The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has welcomed the Jamaican government’s decision to grant approval for the resumption of Jamaica’s Premier League after more than a year of inactivity because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Football was suspended in March 2020 after the virus began to spread across the country.
However, after months of meetings and deliberations, the decision to allow for the resumption of football was announced today by Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Desmond McKenzie following a meeting between representatives of the Ministries of Health and Wellness, and Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Premier League Clubs Association, the Jamaica Football Federation, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management and the Social Development Commission.
“We have been meeting for some time to ensure that all possible mechanisms concerning the efficient prevention and management of COVID-19 are applied to all aspects of Club competition, including the health and safety of players, referees and Club workers and administrators. Further details regarding the starting times and the conditions under which the competitions will be held, will be disclosed at a later date,” Minister McKenzie said.
“Even as the management of COVID-19 remains paramount, the Government is keen for sport to resume in a phased, orderly manner, consistent with the continued reduction in the country’s positivity rate. The impact of sport on social well-being and social development is well recognized, and the Government will support all efforts to promote the enjoyment of sport in the safest way possible. In this regard, the Government is actively considering applications from a range of sporting associations.”
JFF President Michael Ricketts welcomed the news.
“This is very positive news for the stakeholders of football,” Ricketts said in a statement late Wednesday.
“Of course, my first thoughts are with our players and coaches who will now have opportunities open to them to resume the trade that they so love. I also want to commend and thank the partners who have invested, for their patience and loyalty to the sport.
“Finally, thanks to the ministries and state agencies for the work done to get us here. While I am sure the players are overjoyed with the news, I implore them to be constantly mindful of the current local health conditions and act responsibly. While we play, let’s play our part in containing this pandemic. Let the games begin.”
The approval was given for the format that allows clubs to train at their home grounds with the official matches to be held at central venues. Most recently, the PFJL had developed a protocol for the official matches to be held in a controlled environment based on the significant upsurge in the number of COVID-19 cases in Jamaica starting in February. However, with the success of the most recent measures that have cut back the number of new cases, all parties were satisfied that the previous model would align with the current measures.
There is also greater confidence with the start of national vaccination efforts.
The JFF will now work to finalize the design of the format for the official matches following the delay in receiving approval and the resulting shortened season. The JFF will also have to integrate the Jamaica Premier League matches with those on the national and regional calendars as both the Gold Cup and World Cup Qualifiers are being held in the coming months.
Details of the start, duration and league format will be shared in the coming days.
Like most sporting events globally, the Jamaica Premier League will be held without spectators in order to contribute to the nation’s efforts to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus. However, fans will be able to enjoy the matches as the PFJL has secured a broadcast partner for the Caribbean who will be responsible for identifying television broadcasters for Jamaica and the region.
Acting General Manager of the PFJL, Arlene L. Martin was very pleased with the go-ahead.
“The PFJL appreciates the government’s recognition of the importance of the resumption of professional football as well as the confidence in the approved protocol and the ability to comply with these measures. The PFJL has worked with our national and regional stakeholders to develop a thorough protocol that we are confident will support and even enhance the government’s efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to an exciting season with the Clubs and our commercial partners and to delivering quality football to our fans.”
Galtier concedes PSG hierarchy will 'reflect' on future after latest humiliating loss
Christophe Galtier knows Paris Saint-Germain's hierarchy will "reflect" on his future after Sunday's dire defeat to Rennes, though he believes their display can be explained by a lengthy injury list.
PSG were booed off at half-time and full-time by a furious home crowd as Karl Toko Ekambi and Arnaud Kalimuendo netted either side of the interval in a routine win for Rennes.
PSG's defeat was their first on home soil in Ligue 1 since April 2021, when Galtier led former club Lille to a 1-0 triumph at the Parc des Princes before beating the Parisians to the title.
While Galtier looks likely to win his second domestic title this term, he has attracted criticism since overseeing a meek Champions League exit against Bayern Munich earlier this month.
Galtier knows PSG's latest humiliation will do nothing to quell speculation regarding his position, telling reporters: "I came for this project for two years, but we speculate on my future.
"My only obsession is to be champion. This match will perhaps cause my management to reflect, but we have to put things in context.
"This match should not call everything into question. There are no excuses but there are reasons. There are 10 matches left, we are ahead in Ligue 1.
"Losses always upset us. Afterwards, everyone has their reading of the game. You have yours and I have mine.
"In the current context, with so many absences – though it is not an excuse – we knew that we would have defensive fluctuations."
As well as long-term absentee Neymar, PSG were without defenders Achraf Hakimi, Presnel Kimpembe, Marquinhos and Sergio Ramos for Sunday's defeat, forcing Galtier to start inexperienced duo El Chadaille Bitshiabu and Timothee Pembele.
Given PSG's selection crisis, Galtier believes criticism of his team's attitude is unjustified, adding: "The players gave everything compared to what they had in their legs.
