We will not be distracted, says Ricketts
‘I want to express my disappointment because this doesn’t look like football.’
Published:Saturday | January 13, 2024 | 12:11 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
PRESIDENT OF the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Michael Ricketts is fuming after tomorrow’s presidential election between himself and challenger Raymond Anderson was put on hold. Beach Soccer Jamaica (BSJ) went to the Supreme Court yesterday and obtained an injunction to postpone the election for at least another month.
“I want to express my disappointment because this doesn’t look like football. It more looks like a felony has been committed,” Ricketts said.
“But that is how they choose to operate. We want to stay on the high ground. We want to maintain a relationship with our football friends because after the elections football still goes on.
“But we are preparing. We will not be distracted. We are staying focused. The authorities will decide if it is or not to be. But there will be an election somewhere, somehow and whenever it is, we will be ready,” the JFF boss added.
Carole Beckford, campaign manager for the Real Solid Action (RSA), Anderson’s team, distanced her organisation from the actions taken in court yesterday. She pointed out that RSA affiliates are individual entities who have the right to seek their course of justice.
FILED AN APPEAL
However, she noted that the RSA team had filed an appeal of its own to the JFF election appeals committee, as they want to ensure a fair process which she insists has not been the case.
“Whatever our affiliates want to do outside what we do as a team that is their premise.
“Our affiliates were recorded and then disenfranchised and the affiliates have sought legal advice and otherwise and they have won,” she said.
She alleges that affiliates were given strict deadlines for submissions, but the date was unexpectedly changed last minute.
“They set a date and then have congress ahead of the date. We (RSA) are running our campaign based on process. We have said that people have to be aware of their rights and we just want justice to be served,” said Beckford, who revealed they were expecting word on their appeal late yesterday evening.
She said there is a ‘flaw’ in the process and BSJ filed an injunction and has been successful.
“There are 27 other affiliates we have to consider but whatever we can do to ensure that the process is foolproof, we will,” Beckford said.
She added that in the meantime they will continue to work and prepare for the election.
“We continue to speak with our stakeholders because we have an election to win whenever that is.”
The injunction will remain in place until February 9 when lawyers for BSJ and the JFF return to court for a hearing that will determine whether it is lifted.
The BSA has argued that it is their right to vote in the JFF election but that the JFF has recognised a different organisation, Beach Football Jamaica Limited.
The Pat Garel-led association insists that they are the legitimate organisation so they should get the right to vote, and the court decided that was enough to put a stop to tomorrow’s election until they have heard the arguments of the two sides.