JOA pumps $8m into JFF's Olympics programme.
T H E J A MA I C A O l y m p i c Association (JOA) has pumped $8 million i n a Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) programme designed to achieve a historic qualification to the 2020 Olympic Games football in Tokyo, Japan.
The JFF and JOA have formed a partnership that will see a training programme specially developed to select the top tier Under-21 players for the Olympic Games, a competition for mostly Under-23 players.
The money will be used to cover costs associated with training camps, practice games, nutritional support, transportation, gears and match related.
President of the JOA, Christopher Samuda, said football has given a lot to the country and his association was delighted to enter this partnership.
“The JOA is pleased to partner with one of our members in the interest of a sport which has given so much to the country and which has the promise to even give greater. The JOA has contributed $8 million over two years,” Samuda said during a press conference at the JFF’s office in New Kingston, yesterday.
“We consider this partnership as very important to the development of sports in Jamaica,” Samuda added. He said sports is important as it helps to build character, value and attitude.
“Football has always brought character and glory to the country. It also gives the opportunity and avenue for people to transcend onto the international scene in order to make provisions for themselves as well as their families. It was quite easy for us to look into the direction of football,” he outlined.
LAUDED PARTNERSHIP
Michael Ricketts, president of the JFF, also lauded the partnership.
“I am very pleased today, with the JFF and JOA jointly announcing a programme that will positively impact our football, and not just locally but also on the international stage,” Ricketts said.
“Over the past four months we have constantly been having discussions with the leadership of the JOA. We shared the same vision. Jamaica has never qualified for the Olympics as it relates to football and we want to give it a real shot this time,” he concluded.