VISA rejections weaken Police football team ahead of World Games
ttproleague.comPolice FC head coach Kelvin Jones will not be equipped with his strongest squad at the 2011 World Police and Fire Games hosted in New York, USA from August 26 – September 05.
The Games held biennially, have been hosted by numerous countries throughout the world, attracting as many as 8,000 world class athletes from over 70 countries.
Jones reminded, “The last time Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (Football Club) participated in the invitational tournament back in 1987… we won the title.”
Police FC, currently a member club in the TT Pro League, will depart Piarco Airport on Tuesday 23 August and according to Jones, only fifty percent of his regular players were granted US Visas.
“We are sorry that we couldn’t go with our full squad,” continued a disappointed Jones.
“What it has forced us to do, is go with some of our ex-players. It’s a nice tournament and I think it would do our players well for TT Pro League season. That’s why we wanted all our players to make the trip.”
Jones was forced to summon seven ex-players Anton Thomas, Kelon Williams, Calvin Hughes, Ian Joseph, Anthony Campbell, Adrian Arrossco and Marlon Elles into his 19-man travelling squad.
Goalkeepers Anthony Marshall and Adisa Alleyne and outfield Hayden Jones, Christopher Sam, Neri Joseph, Darryl James, Randy Harris, Akkem Marshall, Kheon Archie, Jason Boodram, Noel Williams and Devon Bristol were the only current Police FC players that were granted US VISAs.
Meantime Adrian Noel, Sayid Freitas, Kyle Andrews, Dwight Elliot, Terryl Elwin, Brendon Christopher, Jason Eastman, Kerron Clarke, Kelon Williams, Kaaron Foster, Todd Ryan, Emmanuel Nurse and Akiba Peters were denied VISAs.
The T&T Police Service is grouped with Gardanne Fire Department(Saturday 27 August), Her Majesty Prison Service(Sunday 28 August), Cataluyna Fire Department(Monday 29 August) and Madrid Fire Department(Tuesday 30 August) in the Men’s Division One.
This means that Police’s opening 2011-2011 Digicel Pro League Championship Round One Match Day One fixture against St. Ann’s Rangers (carded for Saturday 27 August) is now rescheduled for Tuesday 13 September. The lawmen will their first League match three days after returning from the World Police and Fire Games on Saturday 10 September against Adam’s Construction San Juan Jabloteh with a kickoff time of 8pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
At the World Games, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service will also be represented in Basketball(Men & Women), Golf(Wayne Baptiste T&T Golf Team captain), Shooting and Athletics(Men & Women).
ACP Earle Gonzales heads a 69-man delegation to New York.
This year’s Games coincide with the ten year remembrance of September 11, 2001. The 2011 World Police & Fire Games will be empowered by two themes: Remembrance (we will always remember those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001) and Gratitude (an opportunity for all New Yorkers to thank the world for the support that flooded into New York City after September 11, 2001).
The concept to promote sport and fraternity within the Police and Firefighting communities began in 1967, with the staging of the first ever California Police Olympics. This concept continued to grow and culminated in 1983, with the creation of the World Police & Fire Games Federation. The first World Games were held in 1985, in San Jose, California, attracting almost 5,000 competitors.
