By Neto Baptiste
Despite a premature end to the Jewels of the Caribbean Girls Under-15 Football Tournament, technical director for the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA), Sowerby Gomes, said the competition, held at the ABFA’s Technical and Training Center in Paynters, served its purpose.
Speaking on the heels of the tournament which ended with a fight between players from the Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica teams on Sunday night, Gomes said the bigger picture was achieved.
“Having it here in Antigua didn’t just satisfy the coaches from the various member associations in terms of bringing the players together to test the players’ skills, but also there were referees from St Vincent and the Grenadines, referees from Grenada, referees from Dominica, from St. Lucia and even referees from St Kitts,” he said.
“We also brought up match coordinators from Trinidad, from Grenada and from St Vincent. We brought referee assessors from St Vincent, from Grenada, from Dominica all here in Antigua, they all assembled here,” the TD added.
St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) ended the tournament with seven points and leveled with Grenada. The SVG team however claimed the title with a better goal difference after having scored seven and allowing three for a positive four difference. Grenada had a positive one goal difference.
Antigua and Barbuda finished third with five points after their match against Dominica was abandoned following the fracas.
Gomes labeled the incident unfortunate, but said that in the end, all involved were able to amicably resolve the issue.
“We were able to quickly deal with that situation, quickly come to an amicable solution, were able to pull off an awards ceremony right there at the grounds with all the teams present, with Antigua going over and shaking the hands of the Dominica players after that particular incident, and we were able to present the most valuable players in defense, goalkeeper, midfield and offense, and we made all the presentations to all the teams. We congratulate St. Vincent and Grenada for being so good in the tournament and we also congratulate all the teams,” he said.
Reports are that a scuffle broke out between two players following an unwelcomed challenge. Other players reportedly then got involved before a family member of one of the Antigua players made her way onto the field and got involved.
Gomes said that following investigations, appropriate actions will be taken.
“We still will be doing our investigations on that. We have not met to deal with what will be done, but certainly something is going to be done but I can’t speak to it at this time because we haven’t met, but certainly something will be done. We have taken full responsibility for what took place, we can’t run away from it, and what happened should not have happened. It’s the ugliness of it but it’s just life, and we have to move forward now,” the former player said.
At the time of the incident, the match was leveled, 1-1.
The ABFA will now turn its attention to the Pride of the Caribbean Under-17 Boys Invitational Tournament schedule to start on August 22. Teams from St Lucia, Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines and host Antigua and Barbuda will take part in the tournament slated to end on Saturday.