Though it seems the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has walked back on initial contemplations to fire senior Reggae Girlz Head coach Lorne Donaldson, the smoke is not yet fully cleared as President Michael Ricketts confirmed that the board is still awaiting a report from the technical committee regarding actions to be taken against the tactician.
SportsMax.tv understands that members of the JFF board had a meeting where a vote was taken to relieve Donaldson of his duties stemming from an issue where he told the governing football body's chairperson for women’s football Elaine Walker-Brown, not to board the team bus for a recent excursion to Dunn’s River Falls.
However, sources close to the situation revealed that Donaldson was merely relaying the message of the players, who threatened to walk off the bus if Walker-Brown boarded, as it was "not a JFF thing". This was in reference to the fact that the excursion was largely paid for by minister of sport Olivia "Babsy" Grange and Reggae Girlz ambassador Cedella Marley.
In a bid to avoid a standoff and a possible embarrassing situation in full view of an overseas crew filming a documentary, it is said that Donaldson met Walker-Brown on the way to the bus to share the players' mental and physical discomfort at her presence. This did not sit well with Walker-Brown and since then, the coach has been in the firing line.
While not confirming that as the reason for discussions regarding Donaldson, Ricketts expressed displeasure with "certain utterances", but said dismissing the coach was no longer on the cards.
"The truth is, we are unhappy with certain utterances, but that is not on the cards right now, we are just waiting on reports from the general secretary and the technical committee," Ricketts told SportsMax.tv during a sendoff event for the Girlz on Tuesday.
"The technical committee would have had a meeting with him [Donaldson], in fact, he was supposed to have had another meeting today (Tuesday) that fell through. Even though we are dissatisfied with certain utterances and pronouncements, the technical committee will make a recommendation to the JFF and then I think the board will act on that," he added.
When pressed further about the reason and timing of any actions to be taken, more so, the firing of the coach with the World Cup now less than a month away, Ricketts agreed that it would negatively impact progress.
Donaldson was expected to name the final 23-player squad for the July 20 to August 20 showpiece, in Australia and New Zealand, in the coming week, but it is now left to be seen if he will still be calling the shots after the melee.
"I don't know what the thoughts would be generally, but that (firing of a coach before a tournament) has happened all over the world before. I would want to think that it would have negative implications but the truth is, that has happened before. But we will just wait and see," Ricketts shared.
When approached, Donaldson declined to comment, stating only that he will wait to see how things play out, as he was more focused on the players' wellbeing.
This issue has now added to what has been a lengthy stand-off between the Reggae Girlz and the JFF, primarily due to a lack of compensation. In fact, the Girlz in a recent letter expressed “utmost disappointment” with the handling of their affairs by the JFF.
Among the areas of concerns outlined by the Girlz are subpar planning, transportation, accommodations, training conditions, compensation, communication, nutrition and accessibility to proper resources.
They said, despite sharing their concerns with the federation “on multiple occasions” the issues remain unresolved, and they believe the lack of interest by those in charge, threaten the integrity of women’s football in Jamaica.
This was further compounded by what is said to have been a brewing issue between Marley and Walker-Brown, as it is understood that the latter made comments which were deemed offensive by the Girlz ambassador during a previous virtual meeting with the JFF hierarchy.
It is also understood that this played a part in why the Girlz refused to have Walker-Brown on the excursion.
But Ricketts pointed out that following a meeting with representatives from the team, all parties have since agreed to a truce.
“The general secretary and myself had a meeting with the players this (Tuesday) morning and it went well, of course the contentious issue is always payments and the JFF continues to struggle. We are finding some traction because we were able to get some new sponsors on board, but we owe the Girlz some money and that seem to be the main bone of contention right now,” Ricketts explained.
“There are some other smaller issues that can be corrected easily but the good thing is that they all came out of that meeting in good spirits. Elaine [Walker-Brown] had a meeting with them afterwards and that seemed to have gone down well too.
“So we are just hoping that the goodwill now, will translate on the field of play and they will be able to execute and win some games. The coach said he believes he has a much stronger unit and, of course, we are hoping that we will not just participate but be competitive at the World Cup,” he ended.
