JOA not funding entire Olympic football initiative

Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) president, Christopher Samuda, has moved to make it clear that his organisation will not be putting up $30 million to fund a new Jamaica Football Federation/JOA Olympic initiative that will be geared at qualifying the nation's football team for the 2020 Games..A report on Thursday had suggested that a $30 million project will be funded by the JOA, but president Samuda declared that is not the case and that the amount the JOA will spend is likely to be under $10 million.

"We are in the process of funding what we call an Olympic programme towards 2020. We have not signed off on a figure as yet but it certainly is not going to be $30 million, it certainly won't be $20 million and certainly may not be $10 million.. it may be under $10 million," Samuda said.

Still in dialogue

Any other undertaking or expenses will have to be taken care of by the JFF. "We are still in the process of speaking to them (JFF) in relation to how we are going to fund this (Olympic programme), the level of funding and the nature of the programme. It has to be designed specifically for the Olympics but I suspect that we are going to have camps, as we must have camps for that. There will also be matches which is part of the preparation for any competition, and there will be things like nutrition and so on.

"But what we will be doing is funding an Olympic initiative for 2020. We are not concerned about any office expenses the JFF will have or will have to undertake for other competitions."