President Christopher Samuda says the $25 million provided to the Reggae Girlz is a continuation of the Jamaica Olympic Association’s (JOA’s) interest in growing sports in the country.

The team was given the funding ahead of their two-game Olympic qualifier against Canada this month. Jamaica is vying to become the first Caribbean country to qualify for women’s football at the Olympic Games, and positive results against the defending champions Canada would do just that.

The first game takes place on Friday at the National Stadium, and the second will be played in Toronto, Canada, the following Tuesday.

The JOA’s sponsorship, which is in collaboration with the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) and the Bob Marley Foundation, will see $15 million going directly to the Reggae Girlz’s campaign, with the remaining $10 million going to player incentives.

These incentives include bonuses for goals scored, assists made, clean sheets, and team prizes for Olympic qualification.

“The $25 million is an investment in the human capital of football,” Samuda told the Jamaica Observer on Monday. “It is an investment in our young people, to let them recognise that we reward when excellence is demonstrated on the field of play.

“It is an investment to demonstrate through our stakeholders, both internal and external, that the business of sport is alive and well and if we don’t have the business of sport, we can’t have the practice of sport.

“So this investment by the JOA is a continuation of our policy to invest in our players, invest in our footballers, in our swimmers, our basketballers, so that they can get an opportunity to recognise that we feel that they are capable and worthy of investment and can transition to regional, international stage.”

Samuda says fan support is crucial and he is encouraging Jamaicans to get behind the team.

“There will always be people who criticise, people who have different points of view, but what we must recognise now is that we must support our Girlz,” he said. “It is a national culture that we must embrace now; we must support our national teams because they are an important component of the Jamaica brand. And they are branding and commercialising Jamaica, which benefits us.”

While embracing the contribution from the JOA, JFF President Michael Ricketts is nevertheless asking for more sponsorship for the team.

“Well, it is an injection that will undoubtedly go a long way toward offsetting some of our major expenses, which are substantial,” Ricketts said. “And we are just grateful, and we wish that other entities would come on-board because this is costing us a pretty penny.

“But we are just very happy and grateful to Mr Christopher Samuda, and of course, the JOA, as they have always supported us. I mean, I remember in 2018 they sponsored us for the Central American and Caribbean Games, which was in Colombia and the following year we were in the World Cup in France. So we are hoping that that trend will continue and that after this cash injection, we will in fact create history again by qualifying for the Olympics.”

Reggae Girlz ambassador Cedella Marley also expressed her gratitude to the Reggae Girlz for their achievements at the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup.

“We can never praise them enough and they can never hear enough of the now lasting impression they have made on this world,” she said via video presentation. “Not just the sporting world, but on women and girls across the globe.

“My father [late Reggae icon Bob Marley] has been quoted many times, but please allow me the liberty of quoting him here today, especially one quote that is not so quite often repeated: ‘Though the road has been rocky, it sure feels good to me.’

“And it bears repeating that it’s not been an easy road and yet still the Reggae Girlz have remained positive and committed.

“The Reggae Girlz’s story has been a story of firsts, and as an ambassador of this wonderful group, I pledge to do everything to ensure that we add another first to the list, which is the opportunity to compete for an Olympic medal. I know we can do it… You see our Reggae Girlz, they stay in warrior mode and it is still on. One love.”