EXTRA: Jamaica players refuse to play until general secretary resigns

Players of the Jamaica men’s football national team have refused to play until Dalton Wilt resigned from his position as the country’s football federation general secretary.

The Raggae boys’ players, in a statement on Tuesday, cited the alleged poor welfare and incompetence on the part of officials of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), with Dalton the major culprit of their grievances.

According to BBC the players accused the JFF of leaving the team stranded after it “failed to book our return flight back to Jamaica” following a match at Suriname.

The players also cited other issues which include “poor hotel accommodations, poor travel arrangements for players joining the national team from their clubs, and cost-cutting that affects team preparation.”

These, the players complained, have led to “the draining of passion and excitement, thus necessitating the need for Dalton’s resignation.”

Responding to the players’ request, the JFF released a statement that Dalton would resign from his post.

“The General Secretary of the Jamaica Football Federation, Mr. Dalton Wint, has given his unequivocal and irreversible commitment to submit his resignation from the post,” the statement read.

Statement from the Jamaica Football Federation.
.#JFF_Football pic.twitter.com/K0k1A1GfBN

— Official J.F.F (@jff_football) June 7, 2022

“The Board of Directors of the JFF look forward to receiving same soonest. Other relevant information regarding this matter will be shared with the country in the coming days.”

Jamaica was held to a 1-1 draw at Suriname in the opening match of the CONCACAF Nations League Pool A.

Both nations will meet again in the return leg set for the Independence Park Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica in the early hours of Wednesday.

Photo credit: AP/Photos