‘Where’s your proof?’

THE JAMAICA Football Federation (JFF) is wholly refuting claims made by Phoenix Academy boss Craig Butler that its system of hierarchy lends itself to corruption.

In a Gleaner article last Sunday titled ‘The Craig Butler Project Pt II’, The Phoenix owner and Mona coach lambasted the JFF’s organisational structure, saying it led to situations where players were picked for national teams ahead of others because of the hierarchy’s association with the clubs the players turned out for.

“The way how football runs in Jamaica, there is no real way to make money off football other than to sell a player overseas, transfer a player, and get the transfer fee. So if the president or the hierarchy of the JFF all belong to a football club and their players need to get the caps in order to qualify for the work permit for a transfer, they will put their players from their clubs into the national team, even if they are not the best players ...” Butler was quoted as saying in the article.

Freshly appointed JFF General Secretary Dennis Chung, in a letter to The Gleaner, has pointed to the fallacy in Butler’s claims.

NO SUCH POLICY

“There is no such policy at the JFF, which is suggested as entrenched by you. This would in no way be condoned by the organisation. In fact, we have repeatedly stated that the coaching staff only selects the players based on their professional assessment.

“It is therefore misleading and alleges nepotism and corrupt practices by the JFF as a body and the directors, officers, and coaching staff,” read the JFF response.

Chung also went on to explain that Butler’s broadbrushing of the organisation as corrupt and the singling out of JFF president Michael Ricketts as a target was completely unacceptable.

“You have also singled out the president of the JFF and broad-brushed every other director, officer, and coaching staff member, which is unfortunate, and I am requesting the evidence of this to be sent within a week for our enlightenment,” read the letter, dated November 1.

The Sunday Gleaner also spoke to Chung, in response to the letter.

That conversation revealed the JFF had also reached out to Butler, asking for evidence of malfeasance.

To date, no evidence has come forward.