Though disgruntled with the Jamaica Football Federation's (JFF) style of leadership and, by extension, the way they have been treated as players, Reggae Girl Deneisha Blackwood says the team is still focused on the task at hand and will be aiming to execute efficiently at the FIFA Women’s World Cup next month.
Blackwood and her teammates in a scathing letter released on Thursday, outlined a number of areas of concerns in how the JFF goes about business, chief among them are subpar planning, transportation, accommodations, training conditions, compensation, communication, nutrition and accessibility to proper resources.
These issues the Girlz revealed, remain unresolved despite the fact that they were shared with the federation on multiple occasions.
The Reggae Girlz also pointed out that their preparations for the July 20 to August 20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, have been impacted by what they say is the federation’s “extreme disorganization”.
This, as they were promised a two-game sendoff series on home soil, which has not materialized due to logistical issues. As such, they are currently engaged in a camp which is expected to end next Wednesday.
"It is unfortunate that we don't have a game for the sendoff, but I think the girls are focused, we are having a good training camp and we are just trying to prepare and not think about the difficulties that we are facing. So, the main focus is just to get better for the World Cup," Blackwood said.
"I just want us to be in the best mental state as a group and I think once everybody has the right mindset we will do well. I just want to support my teammates whether I'm on or off the field, that has always been my biggest thing being a part of this Reggae Girlz setup, the way we play with and for each other, so that is the most important thing for us now," she added.
With the team vibe in the right place, coupled with the fact that competition for final spots to the global showpiece are still up for grabs, Blackwood said they are gradually identifying those ingredients that gets everyone motivated, both during practice and game time.
The 26-year-old left full-back used the Cup of Nations tournament in Australia in February -- where the lost 0-3 to Spain and the host nation, and 2-3 to Czech Republic --and their most recent camp in England, a 2-0 win over Sheffield United, as good examples of the strides they have made.
"I think for the last couple camps, this is the best we have had in terms of chemistry and everybody buying into what is required. As coach said it is a very competitive environment and people are fighting for their positions, but we have come together as a team and I think our chemistry is so good right now," Blackwood noted.
"We left Australia on a high and even though we didn't win any of the games, I think the takeaway is that we are not afraid of teams. They were surprised that we came out the way we did but we wanted to keep surprising people because a lot of people don't think we are good or don't expect us to do well," she opined.
That said, Blackwood believes that the addition of English-born players, Rebecca Spencer, Drew Spence, Atlantic Primus, Vyan Sampson and Paige Bailey-Gayle, along with young players Solai Washington, Kameron Simmonds, Peyton McNamara and goalkeeper Liya Brooks, adds more value to the programme when compared to their debut World Cup appearance in France in 2019.
"I think it's good that we brought a lot of players in, maybe they didn't play in the last World Cup, but they have a lot of experience in football especially the English players and I think that's a good thing for us. They bring a lot of professionalism to the team, and I think everybody is feeding off of it and bringing good energy.
"I also think the younger players also bring a lot to the table as they not only keep us on our toes, but we can motivate them and they feed off us also because they are the next generation of Reggae Girlz, so having them there is definitely something good for us and good for the programme on a whole," Blackwood stated.
At the upcoming World Cup, Lorne Donaldson’s 43rd-ranked Reggae Girlz will once again come face-to-face with Brazil, France and Panama in Group F, and Blackwood is confident that they can progress beyond the group stages.
"Football is a very funny game so people can say stuff, but we go into every game like we have never played the team before and so I think that is the type of mentality we have, and we are not just going to go there and let them come and just walk over us," she declared.
The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) is now moving to save face, as they have once again been called out by the senior Reggae Girlz over a range of issues which they players say, have affected their preparation for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, in Australia and New Zealand.
The Girlz in a widely circulated letter first shared on social media by prolific striker and captain Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw, expressed “utmost disappointment” with the handling of their affairs by the JFF.
Among the areas of concerns outlined by the Girlz are subpar planning, transportation, accommodations, training conditions, compensation, communication, nutrition and accessibility to proper resources.
Despite sharing their concerns with the federation “on multiple occasions” the Girlz pointed out that the issues remain unresolved, and they believe the lack of interest by those in charge, threaten the integrity of women’s football in Jamaica.
