Where there is a breach, we will take action. In this regard, we are looking into the circumstances surrounding the calling up of the JFF training camp in Mona,” said Minister Grange.
The following is an extract from the Disaster Risk Management (Enforcement Measures) (No. 2) Order, 2021
(25) During the period from February 1, 2021, to February 28, 2021, the following provisions apply in respect of sporting events—
a person wishing to hold a sporting event (“the organizer”) shall submit an application, for approval of the holding of the event, to the Director of Sports in the Ministry with responsibility for sports, who shall review the application and transmit it to the Director-General;
on receipt of an application under subparagraph (a), the Director-General may, if satisfied after consultation with the Medical Officer (Health), that the matters specified in sub-paragraphs (d) and (e) are likely to be complied with in respect of the sporting event, issue to the organizer approval in writing in the form set out as Form 1 of the Fifth Schedule;
where approval is given under subparagraph (b), the Director-General shall send a copy of the approval to the Director of Sports in the Ministry with responsibility for sports, and to the Medical Officer (Health);
sporting events may be held at venues—
enclosed by perimeter fencing;
where there is access to proper sanitary conveniences; and
(iii)conducive to appropriate security measures
the organizer of such a sporting event is directed to ensure compliance with the following requirements, at the sporting event and all training sessions therefor—
between each sporting event sufficient time shall be allowed to ensure the maintenance of the social distancing requirements of paragraph 12(b) and for the venue and equipment to be sanitized;
all areas for competition and training shall be properly cleaned and all gear and equipment sanitized before the beginning of each session and after each user;
(iii)no spectator shall be allowed at the sporting event or training session;
(iv) temperature checks of all athletes, coaches and officials shall be made and documented;
each person at the event or training session shall wear a mask fitted to the person’s face so as to cover the person’s nose and mouth, except when participating in any strenuous activity or water activity, and the person shall change the mask at least every four hours or upon the mask becoming wet;
(vi) there shall be no unnecessary contact between persons (such as hugging, high-fives or touching) and personal items such as water bottles or towels shall not be shared;
(vii)all promotion for the event shall contain a reference to the COVID-19 protocols applicable thereto, including specific reference to the requirements for temperature checks, the wearing of masks, sanitization and social distancing;
(viii)signage specifying the applicable COVID-19protocols, including handwashing procedures and social distancing requirements, shall be conspicuously placed throughout the venue and the training areas for the sporting event;
(ix) the points of entry to the venue shall be separate from the points of exit;
restrooms shall be cleaned and sanitized at least once every hour; and
(xi)audible public announcements urging compliance with the requirements of this subparagraph shall be made at least every fifteen minutes.
(26) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this paragraph, no business referred to in this paragraph shall operate during the hours when persons are required to remain at an abode or place of residence under paragraph 10.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
Girlz coach Busby eyes improved performance as 'Bunny' Shaw returns for South Africa friendlies
With Jamaica’s senior Reggae Girlz failing to register a win since beating Panama at last year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup, Head coach Hubert Busby says the two highly anticipated home friendlies against South Africa represent an opportunity to turnaround their poor run of form.
Though focused on more than just immediate results, Busby pointed out that victory in upcoming matches is part of a larger vision—a journey toward a third-consecutive World Cup appearance in 2027 and the continued development of a sustainable, competitive program for Jamaica’s women’s football.
The Girlz will take on South Africa at the Montego Bay Sports Complex on November 29 and December 2, in what will be their first matches on home soil since November 2022. It will also be the first game in Jamaica for the core group of the 2023 World Cup squad since last September’s Olympic qualifying playoff against Canada.
“It’s special to have the girls back playing in front of our fans. This is an opportunity to connect with the home crowd again, but it’s also a critical step in our preparation for what’s ahead,” Busby shared as he unveiled his 23-member squad.
