The Football Federation of Belize (FFB) sent out a press release today cancelling a press conference it had previously scheduled for today at 4:00 p.m. at its headquarters in Belmopan.
But nothing is mentioned in the FFB’s press release about the most important piece of football news for Belize, and which the FFB leadership, if it has any credibility at all in CONCACAF, should have been privy to – that Belize has been kicked out of CONCACAF’s Champions League.
According to an article released today by the CONCACAF Secretariat entitled “Honduras awarded third team in next season’s Champions League”, Belize had been allowed “a one-year grace period” for facilities to “meet minimum requirements”; otherwise, our spot in the Champions League would “be replaced from other countries”.
That one year is now up, and now the “axe” has fallen on us.
Last Wednesday, May 6, FFB’s press release had stated “The Football Federation of Belize, CONCACAF and FIFA hereby invite your agency to a press conference to be held at the FFB Headquarters in Belmopan City at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, 11th May 2009. This conference is to inform about the “Win Project” and the discussions held in Belize.”
Today, the FFB’s press release only says that the press conference “has been postponed due to circumstances beyond our control”.
Belizean football players, team managers and owners all dream of international competition. A number of Super League players have registered with BPFL teams because that is the only way they will be recognized by the FFB, who holds the “key” for CONCACAF participation.
Now, Belize has lost its berth in the CONCACAF Champions League, and the news has been widely reported in the international press. Our champions will no longer get to play in CONCACAF. FFB has the “key”, alright; but now the lock is broken. Where do we go from here?