Belize suspended from CONCACAF tournament
Sporting fans around the country will be stunned to find out that Belize has been suspended from the CONCACAF Champions League for this season. The suspension was announced late Monday night and was anticipated. According to Bertie Chimilio, president of the Football Federation of Belize, the Jewel was one of several countries given a one year grace period to upgrade a sporting facility for playing home games. There were discussions about improving the Dangriga’s Karl Ramos and Cayo’s Norman Broaster Stadiums to meet CONCACAF standards but that did not happen. Chimilio claims he has been dialoguing with National Sports Council Executive Director, Anthony Michael, who now says that next year we should have a football field that is up to par with FIFA and CONCACAF standards.
Anthony Michael, Executive Director, Belize National Sports Council
“During the years things have changed. FIFA has changed their rules. They have made more requests in terms of security, the upgrade of the playing facilities, proper changing rooms, proper dressing rooms. FIFA has also indicated that they would prefer games to be played at night, due to marketing. Due to that, in the last ten years from the previous government, there were no investments in our local facilities. Thus, FIFA made some different suggestions and recommendations to the F.F.B., through the government of the day and those did not materialize at that particular time.”
Jose Sanchez
“Is this the reason why we had our home game played in Houston?”
Bertie Chimilio, President, Football Federation of Belize
“That is one of the reasons. We also played our home game against St. Kitts in Guatemala. If you notice Verdes played their home game in Guatemala too. We knew CONCACAF was not going to take long. Let’s hope FIFA doesn’t follow through. But if FIFA follows through then we will be in serious problems. Nevertheless, I don’t think it’s anything to worry about. We’ll continue our negotiations with the government and we’ll see what they will do for next year.”
Anthony Michael
“Dr. Chimilio has indicated to me that it’s a ban from FIFA or a ban from CONCACAF; but rather its a temporary suspension for this year, because our fields are not up to par. FIFA will then come next year and re-evaluate if we have made any investment or we have brought any of our fields up to FIFA standards. Then Belize will be allowed to play CONCACAF and international matches again.”
Jose Sanchez
“What would be the best facility for us to upgrade to meet the standards?”
Bertie Chimilio
“There are several facilities; the fact that they need money to be upgraded. We have recommended the Karl Ramos because that is the one we didn’t have to do much work on the field and all we asked for are lights and changing rooms.”
Anthony Michael
“We looked at two stadiums, Karl Ramos and the Norman Broaster. These are facilities that we feel are minimum investment, if you want to put it mildly and can be brought up to FIFA standards for us to play international matches. We are now looking very closely at the Norman Broaster Stadium. The field based on the requirement through the FFB has met the necessary size. The length needs to be two or three more yards. The goal post needs to be moved; that is very easy to be done. We also need to have a minimum of eight hundred lux. Those are the night light fixtures for night games, which will also require us to put up atleast seventy five more lights at these stadiums for a total cost of about one hundred thousand dollars Belize. FIFA have also made some requirements to us to have these fields upgraded for only seating capacity whereby there will be no person allowed standing in these pits. So we also have to make an additional investment for bleachers, for proper changing rooms, for proper security for officials and for visiting and home teams. The National Sports Council, the Ministry of Sports and the Government of Belize is dedicated and prepared to do whatever it takes for the development of this country.”
Other countries will benefit from the suspensions. Honduras will be granted a third team to play in next season’s CONCACAF Champions League.