The Reggae Girlz also say that their preparations for the July 20 to August 20 global showpiece have been impacted by what they say is the federation’s “extreme disorganization”.
“In recent months, due to extreme disorganization of camp logistics, we have missed several official FIFA friendly matches. This will undoubtedly impact our preparations for Australia,” they said.
“The Reggae Girlz consist of professional and collegiate footballers who are spread out across the world. To be left questioning whether a camp will even take place two or three days before the expected start is unprofessional and often prohibitive for some of our players,” the Girlz added.
The Girlz said that they hope “by using our platforms to express the reality of our situation, our efforts will be reciprocated.
“We hope there will be immediate and systematic change within our federation and those in charge of protecting the integrity of women’s football,” the letter ended.
Meanwhile, the governing football body in response, said they have noted the Reggae Girlz concerns and are taking them seriously.
“We acknowledge that things have not been done perfectly, and we are working assiduously to resolve them. We will continue to support the team in every way possible, so that they can be successful at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand,” the JFF said.
A similar situation came to the fore in 2019 ahead of the Girlz World Cup debut appearance in France. Then, the Girlz main issues were the absence of a proper contract and salaries for players.
The senior Reggae Girlz may be far advanced in their preparations for the FIFA Women's World Cup, but Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president Michael Ricketts welcomed Restaurants of Jamaica's (ROJ) $7 million sponsorship as a timely injection that will ensure the Lorne Donaldson-coached team breathe much easier heading Down Under.
Ricketts believes the Girlz have not been shown enough appreciation for their historic accomplishment of qualifying for a second-consecutive World Cup but says KFC's support represents a step in the right direction and another example which he hopes other corporate companies will follow.
The one-year partnership will see KFC pumping $6 million in cash and another $1 million in products to the Reggae Girlz, who are currently in camp putting the final pieces in place ahead of the July 20 to August 20 showpiece, in Australia and New Zealand.
"We need to show far more appreciation to our Girlz and when you think of the struggles some of these players went through, the sacrifice and commitment to get a country like ours to two global tournaments consecutively, it is no ordinary achievement," Ricketts said during a press conference at JFF’s St Lucia Avenue base on Wednesday.
"So, I must recognize Mr. [Andrei] Roper and KFC for coming on board to partner with the JFF to ensure that we improve the quality of life for all these girls that constantly and consistently make us so very proud. This is something that we can gloat about and hopefully this really sends a strong signal to Jamaica as it relates to the positive and social impact that these two qualifications have on our little boys and girls," he added.
While most of their focus is currently on the World Cup, Ricketts said the Olympic Games Qualifiers against Canada in September, as well as the women's Nations League and Gold Cup, has not been lost on them, hence is call for more support.
But beyond that and despite the financial constraints, the president pointed out that his administration is intent on getting things right going forward, particularly where developing the country's football from the grassroots is concerned.
By virtue of the Girlz qualification, the JFF is assured of just over US$1.5 million from FIFA, but that figure could increase if the team goes beyond the group stage. The Girlz are drawn in Group F alongside France, Brazil and Panama.
"We are just intent on ensuring that the whole psyche of our little boys and girls are positively impacted. We struggle to meet our footballing demands when you think that we have 12 teams, six on either side of the gender, that we must take care of, it is challenging, but we are managing.
"So, I want to again mention our sponsors we had Courts last week and now KFC joining the Marley Foundation and others, but we need other corporate entities to come on board as we try to impact the social needs of the boys and girls that are interested in playing the sport," Ricketts shared.
"We must put programmes in place, and we are intent on getting a proper grassroots programme. We have a committee which is responsible for talent identification, grassroots and development, so this committee will be very active in identifying grassroots kids and having them properly harnessed and then get them in a formal setting so we can then make the transition from little kids to high school players and then inevitably, national players," the president noted.
Meanwhile, ROJ’s Brand Manager Andrei Roper explained that this partnership with the senior Reggae Girlz is an extension of that with captain and prolific goal scorer, Khadija "Bunny" Shaw.
