6-2 vote keeps Chimilio on top of F.F.B.
Good evening I’m James Adderley and here’s this week’s issue of Sports Monday.
This was the scene that greeted us on Saturday morning when we pulled up in front of the Football Federation of Belize compound at Belmopan to witness the vote for the executive positions in the FIFA affiliated body which comes up every four years.
All the placards indicate total opposition to the re-election of Dr. Bertie Chimilio – seeking a third consecutive term – in a challenging led by Ruperto Vicente of the Belize Premier Football League.
So why are the people all riled up today?
Cruz Gamez, Former President, Cayo Football Association
“I wrote CONCACAF and I told CONCACAF that I wasn’t satisfied with the situation in Belize. I sent them some evidence that truly stated the way the Congress or the way the Federation is being run and for that reason the federation took it that I acted not within the ethics of the Federation.”
James Adderley
“You breached the Protocol.”
Cruz Gamez
“According to them.”
James Adderley
“According to the statutes.”
Cruz Gamez
“According to Dr. Chimilio, not the statutes”
Luis Pena, Chairman, Belmopan Football Federation
“The reason why I’m not in there is because Dr. Chimilio knows that I will not vote in his favour and that’s the big issue here.”
James Adderley
“But what did he use as an excuse? Was it a breach of the statutes? Was it an anti-football sentiment or behaviour or whatever?”
Luis Pena
“Well what I can say is that Dr. Chimilio sent us a letter saying that we did not inform the Federation that elections were to be held.”
James Adderley
“That is a part of the statutes that must be adhered to?”
Luis Pena
“Well no because the Belmopan Football Association, like all other districts, is an autonomous body”
Nevertheless, the man of the moment is Ruperto Vicente as he moves into the F.F.B.’s heavily secured headquarters to learn his fate.
In contrast, the suited Dr. Bertie Chimilio strides confidently into familiar territory in search of a third four year term.
And the winner is…
Hilly Martinez, Presiding Officer
“Dr. Chimilio won the vote outright and the two vice presidents.”
James Adderley
“Can we have some numbers?”
Hilly Martinez
“It really doesn’t matter, does it?”
James Adderley
“Not really”
Hilly Martinez
“You could win by one, you win the votes. I’m sure that everybody else will tell you how the vote when because it’s no secret. It went six to two.”
And so Dr. Bertie Chimilio has won a third term as President of the Football Federation of Belize.
Dr. Bertie Chimilio, President, F.F.B.
“I would like to say thanks to Belizean public, those football loving people who realize that the work here at the Federation is not an easy task. With all the criticisms, with all the hot spots, with the fires over the last seven years I feel vindicated today for winning again. That’s the only reason I went again for office because my opponents definitely needed some more work and I need to work with someone to move on to leave this football with.”
James Adderley
“You’ve won your third term. What’s you’re first official move?”
Dr. Bertie Chimilio
“The first official move after remaining is to do another diagnosis of football. We did a diagnosis in 2002, we made plans and all the hot spots started up, barely anything was completed. So as an executive we will sit down, we will set our rules, do our diagnosis and then take it from there.”
Naturally Ruperto Vicente, the challenger, was very disappointed with the outcome.
Ruperto Vicente, Challenger
“Very disappointed James. I’m disappointed not because I really wanted to be the president of the Football Federation of Belize. I’m disappointed because the players of this nation were let down, were disappointed by those people who had promised to vote for the change. I respect a man when he says to me James; I’m not going to vote for you. And for this reason I respected the member from Toledo and the one from Stann Creek because they came out plainly and said they were going to vote for Dr. Chimilio. But the others who made us believe that they were going to go with change, for the sake of the players, I have no respect for them.”
In the meantime we asked the FIFA representative Rafael Salguera why the many letters written to him and his organization by Belizeans before this election remained unanswered. Mario Monterosa, the UNCAF General Secretary, was happy to translate.
