LOCAL stakeholders said footballers have fallen by the wayside to crime and the next generation of talented TT players at a disadvantage with football, and sport in general, being on the sidelines for almost two years.
Roughly 25 coaches, players, administrators and supporters of local football marched through Port of Spain on Thursday morning to not only resume football but sports.
The group walked along the Brian Lara Promenade, Frederick Street and also gathered by the Red House while following covid19 protocols.
More than an hour after the march began they ended their walk outside the Ministry of Sport and Community Development’s office at Nicholas Towers.
The protestors wore red t-shirts saying “Let Football Play in a Safe Zone.”
Among those who attended the protest were director and coach of Cunupia FC Michael De Four, Unified Football Coaches of TT interim president Jefferson George, coach of Central Soccer World/Cunupia FC Randolph Boyce and All Blacks FC official Simon Francis.
De Four, speaking to the media outside the Red House, said, “Financially (we have been affected by no football), health-wise…I could give an example (that) we have lost three players. We lost one to crime, he is not going to come back if you understand what I mean. We have lost one to drugs, not the legal drugs, (but) the illegal drugs and we just lost one. He just don’t want to play football again. These were truly talented individuals and I am just one team. They have over 120 competitive teams in Trinidad.”
Francis also spoke about players turning to negative activities.
He said, “I represent grassroots football in TT. Grassroots football is very important because it is community-based football. Imagine right now in my community of South Oropouche I can take my vaccination card, my son’s vaccination card (or) some of my players vaccination cards and go by a bar and have a drink, but I cannot under the present measures carry those footballers to train and play football and that in itself is fundamentally wrong.”
He added, “We have been down for about 19, 20 months and for 20 months now if we had up and coming Dwight Yorkes, Russell Latapys amongst us we could kiss that goodbye.
[caption id="attachment_923922" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Director and coach of Cunupia FC Michael De Four speaks with the media,Abercromby St, Port of Spain, on Thursday, during a protest over the shutdown of sport due to the cornavirus pandemic. - SUREASH CHOLAI[/caption]
“Sports bring discipline…in South Oropouche I have been able to fight crime by young men training and playing football.”
A few sports, including golf, have been allowed during the covid19 pandemic but team sports and contact sports are still waiting.
The Government, however, did permit the national senior women’s football team to play two international friendlies against Panama at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, last month.
The protest followed Government’s decision to blank the Ascension League’s proposal to resume football.
On November 2, the Asce
