It’s official: football league on its own

Controversy brewing in Belizean football peaked this week when an ongoing dispute between the sport’s governing body and its top league ended in an agreement to part ways. On Wednesday, the Football Federation of Belize officially accepted the withdrawal letter from the Belize Premier Football League after attempts over the weekend failed to salvage the relationship between the two sides. This afternoon, representatives of the F.F.B. told members of the press that the consequences will be significant.

Bernaldino Pech, Spokesperson, F.F.B.

“It left us with no other option, but to officially accept their withdrawal. We were expecting even at the late hour between last Saturday and this Wednesday that some sort of negotiations or coming together could have taken place, but none ever did. So I’m quite taken aback when I look in the papers today and I see that elements from the B.P.F.L. are going to different organisations asking for support and what not, but they never really came and ask to sit down with the federation.”

“What this means is that the Football Federation of Belize no longer recognises the B.P.F.L. That’s what it means officially. What that means is that all the affiliations that they had by being members of the Football Federation of Belize are now null and void… They will not have the opportunity to participate in any FIFA regulated tournaments or with any other affiliate of FIFA, which constitutes the entire football world, anywhere else on planet earth, basically.”

Bertie Chimilio, President, F.F.B.

“Our role basically is to recognise a body or a group of teams that play high level football. And that is something we’re gonna be working on, teams which may want to give some information on… it’s not like we’re gonna compete with B.P.F.L. for players, they are within their right to have their own competition, but it just won’t be recognised, it happens all over the world.”

According to the F.F.B. they are organising a forum for players to discuss the situation and the options open to them.