Reactions - Seaga 'experiencing mixed feelings'

Chairman of the Premier League Clubs Association, Edward Seaga, has reacted with ambivalence to the news that Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president, Captain Horace Burrell, has been hit with a six-month ban by FIFA's Ethics Committee, for his alleged role in the cash-for-vote scandal that rocked world football in the run-up to the FIFA presidential elections.

While he believes that the rulings, which also sees JFF general secretary, Horace Reid, receiving a warning from football's regulators, will ultimately aid in the fight against corruption in the sport, Seaga, a former prime minister of Jamaica, takes no pleasure in the fact that the island's highest football officials have been embroiled in the controversy.

"I am experiencing mixed feelings," said Seaga, who months ago called on Burrell to "come clean" on any involvement in the bribery scandal, which has claimed the football careers of former CONCACAF and Caribbean Football Union (CFU) president, Austin 'Jack' Warner, and former FIFA presidential hopeful, Mohamed bin Hammam.

Bin Hammam is accused of handing out US$40,000 to Caribbean officials at a meeting in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, in May.

"We cannot be happy that the highest official in Jamaican football has been sanctioned by the FIFA Ethics Committee, especially after the records show that he had stated that he was not involved in any of the wrongdoing," said Seaga, before noting that the ruling will allow for an opportunity for different leadership and bring us closer to an end of corruption.

"... But the FIFA Committee's actions will help to stop the corruption that exists in the Caribbean and for that, we are grateful," Seaga said. "I think the proceedings of the Ethics Committee have given us a second chance to create an institution here that we can all be proud of.

"I regret that Captain Horace Burrell has had to be sanctioned, but justice is important," Seaga added.

"This will cause a lot of rethinking in both organisations as to how we move forward in leadership and hopefully the lesson will be learned that we must be careful in our selection of those who lead football," Seaga pointed out.