JAMAICA’S National Under-20 Women’s team, preparing for a major tournament, has been barred from using the Stadium East field because of a reported debt of about $5 million owed to Independence Park Limited (IPL) by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF).

The National Under-20 team is currently in its final stages of preparation for the CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship in January, in which the top three teams will qualify for the 2010 World Cup in Germany.

But IPL, which has overall responsibilities for a variety of sporting facilities at the Independence Park complex — including the Stadium East field — refused to grant permission for the use of the field by the Young Girlz, who carry the dream of becoming the first female team to qualify for a world tournament.

General manager of IPL Major Desmon Brown yesterday could not give the exact figure of the debt, but told the Observer that the JFF “owed over $ 5 million, the last time I checked”.

Said Brown: “I told the JFF we couldn’t allow any other use of the facilities by the JFF because they have made no effort in six months to pay any bills.”

JFF general secretary Horace Reid, when contacted yesterday, said there is no benefit in locking out the national team.

“I don’t see locking the team out will bring funds any faster for the JFF to make payment. It’s not going to happen,” said Reid.

Reid reminded that the JFF has been a big revenue earner for the IPL for its use mainly of the National Stadium for training of the senior team and for big international matches.

“The JFF over the years has consistently provided revenue for Independence Park by the events it stages at the National Stadium. If our association doesn’t use it, it is going to become a white elephant,” said Reid.

“When these (sports) associations fall on tough times, there ought to be some understanding,” he added.

Reid underlined that the JFF, like many other sporting bodies, is buckling under the strain brought on by the world recession, and with government’s new tax package announced Thursday, things are expected to get worse.

“The federation is experiencing tough times, but we can’t turn our backs on the country’s young people,” Reid noted.

“This is a National Under-20 team preparing for a World Cup tournament, and the fact is, we are not asking for the National Stadium but for the Stadium East field,” the veteran football administrator lamented.

An equally livid Vin Blaine, head coach of the women’s teams, says the move is not very patriotic and it has shaken the training programme.

“It doesn’t make any sense because you have Swallowfield training on it, free. Come on, man; this is the national team. I am disappointed with how they deal with it. I don’t care how much money the JFF owes them. You can give a community team to train and hold us at ransom. Foolishness!” he lashed out.

On the Swallowfield issue, Brown said it was a matter of the Government honouring an agreement with that community, when they took away the use of their field to build the National Indoor Centre.

But as it stands, the National Under-20 female team has to be jumping from field to field to garner some valuable practice sessions before they embark on their final World Cup bid.

The team will leave for Guatemala on January 19 and will open their campaign against world champions the USA on January 21, then tackle Mexico two days later before playing Trinidad & Tobago January 25.