Cedella Marley, who was previously celebrated as the ‘fairy godmother’ of the Reggae Girlz, has abruptly resigned from her position as the Global Ambassador for Jamaica’s national female football team.
The announcement of her departure was made public through an official release on Thursday.
In her statement, Marley cited the current state of affairs involving the team and the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) as the primary reasons behind her immediate resignation. She expressed her belief that the JFF is “neither receptive nor interested” in the manner of support she has been providing.
Marley explained that when she initially joined the team, she did so with a mutual vision shared with the late JFF boss Captain Horace Burrell, intending to offer help and support. Since that understanding was reached, the Bob and Rita Marley Foundations, along with various partners, have collectively invested approximately US $2.7 million into the growth and development of the women’s football team.
Deep disappointment with recent developments
“We have worked diligently with the federation to build a solid women’s program. The results of this work speak for themselves as the Reggae Girlz have gone on to literally make history – not once, not twice but repeatedly,” Marley’s statement highlighted.
However, Marley expressed her deep disappointment with recent developments concerning the team. Particularly, after the Reggae Girlz’ historic run at the Women’s World Cup, she had expected all parties to collaborate for the benefit of the team. Instead, she pointed out an “ever-widening rift between the JFF and the team” that has become increasingly alarming.
Despite her resignation, Marley pledged to continue supporting the Reggae Girlz’ journey through the “Football is Freedom” initiative, demonstrating her ongoing commitment to the team and its players.