The 26-year-old Manchester City striker, who is not in the current camp, is expected to join up with the final squad when they head to Amsterdam for a pre-tournament camp before heading to Australia.
"We really wanted to help to make the Reggae Girlz journey to the World Cup that much easier, theirs is a tremendous achievement and I don't think we fully appreciate as a nation what a huge achievement it is. They are true ambassadors for Jamaica, not just for women's sport but for brand Jamaica on a whole, so for us at KFC we pride ourselves on giving back... just supporting all those pillars of society that really represent everything positive about Jamaica," Roper affirmed.
"Women's football is an area where we did see an opportunity to really give a bit more as a brand. Last year, we started a partnership with Khadija Shaw as our big deal ambassador, so this is just a fitting extension of our relationship with Khadija, who is the face of women's football and so we are broadening our scope and partnership to the wider Reggae Girlz programme.
"So, we just want to say thanks and just to help make their preparations a bit easier because we know it’s going to be a tough group and so we want to just really make the last lap going Down Under that much easier. So great partnership for us and we are glad to be on board," he stated.
The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) released a statement on Friday congratulating newly crowned Concacaf Women’s Player of the Year, Khadija “Bunny” Shaw.
Shaw was announced as the winner of the award on Friday and is the first Caribbean woman to claim the prize.
She had a stellar 2022 season for the Reggae Girls as well as her club, Manchester City.
The 26-year-old was instrumental in leading Jamaica to their second consecutive World Cup berth and helped Manchester City claim silverware in the 2021-22 FA Women’s League Cup, scoring three goals in the knockout stage.
The statement read as follows: “Khadija Bunny Shaw's winning the 2022 Concacaf Women's Player of the Year testifies that to dream, focus, work extraordinarily hard, and strive to overcome adversities, is a viable path to success.
The country has watched with pride and absolute amazement the rapid growth of the captain of the Jamaica's National Senior Women's team, especially since going professional in 2019. To top this prestigious awards list that included accomplished players from the USA and Canada, among others, is an historic achievement for Jamaica. She becomes the first ever awardee from outside of the United States.
The Jamaica Football Federation wholeheartedly congratulates Khadija, Jamaica's leading goal scorer across genders and currently the leading goal scorer in the 2023 Women's Super League. She now ascends to an ambassador for Jamaica's women's football on the international football stage.
We pray for her continued good health and strength as she prepares to lead our national team at the Women's World Cup.”
"In winning this award, Khadija has enhanced brand Jamaica, but even more so, has offered immense hope to countless young Jamaican female footballers. From playing in the streets of Spanish Town, to St Jago High School, to club, to the national team, to college and the professional ranks, she has not only paved the football pathway, but has shown the qualities that breed success," said Michael Ricketts, President of the JFF.
Jamaica Football Federation President Michael Ricketts has hinted that Everton winger Demarai Gray is inching ever closer to becoming a Reggae Boy citing that Head Coach Heimir Hallgrimsson is fond of the player, who has been on the federation’s radar for the past few years.
It was in March 2021, that Ricketts in an interview indicated that the now 26-year-old Gray was among several English players who were in the process of acquiring their Jamaican passports. The federation had hoped that the player would have been able to join the national programme in time for the qualification matches for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar but that did not happen.
However, while responding to questions at a JFF press conference on Wednesday to announce new and returning sponsors and the launch of the federation’s new website, Ricketts, while coy, indicated that with regards to Gray, things were moving in a positive direction.
“I don’t want to speak too much on it because his parents really don’t want us to but we are making some progress,” he said. “What I can say is that the coach is very optimistic, the coach likes him and the coach is working hard to ensure that he gets him in his programme.”
Ricketts revealed that if all goes according to plan, Gray could be suited in Jamaican colours in time for the CONCACAF Gold Cup set to get underway in June. Jamaica opens its campaign against defending champions, the United States of America on June 24.
However, Gray is not the only player being targeted by the JFF. According to Ricketts, the Jamaican head coach already has an idea of what players will make up his squad for the Gold Cup, which might include some new players based overseas.
“Based on discussions that I would have had with Coach Hallgrimsson, he is very excited. In fact, he has some young players on his radar that he is very excited about and, of course, he said to me after the Mexico game (in March) he was convinced about what the nucleus of his team will be,” Ricketts revealed.
