The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has taken the unprecedented step of suspending the selection of senior Reggae Girlz players who achieved a historic Round of 16 finish at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. This decision comes as the players and the JFF grapple with unresolved contractual issues.
Announced late on Friday, the suspension of player selection follows the rejection of call-ups by all senior players for the upcoming CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup qualifiers. These matches are set to take place away to Panama next Wednesday and at home to Guatemala the following Sunday.
In a written communication addressed to the players, the JFF expressed its discomfort with the players’ response and the absence of player representatives at a scheduled meeting on Friday. The JFF emphasized its willingness to address all concerns raised by team members in accordance with their contracts, stating, “If there is a grievance or concern, this must be placed squarely on the table to be addressed and documented to the JFF.”
Reports indicate that in a three-point bulletin presented to the JFF, the players requested the full payment of all outstanding sums before the October window. The players were originally expected to receive 20 per cent of the FIFA World Cup prize money, which is believed to total US$1.87 million.
JFF receives only US$1.2 million, says GenSec Chung
However, the JFF’s General Secretary, Dennis Chung, clarified that the JFF had received only US$1.2 million from FIFA, as the world governing body had withdrawn some of the owed funds. Chung explained, “The contract [with the players] states that the amount, the percentage should be paid based on what is paid to the JFF.”
Chung further detailed that the contract differentiates between round one and round two money, with round one referring to qualifying matches and round two earmarked for players who participated in the World Cup.
The standoff between the players and the JFF revolves around these conflicting interpretations of the contract, with the JFF maintaining that they cannot pay money they do not possess.
Read more:
- Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz grapples with senior player absences for Gold Cup qualifiers
- Player availability concerns loom as Xavier Gilbert assumes interim role for Reggae Girlz
It remains to be seen how this standoff will be resolved, as both parties seek to find common ground and address the contractual disputes that have brought Reggae Girlz player selection to a standstill.
