Reggae Girlz slam JFF over ‘extreme disorganisation’
Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz have blasted the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) over a range of issues which they say, among other implications, have affected their preparation for the upcoming Fifa World Cup and threaten the integrity of women’s football in Jamaica.
In a scathing open letter, which has been shared to social media by star striker Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw and other team members, the Girlz expressed “utmost disappointment” with the handling of their affairs by the JFF.
Among the areas of concerns outlined by the Girlz are subpar planning, transportation, accommodations, training conditions, compensation, communication, nutrition and accessibility to proper resources.
They said despite having raised the concerns “on multiple occasions” with the federation, the issues remain unresolved.
The Reggae Girlz also say that their preparations for the Fifa Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this summer have been impacted by what they say is the federation’s “extreme disorganisation”.
“In recent months, due to extreme disorganisation of camp logistics, we have missed several official Fifa friendly matches. This will undoubtly impact our preparations for Australia,” they said.
“The Reggae Girlz consist of professional and collegiate footballers who are spread out across the world. To be left questioning whether a camp will even take place two or three days before the expected start is unprofessional and often prohibitive for some of our players,” the Girlz added.
The Girlz said that they hope “by using our platforms to express the reality of our situation, our efforts will be reciprocated.
“We hope there will be immediate and systematic change within our federation and those in charge of protecting the integrity of women’s football,” they said.