Last week, members of the Jamaican women’s national team took to social media to call out the Jamaica Football Federation for insufficient support ahead of the upcoming Women’s World Cup.
Prominent Jamaican players Cheyna Matthews and Khadija “Bunny” Shaw joined their teammates in releasing a comprehensive statement addressing concerns related to pay and various other challenges. The players earnestly requested that the Jamaican Football Federation address the issues promptly.
“On multiple occasions, we have sat down with the federation to respectfully express concerns resulting from subpar planning, transportation, accommodations, training conditions, compensation, communication, nutrition and accessibility to proper resources,” the statement said.
“We have also showed up repeatedly without receiving contractually agreed upon compensation.”
Jamaica's Reggae Girlz have united to express their disappointment in the support and resources provided by the Jamaica Football Federation, with less than a month to go until the start of the Women’s World Cup. pic.twitter.com/4LKrTdGfND
— VERSUS (@vsrsus) June 16, 2023
The statement revealed that players were told that their concerns would be addressed in a timely manner but nothing has been done and the Jamaican federation have yet to respond to the statement from the players.
This will be the second World Cup that the Reggae Girlz will play in after making their first appearance at the 2019 World Cup. The Reggae Girlz qualified for this year’s World Cup as one of the top four finishers at the CONCACAF W Championship. Jamaica’s first match will be taking place on 23 July against France and they also have Brazil and Panama in their group at the tournament.
In the statement, the team revealed that they have long struggled with funding, turning in the past to Cedella Marley, daughter of reggae legend Bob Marley, who has tirelessly fundraised and procured sponsors.
The players additionally conveyed their disappointment regarding the missed opportunities for international exhibition matches, which would have greatly contributed to the team’s preparation. They also raised concerns about the absence of a team camp prior to Jamaica’s inaugural match in the World Cup.
“We hope that by using our platforms to express the reality of our situation, our efforts will be reciprocated,” the statement said. “We hope there will be immediate and systematic change within our federation and those in charge of protecting the integrity of women’s football.”