Rafael Salguera, FIFA Representative
“We did receive some e-mails from people but it wasn’t myself but it was Mr. Jack Warner, president of CONCACAF, but in football there are some structures that you have to respect and the ones that had authority to communicate to CONCACAF are the national associations. That’s why these people didn’t get some replies but we made and the procedures were clear and the elections were held in a clear manner and a democratic way.”
And so the new Dr. Chimilio era begins. We’ll look to August to see if the UNCAF U-16 tournament does materialize along with the other promises of help made by the FIFA Representative.
Turning to the action on the field, week five of the Regent Cup Tournament saw Suga Boys Juventus hosting Santel’s of Cayo inside the People’s Stadium, yesterday.
And we’re fifteen minutes in when John Trapp redirects this spot kick to beat Luis Canul as the visitors take a 1-zip lead.
In reply Kevin Pelayo fires this outside bomb that forces Jamie Brooks to take to the air and he comes up with a fine save.
Jamie Brooks then gets tested again, this time by Clifton West from inside the 18, and again he shines.
In second half Clifton West gets another look at goal but he takes too long to pull the trigger and loses the opportunity.
We also must ask, how does Oliver Hendricks fail to shake the net right here, maybe it’s just one of those days.
In the meantime there’s no doubt Joseph Waight fowls Dean Flowers inside the 18 which leads to the penalty call.
Dean Flowers steps up himself only to be embarrassed by Jamie Brooks as Santel’s hangs on to the 1-zip win in regulation.
In other results from around the league in Group B, Revolutionary Conquerors blasted SP Costa Del Sol Nairi’s 2-zip and Alpha Glitters handled Pickstock Lake by that same score.
Over in Group A, Tex Mar Boys burned Toledo United 1-nil, F.C. Belize won it’s fifth in a row beating Belmopan Bandits 2-zip and Hankook Verdes edged Wagiya 1-zip.
Looking to the weekend, Group A finds Hankook Verdes hosting Tex Mar Boys, Wagiya gets visited by Belmopan Bandits and F.C. Belize will be at the M.C.C. Grounds against Toledo United – all Sunday matches beginning at 4 p.m.
In Group B, Pickstock Lake face Revolutionary Conquerors seven-thirty Saturday at the M.C.C Grounds, Santel’s will host San Pedro also on Saturday night while on Sunday Alpha Glitters will face Suga Boys Juventus inside the People’s Stadium.
IN basketball news, Maria Chang forced the Female Championship Series into a 1-1 tie by dousing Advance Flames 46 to 42 Friday and in the male night cap Lake I Boyz stopped Reggae Boyz 92 to 80 and then came back on Sunday to burn the set 87 to 85 and they are now into the Championship Series against Acros Whirlpool. Game I of this Championship Series is set for Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. inside the Civic Center.
Turning to the cycling scene, we go to the start of the 2007 Jr. Cross Country Classic which runs from Succotz Terry to Leslie’s Imports. It runs for seventy-two miles and you can see the defending champ Byron Pope looking pretty focused on the ob at hand.
Yes, forty riders take off in search of this year’s title.
At Camalote it’s a five man breakaway that includes Peter Choto, Allen Castillo, Byron Pope, Herman Ochaeta and Edward Reyes.
So we fast forward to the finish line and it’s Byron Pope with the biggest push among the five so he claims his second Jr. Cross Country title in a row – this time in 3 hours, 47 minutes, 48 seconds; Peter Choto takes second; Edward Reyes, third; Bertram Browns pulls up fourth while Allan Castillo round out the top five.
Finally folks we say congratulations to David Diego and Estevan Mossiah of the Belize Karate Association who qualified as Class B Kumite Judges and Referees in the Training Seminar which conclude at Managua Nicaragua yesterday. We also say good show to Anthony Lord and James Wallace who competed in the Kumite events and sustained a few serious injuries. Hey, get well soon guys.
That’s it for now. We invite you back same time, same place, next week. Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
