Beckford to appeal six-month ban by JFF
PRESIDENT OF the St Ann Football Association Danny Beckford was expected to formulate a letter last night to appeal a six-month suspension, which was yesterday slapped on him by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF).
“I received an official letter from the JFF’s general secretary Raymond Grant that I am suspended (as a member of the JFF board of directors) for six months effective last Monday morning,” Beckford told The Gleaner last night.
“Now, I will formulate a letter of appeal and send it out. I will do it tonight (last night) as I have 48 hours on receipt of the letter to do so,” Beckford added.
The suspension, which started as of Monday at midnight as stated by the JFF’s document, was issued because Beckford sent a letter to JFF president Captain Horace Burrell, asking him to step down from the post.
Beckford was given 24 hours to apologise to the JFF boss for the contents of his letter following a board meeting on Sunday at the JFF’s offices in New Kingston.
PUNISHMENT
However, after failing to do so, the JFF handed down the punishment that will see Beckford being barred from all football activities until May 2017.
In his letter addressed to Burrell and copied to the entire JFF Board, Beckford demanded: “Having been asked what is the opinion on the way forward for our football, the first move is for you as the president and the general secretary to leave the football administration ASAP so that the proper way for administering our football can now properly move apace.”
In his letter, Beckford blamed Burrell for what he described as a regression in the state of affairs in local football, while also criticising his leadership style.