JFF seeking help to obtain US visas for under-15 female squad

Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) women’s football committee chairman, Elaine Walker-Brown, said federation president Michael Ricketts is working around the clock with Concacaf and government ministers in an effort to obtain interview dates with the United States (US) Embassy, for the national under-15 female squad.

The young Reggae Girlz are scheduled to play in the 2022 Concacaf Girls’ Under-15 Championship, from July 31 to August 7 at the Hillsborough County Tournament Sportsplex in Tampa, Florida. However, Walker-Brown said no interview dates with the US Embassy are available now. Seventeen of the 18 players named to the squad do not have a visa to enter the United States.

She revealed that JFF president Ricketts has been in constant dialogue with government ministries and Concacaf to try to get the situation sorted out.

“We cannot get interview dates (through regular channels) because applications are closed off until 2024 and only one (player) has a visa, 17 don’t. The president is liaising with the Government and Concacaf to see if they can help. Only someone in authority would be able to help us. So we are hoping that through Concacaf and the government we’ll get through,” she said.

She pointed that the situation not only affects Jamaica as many other countries are currently facing the same situation.

“The JFF did what they were supposed to and if we cannot get interview date, it seems as if it (playing in the tournament) will be a no-no,” she continued.

Efforts are also being made to recruit US-based players, but this will present it own problems.

“We were looking overseas. Some of the players eligible to play will have to sort out citizenship documentation. One is in the island already.

“So we are still trying to reach out to overseas players, but they need to sort their citizenship,” she noted.

The hope is that an interview date will be available before next Wednesday, when the provisional squad is due for submission.

“We have until July 20. The provisional list must go in 10 days before the tournament starts,” she said.

The 32 teams at the tournament will be divided into three leagues, A, B and C. Jamaica are set to compete in League A, with the seven highest ranked teams in the region, including Canada, Costa Rica, Haiti, Mexico, Puerto Rico and United States. League A will be divided into two groups with the winners and second place finishers from each group advancing to the knockout stage.