The Jamaica Olympic Affiliation (JOA) has come to assistance from Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz but once more with an injection of $25 million in the direction of preparations for the workforce’s Olympic Video games qualification tie.
The JOA, the native apex governing physique for Olympic sports activities on the island, first lent a serving to hand in 2018 when it facilitated the Reggae Girlz to take part on the Central American and Caribbean Video games in Colombia.
That platform aided within the preparation and improvement of the workforce which later that 12 months certified for its first FIFA World Cup Match slated for France the next 12 months.
The Reggae Girlz have since repeated the trick by qualifying for a second-consecutive FIFA Ladies’s World Cup Finals in Australia and New Zealand which was held earlier this 12 months.
Of the $25 million sponsorship, $10 million will go in the direction of participant incentives.
The Lorne Donaldson-coached Reggae Girlz are scheduled to open their home-and-away tie towards CONCACAF’s powerhouse workforce Canada inside Kingston’s Nationwide Stadium on Friday, with the return leg on the BMO Area in Toronto subsequent week Tuesday.
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Foster hopes historical past repeats itself
The winner of the two-game tie will advance to the 2024 Olympic Video games in Paris, France, alongside fellow CONCACAF consultant, the US of America, who had received the 2022 CONCACAF Ladies’s Championship.
The JOA’s Secretary Basic Ryan Foster is hoping that historical past will repeat itself.
“The CAC Video games was a launching pad for the Reggae Girlz workforce they usually have gone on to qualify for 2 World Cups and now we’re saying historical past once more, legacy once more for the Olympic Video games.”
Foster added: “For much too lengthy now we have seen that sport takes money to care, but it surely additionally takes one thing that is a bit more, that partnership, that love, that help construction that’s wanted … and we wish to proceed to be part of that historical past.
“Not solely will we help the trigger by way of the Olympic Video games qualifiers which are developing, in partnership with the JFF and Bob Marley Basis, however we’re going a little bit bit additional, we are literally going to be asserting bonuses for the women throughout these qualifiers.
Participant incentives up for grabs
“So there can be bonuses assigned for targets scored, assists made, clear sheets and naturally the principle prize, qualification for the Olympic Video games, which is the workforce prize. That’s the primary within the historical past of the JOA.”
JFF President Michael Ricketts was appreciative of the continued help of the JOA, not simply to soccer, however all sporting disciplines.
“I say with none apology or any reservation that this JOA appears to the touch the lives of each single sporting affiliation… we’re eternally grateful for the help that now we have gotten from the JOA and at the moment we will’t scoff at $25m value of sponsorship and we wish to use this chance to ask the Jamaicans to come back out and provides the Girlz your help,” the JFF boss mentioned.
“Gents, big due to you and this might very properly be one other funding prefer it was on the CAC Video games that took us to the World Cup… this funding will take us to the Olympics.
“The Girlz have made us proud and whenever you suppose {that a} small nation like ours has certified for 2 consecutive international tournaments it’s nothing to scoff at.”
Walker-Brown heaps reward on JOA
Ricketts mentioned when his administration took workplace, the Reggae Girlz had been ranked 119th on the FIFA itemizing, however now the workforce is ranked 37th following their historic second spherical development on the World Cup earlier this summer season.
Elaine Walker-Brown, the long-time chairperson of the JFF’s Ladies’s Committee, additionally heaped reward on the JOA for its unrelenting help,
“I wish to say due to the JOA. I bear in mind earlier than we went out to France they’d insisted that the senior Girlz go to Colombia as preparation and it did bear fruits, so thanks very a lot Mr Samuda and your workforce for believing within the Reggae Girlz since you are at all times to know what is occurring and how one can assist.”
Reggae Girlz Ambassador Cedella Markey paid tribute to the resilience of the workforce by way of a video clip.
“We will by no means reward them sufficient they usually can by no means hear sufficient of the now lasting impression they’ve made on this world,” she mentioned. “Not simply the sporting world, however on ladies and ladies throughout the globe.
“And it bears repeating that it’s not been a simple highway and but nonetheless the Reggae Girlz have remained optimistic and dedicated.
“The Reggae Girlz’s story has been a narrative of firsts, and as an envoy of this excellent group, I pledge to do every thing to make sure that we add one other first to the record, which is the chance to compete for an Olympic medal. I do know we will do it. You see our Reggae Girlz, they keep in warrior mode and it’s nonetheless on.”
