Football organisation seeks court injunction for inclusion in JFF election

President of Beach Soccer Jamaica, Patricia Garel, has filed an application in the Supreme Court seeking an order to compel the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) to allow her organisation to participate in the upcoming election of officers.

The election is to be held on January 14.

Garel says her entity represents beach football in Jamaica and as such it should have a vote.

Garel contends in the application, which was filed today, that in 2022, the JFF promulgated a new constitution and Article 12 stipulates that Beach Soccer Jamaica is one of the affiliates under pillar 3 of the constitution.

By virtue of that promulgation under Article 12, Beach Soccer became a member of the JFF and was so treated.

Subsequent to the promulgation of the constitution, Garel said recognition was given to Beach Soccer when the respondent invited it to send three representatives to the congress on September 24 last year and that this is reflected in the minutes of the JFF.

Since the convening of that congress, the respondent has always treated the applicant as the recognised entity representing beach football in Jamaica, Garel said.

She further states that she has always been the president of Beach Soccer Jamaica, which has been recognised by Beach Soccer Worldwide, an affiliate of FIFA.

Attorneys-at-law Hugh Wildman and Duke Foote are representing the applicant.

Wildman explained that a mandatory injunction is being sought to compel the JFF to abide by its constitution and allow the applicant to vote. 

He said the application is expected to be heard this week.

An election to determine the composition of the JFF is slated to be held on January 14, and “the said election has generated much interest in the football community across Jamaica and in fact has reached fever pitch as to who are the persons qualified to participate in that election,” Garel stated in the application.

She said she has been in communication with the JFF concerning Beach Soccer's participation in the upcoming election.

However, she disclosed that she was informed that another body subsequently created in October last year, under the name Beach Football Association of Jamaica, co-chaired by a vice president of JFF, Bruce Gaynar, and another director of JFF, Patrick Malcolm, was given recognition by the JFF to represent beach football in Jamaica and to have voting rights.

In response to comments by Dennis Chung, general secretary of JFF on television on November 1 last year that Beach Soccer did not qualify to be a voting affiliate, Garel took action and on November 9 last year, she and King's Counsel Valerie Neita Robertson attended a meeting of the board of the JFF to address apparent omissions and misrepresentations on the part of the JFF concerning the applicant's eligibility to vote in the election.

Garel said it was clear from Chung's statement on television that the JFF intends to convene the election and deny Beach Soccer the right to vote as the entity representing beach football in Jamaica, which she contends is a clear breach of the constitution of the JFF.

- Barbara Gayle

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