“But there are some overseas-based players and we have asked Simon (Preston) to work closely with Coach Hallgrimsson to identify some of these young players.” Preston, a former sports anchor at Television Jamaica (TVJ), is working with the JFF in the capacity of media liaison and analyst.
Hallgrimsson is currently in England meeting with a number of players whom he would like to be part of the rebuilding of the Reggae Boyz squad. The head coach reportedly made trips to the USA and then to his home country of Iceland before travelling to England.
Brian Pengelley General Manager of Jameco Equipment, a subsidiary of the Stewarts’s Automotive Group on Wednesday implored fellow corporate entities to throw their support behind the Jamaica Football Federation’s football progammes citing that national teams bring exposure from which the country benefits.
He was speaking at the JFF Headquarters where new and returning sponsors were announced as well as the revealing of the association’s new website.
Adidas, Courts Jamaica, Irie FM, First Choice Pharmacy, Wisynco, GraceKennedy Ltd, Sports Development Foundation, First Choice Pharmacy and Stewart’s Automotive were introduced as new or returning sponsors along with the Bob Marley Foundation, the Jamaica Pegasus and Holiday Inn.
“What’s missing is the full participation of Corporate Jamaica. This journey we are on with the JFF is a critical one for the overall growth of our country,” Pengelley said, speaking on behalf of the sponsors’ representatives in attendance.
“We talk about businesses coming back, business is strong, tourism is strong. I am not seeing where people appreciate what value the advertising, promotion and the teams being abroad is bringing to Jamaica.
“People that sell in Jamaica, companies that sell their manufactured goods should be on board because when people come here they are buying our products and that benefits everyone.
“My appeal to Corporate Jamaica is recognize that the publicity that our teams are generating around the world is bringing people to Jamaica. They put Jamaica on the map every time they do something.”
Meantime, JFF President Michael Ricketts said it took a lot of hard work to get sponsors back board to support several campaigns that the national teams are involved in. The Reggae Boyz are about to begin their campaign in the Concacaf Gold Cup in June while the Reggae Girlz will begin theirs at the FIFA Women’s World Cup later this year.
A number of the junior teams are also competing at the international level, most notably the U20 Girls who recently won their group to advance to the final round of the Concacaf U20 Championships qualifiers.
“In these times of austerity it is not easy to get sponsors on board but I think we have a product that is marketable,” he said. “We have a brand that people want to be a part of.”
To emphasize his point, he revealed that during a recent meeting with Adidas, they expressed their elation with what was happening with the Jamaica kit.
“Every single piece of kit in the United Kingdom was sold,” he said. “We met with (former Reggae Boy) Deon Burton, one of our celebrated from the ’98 campaign. He wanted a shirt and could not get one to buy. The product is marketable. Jamaica’s football is going places. The girls are doing very well; the boys will test their true mettle at the Gold Cup.”
Chelsea midfielder Omari Hutchinson is one of five English-based players that were, on Tuesday, named in the Reggae Boyz squad for two friendlies against Trinidad & Tobago to be held on the 11th and 14th of March in Montego Bay.
The 19-year-old, who spent seven years at Arsenal before moving to Chelsea last year, played his first game for the Reggae Boyz in an unofficial 0-6 friendly loss to Catalonia in May 2022.
The other four England-based players in the squad are Tyler Roberts (Wolves), Dexter Lembikisa (Wolves), Delano McCoy-Splatt (Fulham) and Dante Cassanova (Tottenham Hotspur).
Also selected in the squad for the first time is 17-year-old Kingston College standout Dujuan “Whisper” Richards who was recently on trial at Premier League outfit Newcastle United.
