The Jamaican Football Federation has said its male team players will not play any game until their general secretary Dalton Wint resigns. Jamaica players including Aston Villa’s Leon Bailey posted a statement detailing grievances and said “we need change”. After Saturday’s 1-1 draw in Suriname, players said travel back to Jamaica had not been arranged, calling it “another example of incompetence” by officials. The statement said: “We are drained, we are tired, enough is enough.”
Why Jamaica Players want Dalton Wint to Resign
The Reggae Boyz faces Suriname in the return match of their Concacaf Nations League campaign on Tuesday (Wednesday, 02:00 BST). The Reggae Boyz claimed Suriname arrived in Jamaica before them. The Jamaican Minister for sports Olivia Grange said the government intervened to stop the team from “being stranded in Suriname” and so they are requesting a “detailed report”. Grange also said the team will work closely with the JFF and the players to address the issue and also other related matters of concern.
In their initial statement, the players also said that the squad had not been paid “for months.” Spartak Moscow forwards Shamar Nicholson and Derby County midfielder Ravel Morrison had failed to link up with the other team because of the poor travel arrangements and that team’s hotel accommodation in Suriname had left them sleeping on couch beds. They said: “We’re stuck in Suriname and our flight arrangements are yet to be confirmed,” they said. “To make matters worse, we also found out that the Suriname national team will be arriving in Jamaica before us.
They said action is an act of incompetence and the JFF has shown that they don’t care about the players or the state of Jamaican football. The players have so, therefore, said enough is enough, we need change, we need better leadership, and we are calling for the general secretary Dalton Wint to resign. The players will no longer represent the country until he steps down.
In a statement, the JFF said Wint had given his “unequivocal and irreversible commitment to submit his resignation from the post”.