Delves – ‘It’s money down the drain’

The Executive of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation is counting its cost after the planned Football component of the Central American and Caribbean Games was cancelled last week.{{more}}

In fact, the SVGFF had racked up a debt of $33,000 in preparation for the Under-23’s visit to Puerto Rico from July 17 to 31.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines was bunched in the group which also included Jamaica, El Salvador, Panama and Mexico.

The news broke last week of the cancellation of the competition following an announcement that CONCACAF had withdrawn all support staff including referees and match commissioners.

Additionally, CONCACAF stated that it was dissatisfied with the facilities in Puerto Rico.

Austin “Jack” Warner, who is head of both organizations, was adamant in an interview with regional media last week Wednesday, that it was a done deal for the competition.

Several overtures were made by many regional sporting influential persons, seeking to have the decision rescinded, but to no avail.

President of the SVGFF Joseph Delves did not hide his disgust last Saturday morning at the sudden turn of events concerning the Football aspect of the Games and said he found the decision to be incongruous.

“We were flabbergasted to learn that,” Delves said passionately.

Adding to his amazement was that the decision to cancel the competition came from CONCACAF and not the Caribbean Football Union (CFU).

“We were invited by CFU,” the local Football boss contended.

CFU includes the Football playing nations of the Caribbean, where as CONCACAF is the confederation which encompasses those of the Caribbean, as well as North and Central America.

Delves further questioned the issue of improper facilities.

“The club championships were recently held in Puerto Rico,” Delves interjected.

He was referring to the group stages of the CFU leg of the qualifiers of the CONCACAF Champions Club Tournament, in which two clubs from St. Vincent and the Grenadines participated: System 3 and Avenues United.

Left in the lurch with a large debt, Delves stated: “it is money down the drain”.

Delves said that the sum incurred included taking the team to Barbados to acquire the necessary US entry visas.

He said that over the Carnival weekend, the team was in camp in Georgetown, which cost the SVGFF $5,000, along with other costs billed during the two months of preparations.

The St. Vincent and the Grenadines 18-member squad included many of the players from the 2009 Under-20 team that reached the finals of the CFU competition for the FIFA World Cup.(RT)