Sunday, March 19, 2023
Neither Hon. Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Sports, nor Hon. Kareem Musa, Minister in charge of the Police, will likely be blamed for today’s interruption of the highly competitive Premier League of Belize (PLB) match between Verdes FC and Port Layola FC at the Marion Jones Sports Complex football field, where, some fourteen minutes into the first half and the game still scoreless, a uniformed police officer entered the field of play and interrupted the game without being summoned by the referee, Efren Guy. This was in a match in the top football league of the nation, the Premier League of Belize (PLB), and involving two of the top ranked teams in the standings. Both the Minister of Sports and the Minister of Police most likely had nothing to do with that action of the officer, and maybe neither did the Commissioner of Police; but the buck must stop somewhere, and someone needs to give an explanation and an apology to the public and to the league.
In the realm of sports, and national level football, at that, the playing field is “hallowed ground” where participants are accorded special status, much like fugitives in foreign countries receive diplomatic immunity inside their countries’ embassies. Inside the borders of a football field, once the match has started, the referee is boss, king, emperor, whatever you want to call it; he even keeps the “official” time, regardless of what others’ clocks may say. Intrusion upon his space and authority by anyone during a match is equivalent to “sacrilege.”
To all appearances, to the many fans in attendance as well as to the thousands tuned in to TNC 10 television station this evening, the officer was intent on accosting and/or detaining Port Layola FC right wing, then wearing his team’s captain arm band, Gilroy “Bredda” Thurton. It was only after the pleadings of his teammates, which included right defense Byron Usher (himself a police officer), and the intercession of match commissioner Ms. Melanie Matute, along with some words from other game officials and, perhaps most importantly, some consultation with four other uniformed police officers including an Inspector or Superintendent, that the young officer at center stage apparently agreed to delay his action until a more appropriate time.
The Marion Jones Sports Complex football stadium comprises a wire enclosed playing field a good thirty yards to the east of some large, elevated cement bleachers where the fans are located, so there is no fear of a player getting lost in the crowd after the match.
What this afternoon’s fiasco exposes is a persistent and regrettable mentality in our country among certain people in official positions against our young men of a certain demographic who happen to be star athletes. It is almost as if there is a grudge against their apparent fame and adulation from fans. This is not a question of upholding or not upholding the law, or whether or not a player is alleged to be guilty of some prior offense. Football is the people’s game, their avenue of enjoyment and relaxation after a week of work and other stress-producing situations. The game is important, and the performers for whom fans in attendance are willing to pay $10.00 or $15.00 are the players of the two competing teams. Of course, the show would not be possible without the game officials, coaches, managers, etc. who also play essential roles; and the security officers are also vital for the safety of fans, officials and, where necessary, to escort an unruly player/s from the field ON THE INSTRUCTION OF THE REFEREE, who is the “sole arbiter” on the field of play. However, any other intrusion upon the field by a police officer is out of order, a stark disrespect to the authority of the referee, and a violation of the sport for all in attendance.
There has been a lot of talk recently about “community policing” and the police seeking the cooperation of the community in preventing and prosecuting crime. Law-abiding citizens all applaud the police in doing their duties; but sometimes it’s not what you do, it’s how you do it. Granted, no player, however big a star he might be, is above the law. But if there is an arrest to be made, and the subject cannot be located, except when he appears at a football game, then common sense and respect for the game and the fans should guide the decision of when and how to carry out that arrest. If the choice is to be among: before the game, during the game, or after the game, only arrogant disdain for the game and our athletes could lead to the choice attempted this afternoon. Hopefully, a lesson is learned, and the zealous officer may receive some further training in social relations; and hopefully, Mr. Thurton does not suffer any additional charges or harassment as retaliation by the officer or officers who were prevailed upon to “stand down” at today’s game.
We just received word that the game has been called off due to the field condition after a torrential twenty to twenty-five minutes of rain subsided that left half the playing surface of the Marion Jones covered with water. Now, that may be a cause of some embarrassment for Sports Minister Ferguson and the National Sports Council! Despite being overused and often abused with different functions in the past, one thing that has always been a remarkable feature of that field, since its construction some three decades ago, is that it was considered superbly drained. Regardless of the weather, one could always be assured that the Marion Jones did not “hold water” because of its original construction with a subsurface network of drainage pipes buried in a layer of river stones and then covered with sand and soil. Well, the overused field was an awful sight from the start of today’s match, with very little grass, and most of what was there appeared brown. (Thankfully, a brief shower last night had moistened the ground a bit and limited the amount of dust during play.) And the surface was visibly uneven in areas, thus often affecting the quality of play; but at least there was the comforting assurance that the predicted rains would not greatly affect play. Well, it did, and in a big way; and the game had to be called off before the teams could return to start second half. Mr. Minister, the refurbishment of the MCC is long overdue.
The urgency of the MCC situation cannot be overstated. Even in its best condition, football fans in Belize City, the population center of the country, are adamant that they prefer not to travel around the Princess Margaret Drive to go watch football at the Marion Jones stadium; the historic MCC, within walking distance for most, and right adjacent to major after-game recreation centers like BTL Park, Princess Casino, etc. is the Mecca of Belize City football. Berger field is fine as a potential 5-a-side or Futsal development venue; but for the big 11-a-side, the Garden is where it’s at.
Football is making some strides, and Minister Ferguson need not fear our nation being embarrassed by any big scores in our Concacaf League games. But for our clubs to take their game to the next level, and thus fortify the national team with the necessary skill/talent level to really start “kicking up dust” in Central America, they need assistance to strengthen their financial backing, and the best way to start in the population and commercial capital is to bring our people together again in proper accommodations at a modernized MCC Garden.
We need a greater appreciation for the value of sports and athletes in our nation. The disrespect shown the game and a player at today’s PLB match by an on-duty police officer is consistent with the continued neglect being shown to the sport of football in the old capital where Hurricane Lisa left the MCC as an open pasture and a twenty-minute shower today turned the Marion Jones into a lake.
Belize – Guatemala on Friday! Les goh, Belize!!