JFF vice-president apologises over relegation confusion
Published:Wednesday | April 26, 2023 | 1:42 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
JAMAICA FOOTBALL Federation (JFF) vice-president Raymond Anderson admitted he erred when he stated publicly yesterday that there would be no relegation from the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) this season.
Anderson’s comments created a whirlwind of confusion with claims and counterclaims as to what were the real rules pertaining to demotion and promotion from and to the Premier League.
Although calls from The Gleaner to Anderson’s phone went straight to voicemail throughout the course of the day, he was heard on Hitz92 FM explaining his error, and apologising for his mistake and the confusion it caused.
He explained that there was an initial plan to cease relegation and expand to 16 teams over the next two seasons.
However, the PFJL appealed the move and the board agreed with the recommendation of two being relegated and two being promoted this season and the expansion plan was shelved.
“I must apologise but we did at the foreset decide we would not have any relegation but when the PFJL appealed to the JFF and the competition’s committee and technical committee and made a recommendation to the board and it was adjusted.
“So it was my bad to read from the old notes instead of the adjusted notes. So I am really sorry but there will be relegation,” he stated.
“I am really sorry. I made the error and I had to correct it. The damage is that the information from my side was wrong and I corrected it. I am sorry for that.”
Professional Football Jamaica Limited CEO Owen Hill contends that the rules governing promotion and demotion for the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) are clearly stated and that there is no confusion.
In a press release on Tuesday, the PFJL cited article 1.2 of the official rules and regulations issued by the (JFF) which states that:
“At the end of the 2022-23 season, two (2) teams will be relegated. The top two (2) teams from the 2022-2023 National Tier II competition will be promoted to the 2023-2024 Jamaica Premier League (JPL).”
The release also added that the PFJL operational practices are guided by the official rules and regulations, issued at the beginning of every season to its members.
“If the macroeconomic environment does not allow for expansion, would you expand for just expansion sake?
“What is being said does not make sense. But the regulations are very clear. The first page of the regulations, which is an excerpt from article 1.2 speaks to how promotion and relegation will happen. So it is very clear,” he insisted.
Meanwhile, PFJL chairman Christopher Williams said the aim is to bring the league back down to 12 teams for the 2024-25 season.
“We have a set of rules signed off on and it says two up and two up. But we have a bigger issue and the bigger issue is that we need to go down.
“We cannot afford 14 teams, so let us go back down to 12, effective the 24-25 season. That is what we want. That (Anderson comments) was a mistake. We have moved on. Now let’s go back to 12 for 2024-25,” he said.