The full squad is as follows: Tyler Roberts (Wolves), Collin Anderson (Cavalier), Trivante Stewart (Mt. Pleasant), Dujuan Richards (Phoenix Academy), Jourdain Fletcher (NEROCA), Lamar Walker (Portmore United), Demario Phillips (Mt. Pleasant), Delano McCoy-Splatt (Fulham), Ravel Morrison (DC United), Dante Cassanova (Tottenham Hotspur), Alwayne Harvey (Mt. Pleasant), Jahshaun Anglin (Harbour View), Omari Hutchinson (Chelsea FC), Dwayne Atkinson (Cavalier), Dexter Lembikisa (Wolves), Ricardo Thomas (Dunbeholden), Jamoi Topey (Mt. Pleasant), Richard King (Cavalier), Fitzroy Cummings (Vere United), Adrian Mariappa (Unattached), Sue-Lae McCalla (Mt. Pleasant), Oshane Staple (Harbour View), Jamali Waite (Pittsburgh Riverhounds), Kemar Foster (Waterhouse), Asher Hutchinson (Arnett Gardens)
The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) held a press conference on Tuesday to officially unveil the new kits to be worn by the respective national teams.
The kits are the first of a ground-breaking partnership between the Federation and apparel giants, Adidas, and were officially unveiled in the boardroom at the JFF headquarters.
“This is a very significant day for football in the history of this country,” said JFF President Michael Ricketts.
“The JFF started the process of negotiating with Adidas, arguably one of the most decorated sport apparel manufacturers in the world. These negotiations were intense and there were times when I felt helpless or that it would not work but, thereafter, came some light and the rest is history,” Ricketts added.
The agreement with Adidas is in place for the next four years.
“It is significant for the JFF to be working with Adidas. The expectation around this transaction, globally, is huge,” said JFF General Secretary Dennis Chung.
“I think that, based on feedback, the expectation and the excitement of people internationally could even be more than here. This transaction with Jamaica is more than just football and sports. It is a culture,” he added.
The Under-17 Reggae Boyz and senior Reggae Girlz are the first two national teams to sport the new kits.
The Under-17s recently competed in the CONCACAF U-17 Championship where they lost to Guatemala in the Round of 16 and the Reggae Girlz are currently in Australia taking part in the Cup of Nations, a build-up to the FIFA Women’s World Cup from July 20- August 20 later this year.
The Reggae Boyz first time in the new kit will be in two friendly internationals against Trinidad & Tobago on March 4 and March 11.
Jamaica’s Under-17 football team was scheduled to depart the island for Guatemala on Thursday to begin their quest to qualify for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
Unfortunately, this was not the case as, according to General Secretary of the Jamaica Football Federation Dennis Chung, 14 members of the squad were unable to get on the flight to Guatemala.
The reasoning given by Chung is because of a delay in receiving travel exemption letters for the players.
“An unfortunate incident happened today. The Under-17 boys who are on their way to Guatemala for the World Cup qualifiers. 14 of them did not make the flight today because, although they had received the exemption to travel, the exemption letter came in late so they did not get to make it on the flight,” Chung said.
The Concacaf Under-17 Championship gets underway on Saturday while Jamaica’s first match will be against Cuba on Sunday.
Jamaica is in Group G alongside Cuba, Costa Rica and Guadeloupe.
Chung noted that work is being done to ensure that the remaining players are on a plane to Guatemala on Friday.
“We are working assiduously along with our travel consultant and the airline to ensure that this is resolved. We are expecting most, if not all the players, on a flight tomorrow to get to Guatemala now that we have the exemption letters in hand so that we can begin our quest to qualify for the Under-17 world cup,” Chung said.
The young Reggae Boyz are aiming to qualify for the Under-17 World Cup for the first time since 2011. The World Cup will be held in Peru from November 10 – December 2.
Jamaica Premier League outfit Chapelton Maorons have been punished for failing to turn up for their fixture with Mount Pleasant Academy at the Effortville Community Centre on Sunday.
The Maroons, who fired experienced head coach Lenworth Hyde last week, were unable to field an 11 due to many players being unavailable.
Notably, the Maroons squad is made up mostly of schoolboys and the JPL has a rule that does not allow a team to field more than five amateurs to a team per match.
Before his dismissal, Hyde noted that this rule will put the team in a tough situation, especially since if the players sign professional contracts, they will be ineligible for overseas scholarship opportunities.
Match Commissioner Anthony Gibbs said he had not gotten any correspondence from Chapelton nor the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) for the absence of the Clarendon-based team.
