Boyz suffer Japan setback after travel issues

Jamaica’s friendly international with Japan, which was set for this Thursday in Sapporo, has been cancelled, after six England-based players from the Reggae Boyz’s squad were prevented from boarding a connecting flight in Amsterdam, due to the absence of required PCR tests.

The Reggae Boyz were set to face Japan in Sapporo, before facing Serbia on June 7 in Kobe and Japan’s Olympic team in Nagoya on Saturday, June 12.

The six England-based players are Kasey Palmer, Blair Turgott, Dillion Barnes, Adrian Mariappa, Andre Gray and Liam Moore, who had tests using oral and nostril swabs.

The Japanese, who have been experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases in recent months, only accept PCR tests done from the nostril. Japan, host of this summer’s Olympic Games, has recorded over 744,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, while there have been more than 12,900 deaths recorded from the deadly disease.

Jamaica Football Federation General Secretary Dalton Wint shared that midfielder Tyreek Magee, who travelled from Jamaica to Amsterdam, was in possession of his required negative PCR test, but he missed the flight due to reasons beyond the federation’s control.

With only 10 players on the ground in Japan, including two goalkeepers, and several other players, who were initially invited to the 30-man squad withdrawing for various reasons, it became logistically difficult for Jamaica to field a team, given the difficulties with Magee and the six England-based players.

“It is a setback for the federation in terms of the training and possible match and we just have to see where we go from here,” said Wint earlier yesterday. “The arrangements here are very strict and so this might have other implications for them ( players) coming here.”

“We are obviously disappointed, but this is COVID-19 and this is what COVID-19 does because every jurisdiction has their different COVID-19 rules and protocols in place that you must adhere to,” Wint stated.

He underscored that the six England-based players were scheduled to redo their COVID-19 test in Amsterdam yesterday, and once they returned a negative result, then they along with Magee will be on the next flight out to Japan.

He added that the federation will be meeting the Japanese federation to discuss the matter.

“We are going to be meeting as a group and then we will have a discussion with the Japanese, which is very important for us to do,” Wint said.

The Jamaicans will now focus on getting everyone in place for the Serbia contest.

robert.bailey@gleanerjm.com