‘We were always moving ahead’

THE JAMAICA Football Federation (JFF) presidential election will go ahead this Sunday. This after the Court of Appeal denied Beach Soccer Jamaica (BSJ), which had appealed the lifting of an injunction on the voting congress.

The BSJ had an injunction placed on the original election set for January 14, and although it had been lifted, the BSJ tried to have it reimposed in an effort to stall the election until their case regarding their membership legitimacy with the JFF was heard.

Yesterday, the court dismissed the appeal, upholding a February 24 ruling, which dismissed the original injunction, and awarded costs to JFF, which means that the BSJ will have to reimburse the federation for its legal costs.

According to JFF general secretary, Dennis Chung, the football governing body was always confident that the ruling would be in its favour.

“We are happy with the outcome. We were always confident because we know we have always done the right thing in regard to the constitutional provisions. Now, we can move ahead and have the election Sunday,” said Chung.

“We were always planning. We have a committee in place already, and we have made reservations.

“So we were always moving ahead, and everybody in the JFF is happy to be moving forward towards the election on Sunday.”

Meanwhile, BSJ president Pat Garel expressed disappointment with the ruling and questioned what the result would be if they are successful in the court hearing next month and Ricketts retains the presidency after Sunday’s vote.

“My belief in the justice system has been severely dented by virtue of what has taken place.

“The judges have taken Dennis Chung’s argument that nobody was qualified prior to us sending an application and that any relationship with the JFF prior to that was null and void and of no importance. But I beg to differ in a very serious way,” she said.

“Our invitation to the (beach soccer) congress in September nullified any such argument.

“Now we won’t have a say at the election, but it begs the question when the court hearing takes place on the 23rd (April), and we believe we shall win. But what will be the status of the election if Michael Ricketts wins? If that is the case, then the election should be ruled null and void.”

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com