"You get the feeling that the players didn't give their all, but that's not how I feel.
"When a player walks into the locker room and knows that eight players are missing, and he sees young guys he has only seen once or twice before...
"My players were invested, after going 2-0 down to a team like Rennes, there may be a little resignation. There is a lot of fatigue. These are not excuses, just contextual elements."
PSG have now lost four of their seven Ligue 1 games this season against teams currently in the top five (W2 D1), including two against Rennes (also 1-0 in January).
Rennes are also just the third team to complete a Ligue 1 double over PSG since the club's 2011 takeover by Qatar Sports Investments, after Nancy in 2011-12 and Monaco in 2020-21.
Ten Hag hails Man Utd 'personality and determination' in Fulham comeback
Erik ten Hag saluted Manchester United's "personality and determination" after they came from behind to beat nine-man Fulham 3-1 in a fiery FA Cup quarter-final.
The Red Devils reached their record-breaking 31st semi-final, with Bruno Fernandes' brace and a Marcel Sabitzer strike cancelling out Aleksandar Mitrovic's opener at Old Trafford.
The pendulum swung firmly in United's favour as the tie descended into chaos following Chris Kavanagh's decision to award the hosts a penalty 18 minutes from time.
After consulting VAR, and red-carding Fulham boss Marco Silva for his protests, Kavanagh sent off Willian for handling Jadon Sancho's shot on the line, while Mitrovic followed for getting too physical with the official.
United fully capitalised on their numerical advantage to book a semi-final date with Brighton and Hove Albion at Wembley, where they landed the EFL Cup crown with victory over Newcastle United last month.
"We are happy with the win. We showed great character," Ten Hag said. "Every time this team comes out, they show the personality and the determination needed. Fulham are a good team, and you have to be good to overcome them.
"In possession, we could have been better. Out of possession, we were excellent. We came under pressure, gave away some set-pieces and then conceded the goal. David de Gea kept us in the game after we conceded."
Sabitzer added: "We wanted to go back to Wembley, we did it. [At] 1-0 down, it was hard and tough, but we came back and won it. We were concentrated, focused until the end. I think it was a deserved win.
"We have a great mentality. We have great players on the ball, but a great mentality and team spirit. I think you can see it on the pitch."
Meanwhile, Luke Shaw believes Kavanagh was spot on with his decisions to award the penalty, and subsequently dismiss Willian and Mitrovic.
"Obviously, I saw that moment and that action and to me straight away, I knew it was handball," he told MUTV. "I think the way he blocked it, the ball was going in, and it doesn't matter where his hands are.
"It has hit his arms, and he's stopped it. The referee made a good decision with that one. I think maybe a bit of frustration [showed for Mitrovic's red card] after they'd been so good, maybe a bit of anger that can only take a second.
"I think that happened and when they had two men sent off, it's a big mountain to climb, and thankfully we saw the game out."
No complaints for Nagelsmann after 'sluggish' Bayern's 'deserved' defeat at Leverkusen
Julian Nagelsmann felt his team deserved to lose after two Exequiel Palacios penalties condemned Bayern Munich to a 2-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen at BayArena on Sunday.
After title rivals Borussia Dortmund picked up three points on Saturday to move them top, a 22nd-minute deflected goal from Joshua Kimmich looked to have set Bayern on their way to retaking their position at the summit.
But Palacios converted twice from the spot after the break, both for fouls on Amine Adli, to inflict a third league defeat of the season on Bayern and hand Dortmund the advantage ahead of the pair's table-topping Klassiker after the upcoming international break.
Nagelsmann had no complaints with the defeat or the penalty decisions, both of which saw Adli initially handed a yellow card for diving until a VAR review intervened to award a spot-kick.
"I saw relatively quickly that both are penalties," Nagelsmann told DAZN after the game. "They definitely weren't dives.
"We deserved to lose. Except for the last ten minutes, we were the worse team.
"We did a lot on our own. A lot of pressing by ourselves, a lot of walking by ourselves."
Nagelsmann blamed fatigue for the below-par display, which saw them lose a Bundesliga game after leading at half-time for the first time in 87 matches since a 3-1 defeat against Leverkusen in February 2019.
"Today we were pretty sluggish overall," Nagelsmann added. "We won very few duels up front, but also in defence.
"We have some exhausted players, so of course it was difficult. We were very weak in our game."
Captain Thomas Muller agreed with his head coach that Bayern's efforts did not warrant anything out of the game, saying: "Leverkusen did very well today.
"Unfortunately, we put very little of what has made us strong in the last few games onto the pitch.
"Looking at the game as a whole, the defeat is unfortunately deserved today."
Though some of his players are now set to jet off to their respective national teams, Nagelsmann's sights are set firmly on that crucial clash with Dortmund in just under two weeks.
He is under no illusion of the importance of that fixture, explaining: "We definitely have to win [against Dortmund], otherwise it will be difficult to win the championship."
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