分类： sports

Prominent international football attorney Andrew Werners has publicly criticized the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) for excessive delays in processing player registrations for the Jamaica Premier League (JPL), alleging violations of FIFA regulations. The Canadian-Dutch Caribbean lawyer, who previously served as legal counsel to the World Leagues Association, represents several affected international players including St Lucian Vino Barclett and Haitian Melvin Doxilly.

According to Werners, both players properly terminated their contracts with previous clubs—Cavalier SC and Mount Pleasant FA respectively—and became free agents months ago. Despite this, the JFF has failed to submit their registration documents through FIFA’s mandatory Transfer Matching System (TMS), preventing them from joining league leaders Montego Bay United.

Werners cited specific breaches of Article 14 of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, which permits contract termination with ‘just cause’ without penalties. He emphasized that players followed proper procedures by providing default notices to their previous clubs before seeking new affiliations.

The registration impasse extends beyond these two cases, affecting multiple national federations. Notably, a Surinamese player’s registration delay is compromising his preparation for crucial FIFA Inter-Continental play-offs in March, where Suriname faces Bolivia for a chance to compete against Iraq for World Cup qualification.

Despite attempts to contact both FIFA TMS management and JFF competitions head Ian Kemble, no responses have been received regarding these allegations. Werners has subsequently filed an official protest with FIFA, insisting the JFF must honor its contractual obligations under international football governance standards.

Jamaican track and field athletes delivered a spectacular series of performances across multiple prestigious collegiate meets in the United States over the weekend, headlined by Kelly Ann Beckford’s record-shattering run in Philadelphia. At the Penn Classic’s second day, Beckford demolished both the meet and facility records in the Women’s 800m Invitational, clocking an impressive 2:01.83 minutes. This achievement comes just one week after she established a new national indoor record in the 600m event. Her time surpassed previous benchmarks set by Nia Akins (2:03.16) and Janna Segrave (2:03.34), both established during the previous season. Meanwhile, at the University of Arkansas’s Woo Pig Classic, Olympic and World Championships finalist Ackelia Smith claimed victory in the women’s long jump with a commanding 6.60m leap. National record holder Nickisha Pryce achieved a season’s best of 51.61 seconds in the 400m, finishing behind training partner Amber Anning’s world-leading 50.51 seconds and Britton Wilson’s 51.46 seconds. Additional standout performances included Demisha Roswell’s dominant display at the Charlie Thomas Invitational, where she secured the women’s 60m hurdles title in 8.09 seconds after previously breaking the meet record twice during preliminaries. Former Jamaican high school stars continued to impress, with Abigail Campbell (University of Arkansas) and Zion Bennett (Wofford College) delivering notable performances in their respective events. The collective achievements demonstrate Jamaica’s deepening pipeline of athletic talent excelling at the collegiate level.

A high-stakes confrontation is set to unfold in the Jamaica Premier League as second-placed Racing United prepares to host league leaders Montego Bay United (MBU) at Ferdie Neita Park this afternoon at 3:00 pm. This marquee matchup features the competition’s two most potent offensive squads, separated by just seven points in the standings.

MBU enters the contest riding an impressive unbeaten streak that has persisted since the beginning of the calendar year, collecting 19 of 21 possible points while demonstrating defensive dominance by outscoring opponents 14-1. Coach Xavier Gilbert strategically rested several key players during last Sunday’s 3-0 victory over Molynes, indicating his deliberate preparation for this critical encounter.

Racing United seeks to overcome historical challenges against MBU, having lost three of their four previous meetings. Despite being a second-year franchise, the team has established itself as a formidable contender, consistently maintaining top-three positioning throughout the season. Their offensive firepower is led by Tajay Grant’s 11 goals, complemented by Nickyle Ellis’s contributions, together accounting for 18 of the team’s 34 total scores.

MBU’s record-breaking offense has already surpassed 40 goals this season, powered by Jourdain Fletcher (12 goals) and Dwight Merrick—both recently featured in the national Reggae Boyz squad that defeated Grenada. Veteran players Brian Brown and Owayne Gordon have additionally maintained consistent scoring form.