The JFF announced the sanctions in a release on Monday:
“The Competitions Committee of the JFF has handed down sanctions to Chapelton Maroons who failed to turn up for their JPL fixture versus Mount Pleasant FC at the Effortville Community Center on Sunday, January 22.
The Maroons are currently twelfth in the 14-team JPL table with eight points from 10 games.
The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has announced new policy guidelines surrounding sexual harassment, whistle blowers and safeguarding children and young people.
The new policies emerged from a meeting of the JFF board on Saturday January 21st.
The policies, the JFF said, complement the Procurement Policy already approved in December 2022 and submitted to FIFA.
According to the JFF the Sexual Harassment policy aims to safeguard employees of both genders from unwanted sexual advances and provide them with guidelines to report incidents.
The new policy explains how they handle complaints and take action against offenders.
“The JFF aims to provide a safe working environment and prohibits any form of sexual harassment,” the football governing body said it a statement on Monday.
“Hence, any act of sexual harassment or related retaliation against an employee is unacceptable. This policy, therefore, intends to prohibit such occurrences and details the procedures to follow when an employee believes that a violation of the Policy has occurred. Making a false complaint of sexual harassment or providing false information regarding a complaint will also be treated as a violation of the policy,” the JFF said.
With regards to its Whistle Blower policy, the JFF said it will provide a mechanism for all directors, officers, employees and contractors of JFF to report and disclose, in good faith, all improper or illegal conduct which adversely affects this entity or is contrary to the public interest, without fear of punishment or reprisal.
This policy, it said, is also aimed at facilitating prompt and full investigations into reports which are made in good faith and stipulates the procedure which must be complied with when addressing any complaints which alleged acts or attempted acts of interference, intimidation or reprisal against directors, officers, employees and contractors who report, disclose or investigate such acts.
“Therefore, all directors, officers, employees and contractors of JFF are encouraged to adhere to the procedures and guidelines specified in this Policy for reporting all allegations of suspected improper or illegal acts,” the JFF said.
The policy governing the Safeguarding of Children and Young People aims to ensure compliance with the Children (Child care and Protection Act) (2004) that all children participating in activities and programmes organized by the JFF do so in as safe a manner as possible.
In addition to the policies approved, the JFF has also taken steps to ensure that it conforms with internationally accepted standards, by commissioning background checks on all coaching and technical staff, and will further expand this as they seek to bring full transparency and comfort around the persons involved with the operations of the JFF.
“This is especially as we recognize that we are the guardians of children directly, through our national teams and camps, and also have to interact with children nationally,” the JFF said.
In addition, the board also deliberated on the coaching qualifications in Jamaica, as it recognizes how critical coaching development is for a sustainable and improved football product.
Against that background, the board approved the following:
A subsidy of $150,000 for the next batch of 24 coaches that will be doing the CONCACAF B License, which will be selected as at least one from each parish and the national coaches.
For 2023, there will be two B License sessions of 24 each, and in order to encourage participation we will subsidize the first batch. The full cost is $300,000, which means that participants will only have to pay $150,000 and there are currently 27 B License coaches already.
A subsidy of $40,000 for the next batch of 24 coaches that will be doing the CONCACAF C License, which will be selected as at least one from each parish and the national coaches.
For 2023, there will be four B License sessions of 24 each, and in order to encourage participation we will subsidize the first batch. The full cost is $80,000, which means that participants will only have to pay $40,000 and there are currently 57 C License coaches already
The JFF, through the Technical Committee, will do an assessment as to whether a subsidy is needed for JFF D License certification. There are currently 300 D License coaches already.
“The JFF encourages coaches to take advantage of the available certifications, especially that as of next season the minimum coaching requirements will be as follows:
Premier League Men’s – every coach must either have a CONCACAF B License or is actively registered
Tier 2 Men’s and Premier League Women’s – every coach must have a CONCACAF C License or is actively registered
Major League – every coach must have a JFF D License or JFF Advanced Level 2 certification or is actively registered
Every person involved with the youth must do a safeguarding course, and is familiar with the Safeguarding Children and Young People policy.
At the highest level of CONCACAF A License, the JFF currently has 10 coaches completing the course, with seven of the 10 almost certified.
