LOWE... has full support of JFF president, Crenston Boxhill

A package, containing what is believed to be cocaine, which was sent to the address of national striker, Onandi Lowe, in England last week, was destined for the sender's girlfriend, sources close to the player told the Observer yesterday.

According to the sources, the package was shipped from Jamaica and delivered to the big Coventry City striker's home last week.

"The package was not shipped in his name, but was intended for the girlfriend of the sender," claimed a source, which added: "This is a favour that was asked of Lowe... that his address be used."

Lowe and a 23 year-old woman were arrested last Wednesday by Northamptonshire police on suspicion of possessing a controlled drug with intent to supply. At the time, the police did not identify the substance involved. The two were later released on bail pending further inquiries.
But the source made it very clear that "the 23 year-old woman arrested was not the girlfriend of the sender."

However, neither Lowe nor the woman has been charged, although Coventry City's manager, Eric Black, rested the prolific Reggae Boyz striker for last Saturday's match against West Ham, saying that it was "important that we have people playing for the team who are 100 per cent focused".

But while the towering forward might have been rested by his new club, he had the full support from president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), Crenston Boxhill, who was in England finalising plans for a one-week Senior Reggae Boyz camp in that country at the back-end of May.

It is understood that Boxhill, who was scheduled to return home last Saturday, delayed his departure when he got news of Lowe's predicament.

The JFF president, who was in constant dialogue with Lowe's personal manager, Pat Garel, made contact with the Jamaican High Commission in London and lent their support to the player.

Boxhill, who was set to return home last night, will state exactly what happened and what is being done to help the player, said another football source.

When contacted yesterday, Garel, who was unable to make a flight to England, refused to comment on Lowe at this time, preferring to defer to the JFF boss, whom, she said, "would be in a better position to explain all that had happened".

Lowe only recently switched from second division club, Rushden & Diamonds, to division one outfit, Coventry City, after guiding Rushden to the division three league title last season.

He made his debut as a substitute in a 4-0 victory over Millwall nearly two weeks ago, and on his full debut, he scored Coventry's lone goal in a 3-1 defeat at Crewe last Monday.

It is claimed that Lowe's national team-mates plying their trade in the UK have expressed sympathy, and are quite upset at the events that have placed their colleague in this dilemma.

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