Source: NewsdayTT
Over the past two years, the covid-19 pandemic has halted all events and activities relating to local football.
This of course has created a far from ideal situation as football, and generally sport, has always presented an opportunity to stay fit and healthy. Its importance during these uncertain times must also be emphasized as athletes continue to struggle with maintaining some level of sanity amidst the uncertainty of their future careers.
Separate and apart from mental well-being, local athletes have been heavily hit where economic independence is concerned. For many, sport is their sole income earner and with its untimely halt, this has forced a paradigm shift in many lives.
Last year around November, the football fraternity’s frustrations reached a boiling point. Members of the footballing fraternity held a march throughout Port of Spain to stress the need for the resumption of football and other sporting activities.
The outcry from the football fraternity was not lost on the Government and finally a sigh of relief came recently following an announcement by the Ministry of Sport and Community Development that a ‘safe-zone return-to-play proposal’ was approved.
More good news came in the form of a media release by the Ascension Invitational Football League stating that the resumption of the league’s operation had been approved. The Ascension Invitational Football League is no stranger to the local football scene. In 2019, the competition was held where twenty-four clubs competed in two divisions but has not been played since the onset of the pandemic.
The Ascension Invitational Football League is carded to begin on March 25th and end on July 31st. Besides the top three professional teams in Trinidad and Tobago, Terminix La Horquetta Rangers FC, Defence Force F.C and Police F.C, other teams such as two time Pro League champions Central F.C, Cunupia F.C, Malabar F.C, AC Port of Spain, Real West Forte United, Deportivo Point Fortin and Central Soccer World will all be competing. Participating clubs will vie for a $100,000 first prize with the runner up receiving $50,000 while third place receives $25,000.
Concerns have arisen, though, surrounding the vaccination status of many players and the fact that unvaccinated players will be precluded from competing. This is in line with directions given by the Ministry of Health who confirmed that all players and support staff who plan to take a part in the tournament must all be fully vaccinated.
This is the Ministry’s position stays firm for all competitions going forward including the T&T Football Association’s (TTFA) Inter Zonal Football Tournament, Tiger Tanks Men’s Under-20 Tournament and NLCL (Next Level Consulting Limited) U-19 Community Cup.
These concerns materialized recently when the Northern and Eastern Football Associations (NFA, EFA) were removed from the TTFA’s Inter Zonal Football Tournament due to the uncertainty with regard to vaccination statuses.
The letter sent from the TTFA to the NFA and EFA read: “In an effort to finalise and adequately execute the Zonal Screening Teams (ZST) plan, in the interest of time and availability of stadia, we have unfortunately excluded the Eastern Football Association and Northern Football Association as they have not submitted any information regarding their players or vaccination status to date.”
While local football is back, the ominous and omnipresent cloud that is, the covid-19 pandemic, continues to linger. Regardless of this, it is great to see footballers competing again. This is much needed for player exposure and the hopes of the national team going forward.
Feel free to comment and tell us which local football competition you are looking forward to seeing the most!