“The JFF is committed to improve the governance and transparency around our operations, to ensure that our stakeholders are fully aware of decisions taken that will affect the JFF and football in general,” said JFF President Michael Ricketts.
“I have therefore asked that these decisions be communicated to the public to show the steps being taken to continue the development of football in Jamaica and chart an even more successful path for Jamaica’s international performance. The JFF recognizes that we are seen as one of the leaders in CONCACAF and will ensure that we do not disappoint.”
Kingston College standout Dujuan ‘Whisper’ Richards is among 32 players invited to training sessions with Reggae Boyz Head Coach Heimir Hallgrinsson at the Jamaica Football Federation headquarters at the University of the West Indies on January 17 and 18.
The 17-year-old Richards recorded 29 goals and 19 assists in the Manning Cup and led Kingston College to the semi-finals.
The full list of players is as follows:
Kemar Foster (Waterhouse FC), Ramone Howell (Waterhouse FC), Ricardo Thomas (Dunbeholden FC), Peter McGregor (Dunbeholden FC), Trivante Stewart (Mount Pleasant FC), Ky-Mani Campbell (Mount Pleasant FC), Demario Phillips (Mount Pleasant FC), Devonte Campbell (Mount Pleasant FC), Jamoi Topey (Mount Pleasant FC), Tafari Chambers (Mount Pleasant FC), Sue-Lae McCalla (Mount Pleasant FC), Alwayne Henry (Mount Pleasant FC), Odane Murray (Mount Pleasant FC), Eric Edwards (Arnett Gardens), Kimani Arbouine (Arnett Gardens), Earl Simpson (Arnett Gardens), Ajuma Johnson (Arnett Gardens), Richard King (Cavaluer SC), Dwayne Atkinson (cavalier SC), Collin Anderson (Cavalier SC), Kyle Ming (Cavalier SC), Jeadine White (Cavalier SC), Gawaine Austin (Portmore United), Oshane Staple (Harbour View FC), Colorado Murray (Harbour View FC), Jahshaun Anglin (Harbour View FC), Nicholas Hamilton (Harbour View FC), Okeemo Jones (Chapleton Maroons), Malachi Douglas (Chapleton Maroons), Dujuan Richards (Phoenix Academy), Jason Wright (Molynes United).
The sessions will commence at 3:00pm.
The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) released a statement on Saturday congratulating Khadija Shaw on her stellar year for Manchester City in the FA Women’s Super League (WSL) season.
Shaw scored 15 goals for City in the calendar year and is currently joint top of the goal-scoring charts for the 2022-23 season with eight.
“The JFF heartily congratulates national captain Khadija Shaw for ending the calendar year 2022 as the second highest scorer in the Barclays Women's Premier League with 15 goals. You are indeed fabulous! Our hope is that you will remain healthy and be even more lethal in the new year. We wish you all the success in your endeavors in 2023!”
Shaw’s season will resume on January 15 when Manchester City takes on West Ham United.
The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), as a part of its outreach programme, has partnered with Jamballers and IRIE FM to bring Christmas cheer to selected past players and administrators as the Yuletide season rolls in.
Through the efforts of JFF staff member Beverly Melbourne of Jamballers, gift baskets including gear and other items have been presented to former FIFA Referee Dwight Royal, who has been incapacitated after an accident in Santa Cruz a few years ago. The gifts to him were presented by Patrick Malcolm, President of the St Elizabeth Football Association.
Presentations were also made to former league director of the JFF, Bob West, who is in a nursing home in Mandeville while former national player and Reno FC stalwart Boysie Nicholson, who has been ill for some years, was visited earlier this week.
"The JFF recognizes the invaluable contribution that these persons have made to development of football in Jamaica, and we thought it necessary to participate in this small gesture to recognize them and bring some cheer in this yuletide season,” said JFF President Michael Ricketts.
Ten people are to be presented with gifts with the final set to be done at Zipp FM’s offices in Half-Way-Tree on December 14.
“It is a blessing to be able to move about and interact with these noble people,” Melbourne said.
“They would have given their best for the country and for football and we want to put a smile on their faces and show them that they are not forgotten."
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