In other league action, Mount Pleasant FA pursues their fourth consecutive victory against Treasure Beach FC, leveraging the league’s most formidable defense that has conceded merely nine goals across 18 matches. Simultaneously, the perennial rivalry between Tivoli Gardens and Arnett Gardens resumes at Stadium East, where historical intensity typically outweighs current form.

Portmore United carries psychological advantage into their match against Harbour View, having defeated their opponents five consecutive times. Harbour View’s newly appointed coach Lenworth Hyde aims to replicate the encouraging 2-2 draw against Tivoli Gardens from his debut match as the club battles relegation concerns.

Additional fixtures include Waterhouse FC attempting to extend their three-game winning streak against Dunbeholden FC, while Molynes United faces Chapelton Maroons at Constant Spring. The matchweek concludes Monday with Cavalier SC hosting Spanish Town Police FC at Stadium East.

In a spectacular display of offensive prowess, Jamaica’s Under-17 national team delivered a resounding 12-0 victory against the Cayman Islands during their CONCACAF Group G World Cup qualifying match in Costa Rica this Sunday. The match, characterized by Jamaica’s overwhelming dominance, was highlighted by a remarkable four-goal performance from striker Kelvin Brown.

This decisive win marks Jamaica’s second consecutive triumph in the tournament, following their 3-0 opening victory against Aruba last Friday. The result propelled the young Reggae Boyz to the top of their group standings, temporarily surpassing Canada, who were set to face Aruba later that same day.

The Jamaican squad established an insurmountable lead early on, entering halftime with a commanding 5-0 advantage. The first-half scoring was initiated by Brown, who found the net in the 1st minute and again just before the break in the 44th. He was complemented by Jahmarie Nolan, scoring in the 17th and 45th minutes, and Jamone Lyle who added another in the 24th minute.

The second half saw no respite for the Cayman Islands. Rajon McKenzie extended the lead in the 47th minute, which was quickly followed by an own goal from Cayman Islands’ William Kirksey in the 53rd minute. Lyle secured his second goal of the match in the 58th minute, while Brown completed his hat-trick in the 71st minute and astonishingly added a fourth goal just two minutes later. Substitute Tyraun Bembridge came off the bench to cap off the historic performance with two additional goals in the 76th and 88th minutes.

This record-setting victory significantly boosts Jamaica’s goal difference, providing a crucial advantage as they prepare for their final and pivotal group stage encounter against Canada this Wednesday, which will determine the group winner.

A dramatic Sunday in the Jamaica Premier League witnessed significant shifts in the standings as Portmore United secured a crucial 2-1 away victory against Harbour View FC. This result propelled them into third position with 39 points, capitalizing on Mount Pleasant FA’s surprising 0-0 stalemate with relegation-threatened Treasure Beach FC at STETHS Sports Complex.

The league landscape intensified as Portmore now shares identical points with second-placed Racing United, who mounted a resilient comeback to draw 1-1 with Montego Bay United in a top-tier confrontation at Ferdie Neita Park. Meanwhile, Waterhouse FC demonstrated remarkable form by achieving their fourth consecutive win, overcoming Dunbeholden FC 2-1 through decisive goals from second-half substitutes.

Arnett Gardens continued their impressive resurgence with a commanding 2-0 triumph over Tivoli Gardens at Stadium East, courtesy of Fitzroy Reid’s clinical brace. This victory marks their second consecutive win, elevating them to sixth position in the competitive table.

The Portmore-Harbour View encounter maintained its predictable pattern with the visitors extending their dominance to six straight victories. Javier Brown initiated the scoring in the 29th minute, followed by Trayvone Reid’s equalizer in the 59th minute, before Peter McGregor sealed the decisive goal in the 68th minute.

In other matches, the league witnessed both drama and disappointment. Montego Bay United’s Dwight Merrick delivered a spectacular 24-yard strike against Racing United, only to see their advantage vanish immediately through a converted penalty. The most surprising result emerged from Santa Cruz where Treasure Beach earned their first-ever point against former champions Mount Pleasant FA, severely denting the latter’s title aspirations.

The round concluded with Chapelton Maroons demonstrating defensive resilience to secure a 0-0 draw against Molynes United despite playing with ten men after Carlton Brown’s late dismissal.