Girlz hopeful about national eligibility

Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) President Michael Ricketts says they have received positive responses for three of the four girls awaiting clearance from the world governing body, FIFA, so they can become eligible to represent to the senior national women’s team at this summer’s Women’s World Cup.

While the fate of a fourth player still hangs in the balance, Ricketts says the federation remains hopeful that her clearance will be granted as well.

Ricketts refused to release the names of the players involved, insisting they will not make that available until the issue is completely resolved. But since Jamaica gained their historic qualification to the World Cup back in October, players born outside the country looking to represent Jamaica through their parents and grandparents have increased tremendously. But FIFA eligibility rules have suspended this process for four of these players.

Ricketts said that the eligibility complication stems from some of the players looking to represent the Reggae Girlz, but finding difficulty in doing so because they have already represented the country of their birth. It means that even though they qualify to play for Jamaica through their parents or grandparents, it is much more difficult to get clearance for players who have already represented the country of their birth.

“We are working on it; that is what we are trying to sort out now,” Ricketts told The Gleaner.

But if a player was born in Jamaica and migrated to England and actually played for England, then by virtue of being born in Jamaica, you can could still come back to play for Jamaica. But if you weren’t born in Jamaica and became Jamaican based on your grandparents or parents being Jamaican, then the story is going to be a bit different.

So if your weren’t born in Jamaica and qualified to play for (another country) and actually played for (another country), it is not so easy to come back and play for Jamaica. But things are looking positive for three, but the other we will have to wait and see,” he said.