“We're looking to have a good performance, then that leads to, obviously, a good result to end the year, but really it is also about us continuing to evaluate and to make the proper assessment of the players who continue to kind of move forward into World Cup qualifiers. I mean, that's really the bigger picture. So short term, let's get two good performances this week...two good results and take that into the February window,” he added.
Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw has been in good form for Manchester City.
Busby’s approach reflects his determination to build on recent experiences, including lessons learned from challenging matches against top-tier opponents like Brazil and more recently, France.
Despite a compressed six-day camp prior to that encounter, in which they lost 0-3, he noted the progress made in refining their style of play, particularly in maintaining possession and executing defensive transitions.
“We didn’t get the result we wanted against France, but there were positives, especially in how we’re evolving our style of play—keeping possession and building from the back. But we need to cut down on individual mistakes and improve decision-making in critical moments. Football is a game of moments, and minimizing mistakes during crucial periods is a key focus for us,” he noted.
With the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil as the ultimate target, Busby has been focused on establishing a winning culture while integrating new talent into the team.
For the last camp, he invited Taylor Hinds, Lulu Jarvis, Reanna Blades, and Natasha Thomas in to see how they fit into the programme, but none of those players are listed for the upcoming camp, in which national youth representative Destiny Powell and Naya Cardoza will be the only new players among the core group.
The coach stressed that his job is not just to guide the team to their third consecutive World Cup but to lay the groundwork for Jamaica’s participation in every World Cup thereafter, hence the consistent inclusion of young talent.
“It’s not just about Brazil in 2027. It’s about creating a sustainable pipeline of talent so we’re always competitive because their growth today will fuel our success tomorrow. So it's really important to get these young players in,” Busby shared.
“My responsibility is to get this team to the 2027 World Cup, but with that said, you know, we want to ensure that we're going to every single World Cup afterwards. Integrating young, talented players into the group to see where they are keeps the group fresh and challenges the group to keep it competitive. The success that we've had in the past, the average age, I believe was about 26 years of age, so they'll probably be about 28 going forward,” he explained.
One of the most exciting elements of the upcoming friendlies is the return of Khadija “Bunny” Shaw, who has been in rich form for Manchester City.
Busby, while highlighting her influence, both as a leader and a prolific scorer, as key to the team’s offensive strategy, also emphasized that the team’s success needs to be rooted in defence as former captain Konya Plummer, left full-back/winger Siobhan Wilson, and defensive midfielder Peyton McNamara also make a return to the fold. Wilson recently recovered from an ACL injury.
Siobhan Wilson makes a long-awaited return after an ACL injury kept her out of action for nine months.
“One of our objectives is to keep a clean sheet. Being good defensively has been the basis of our foundation of success without a doubt, but the biggest inclusion in this group is leader ‘Bunny’ Shaw. She's been in great form, as we all know, so it gives us another option up front to go around with all the as to go along with the other attacking options we have. But having her back in the group helps tremendously,” the tactician declared.
Like the Reggae Girlz, South Africa are also fresh off their participation in the 2023 World Cup, and Busby expects the games to be another tough challenge for his side, much like it was in their last meeting in 2019 when they played out a 1-1 stalemate in Durban.
“Going into these two games against a great-quality opponent in South Africa still gives us a really good litmus test in terms of where we are and, more importantly, where we need to go. So that is the objective. We want to get the wins. We want to improve performance. And we're hoping that these next two games will see a much more improved performance than we have before, that's for sure,” Busby ended.
Squad: Rebecca spencer, Liya Brooks, Allyson Swaby, Konya Plummer, Naya Cardoza, Vyan Sampson, Chantelle Swaby, Deneisha Blackwood, Siobhan Wilson, Atlanta Primus, Destiny Powell, Peyton McNamara, Jade Bailey Drew Spence, Paige Bailey-Gayle, Olufolasade Adamolekun, Khadija Shaw, Kayla McKenna, Davia Richards, Jody Brown, Shania Hayles, Shaniel Buckley, Tiffany Cameron
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