No Latam Cup defence for Jamaica

The Jamaica Olympic Ice Hockey Federation (JOIHF) has reconsidered its decision to withdraw the national team from the Latam Cup tournament, as defending champions.

JOIHF says the team will now participate in the tournament, which runs from October 14-17, as an exhibition team.

JOIHF President Don Anderson says that the Amerigol International Hockey Association (AIHA), the organiser of the tournament, had issue with four of the nine players Jamaica submitted, saying they are professionals looking to compete as amateurs. As such, it deemed Jamaica too strong for the tournament.

However, despite the organiser’s objections, the players who have been preparing and looking forward to the competition insisted on playing, even though will not be able defend their trophy.

The team also has a number of new players and a new co-coach in former Canadian player, Chris Stewart.

With that in mind it was unanimously agreed to accept the AIHA’s exhibition invitation, so the coach can assess the players.

“We are going to play as an exhibition team because they consider us too strong,” Anderson told The Gleaner. AIHA were objecting to players on the team because they were saying that they were too much of a high standard. But none of our players have played professionally in the NHL (National Hockey League in the United States).

PLAYERS WANTED

“After much discussion, we wrote to tell them we were not going to participate and that they were trying to manipulate our team. But the players wanted to play because they have been preparing for this all year, so the players decided that they want to use the opportunity to bond together, because most of them have never played together before.

“So rather than cancel it, we decide to go ahead with it. We will play as an exhibition team while the other teams will play for the trophy.”

Anderson would not disclose the names of the four players who will travel with the rest of the squad to Florida later this month.

However, with the little time the team has together, he says it is an opportunity for Stewart to prepare for future competitions.

“We see this as an attempt to stop us from retaining the trophy,” Anderson said. “But we are now looking at three tournaments that we can play. If we are too good for this tournament, then we should be good enough for other tournaments.

“But we will get the opportunity to play five or six games and therefore we will have a chance to see the players.

“It is also an opportunity for the coach, who will be meeting them for the first time, and that will better help us to prepare for next year.”

Jamaica defeated defending champions, Colombia, 3-2 in the previous Latam Cup final in 2019.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com