SVGFF setting the record straight

The executive of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF) wants it known that the organization had significant input in facilitating the attendance, last August, of nine Vincentian footballers at Rangers College in Texas, USA.{{more}}

On September 16, 2016, SEARCHLIGHT’s weekend edition featured nine footballers (four males and five females) who joined three other Vincentians enrolled at the college.

The nine were Azhino Solomon, Tyrone Tannis, Devon Browne, Kyle Edwards, along with females, Chrislyn Browne, Shiann Perry, Geziel Wilson, Altica Benn and Dari-Anne Duncan.

They linked up with the trio of Teffie-Ann Browne, Shadel Cyrus and Shelisa Hazell, who went on Rangers College’s roster last year.

In an interview with SEARCHLIGHT then, football coach Ian Sardine had indicated that the SVGFF was not doing enough to get more players out on such educational/football opportunities.

Several of the players have come up under Sardine’s System Three club.

However, an official closely associated with the day-to-day operations of the SVGFF informed SEARCHLIGHT that the local football organization was pivotal in having all 12 players embark on their enrolment at Rangers College.

Preferring not to be identified, the individual revealed that the SVGFF’s secretariat was instrumental in procuring the necessary US visas for the players.

Also, according to the source, the SVGFF paid substantial sums towards the players’ passages, as well as some contingency funds, noting that the first batch of three who left in August 2015 also got help from the SVGFF.

“It was unfortunate that it was misconstrued that the FF (Football Federation) did little in facilitating the players’ travel,” the official said.

The official revelation was consistent with comments from SVGFF’s technical director Keith Ollivierre, who, at the closing of the goalkeeping course on September 24, informed that the SVGFF was to have made a formal statement on the matter, which is still forthcoming.

SEARCHLIGHT’s source said that over the years, the current executive has been making donations to footballers in similar undertakings and has helped past players with medical issues and the like, but does not do much media touting about the contributions.(RT)