Sport

Gordon Williams, Gleaner Writer

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida:

Jamaica went down to a 2-1 defeat by Peru in last night's friendly international here, but the Reggae Boyz almost avoided that disappointing loss by not playing the game at all following a dispute which, according to the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), was due to the delay in full payment of US$40,000 in match fees by the game's promoters.

JFF president, Captain Horace Burrell, said he ordered the Reggae Boyz not to take the Lockhart Stadium field until appearance money promised by the game's promoters had been paid.

"The thing is that I advised the promoter that if the funds were not paid, when I realised that something was not too right, I decided to take no chances," Burrell explained. "The obligation was not going to be honoured. I told him that my team would not take the field."

The game started well after its scheduled 8 p.m. kick-off schedule.

After further discussions with the promoters, Burrell said he eventually agreed to allow Jamaica to play.

The JFF president said he advised the promoters that if the full amount was not paid by half-time, Jamaica's players would not return to the field for the second half. Instead they would dress and return to their hotel.

"I gave instructions to the head of delegation, Danny (Beckford)," he said.

"I gave him (the promoter) until the half. If at the half we did not get the remainder of the funds, the team would not return."

Major disappointment

That would have been a major disappointment to the 5,217 spectators (easily over 90 per cent Peruvians) - the figure officially released by the promoters - who had braved heavy rains to attend the match.

According to Burrell, some 20 minutes into the first half he was advised that the full amount was ready to be paid to Jamaica.

However, Jamaica decided to wait until the break - when the score was tied 1-1 - to collect.

The total amount was eventually paid and Jamaica returned to play the second half, when they conceded a late goal to lose the match.

Efforts to contact the game's promoters last night proved futile.

However, Burrell said that the original agreement included a 25 per cent deposit into the JFF's account, by the promoters, before the team departed Jamaica, to be followed by full payment when it arrived here.

"We had an arrangement with the promoter to wire funds into our account. We received the first portion," Capt Burrell explained at half-time.

"We were supposed to receive a second portion and a third portion. The second portion never arrived. We voiced the concerns. They (the promoters) said because it was a long (US Labour Day) weekend we would get it in our account (yesterday). And checking with our account (yesterday) in Jamaica, there was no money. I then realised that something was not right and I was very forthright with the promoter."

In the end, Burrell said, the promoters paid up and the show went on.

"So we have now been paid the full amount," said Burrell "All is well that ends well."