The Jamaica Football Federation has lauded the late Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, who died on Monday night in the United States from an undisclosed illness.

Stewart, the founder of Sandals Resorts and the ATL Group of Companies, supported several sports in Jamaica and the Caribbean. Jamaica’s football was among the many beneficiaries with sponsorship that helped to get the Reggae Boyz to the 1998 World Cup in France.

It was the first and only time that Jamaica had qualified for the FIFA World Cup. The support has not been forgotten.

“The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) salutes the late Honourable Gordon “Butch” Stewart. Mr Stewart was a sports fan at heart. The affable and benevolent Jamaican entrepreneur was a friend and benefactor of numerous sporting organizations, locally and internationally. A great number of these organizations have been beneficiaries of his largesse,” the JFF said in a statement this evening.

“He contributed significantly to football at all levels. The parishes would have benefited at the grassroots level, while he made his mark at the club level even with Sandals South Coast FC.

“However, his generosity and influence were most felt in the sponsorship of the Reggae Boyz on the “Journey to France 1998,” through reduced rates on Air Jamaica. Jamaica’s team would have found it extremely challenging, if not impossible, to qualify for that historic World Cup finals without those kind flight arrangements. His patriotism and visionary spirit made him understand what qualification to the global showpiece meant for Jamaica. Fortunately, the Boyz obliged.”

The President of the JFF, Mr Michael Ricketts, conveys sincerest condolences to his family, close friends, business colleagues, the Sandals Group, the ATL Group and the Jamaica Observer family, the statement said.