The Lucian Government has expressed its disappointment and concern regarding the circumstances surrounding the decision of the St Lucia Football Association (SLFA) to withdraw from the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
While making it clear that they could not interfere with the workings of the SLFA, the government also refuted claims allegedly made by the federation that they denied requests from the federation for permission that would have allowed the national team to train during the ongoing pandemic.
Sportsmax.TV reported earlier this week that St Lucia would not be taking part in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers that began yesterday. The Piton Boyz were scheduled to play Nicaragua in Nicaragua and then Haiti on March 28.
Local-based players in St Lucia led by midfielder Zaine Pierre marched on the headquarters of the federation on Wednesday calling for the resignation of SLFA President Lyndon Cooper, who they said had no intention of having St Lucia play in the qualifiers suggesting that the team was not good enough.
However, in a lengthy statement released today from the Office of Prime Minister Alan Chastanet, the government made its position known.
“The Government of Saint Lucia is disappointed by reports that Saint Lucia has withdrawn from the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, a decision taken without any consultation with the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports by the St. Lucia Football Association (SLFA),” the statement said while indicating that they invested heavily in infrastructure specifically for the effort to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar next year.
“The Government of Saint Lucia through its Sports Infrastructure Program made it a priority to upgrade the Soufriere Mini Stadium to host World Cup qualifiers and the Government of Saint Lucia is clear and unambiguous in its commitment to upgrade facilities for this particular objective.”
The players also claimed that the beleaguered president said the federation was denied permission from the government to convene training camps in preparation for the qualifiers.
The St Lucian Government said that was not true.
“The Government of Saint Lucia is further concerned about reports that the “authorities” turned down requests for special training permissions for a national football team. The Government can confirm that we have no record of a request being made by the SLFA to have a team train for World Cup Qualifiers. Neither the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports nor the Office of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) has received such a request,” the statement said.
“Despite the fact that high contact sports are not allowed under the current Covid-19 protocols due to the high risk the Government has made special provisions for national athletes and this is reflected in the legislation.
“The Government of Saint Lucia, through the Ministry of Health, recently facilitated training for Platinum FC from Vieux Fort South who are due to travel in April for a tournament in Curacao. The Government will also be assisting with the vaccination of these footballers and team members. The Ministry of Health has also facilitated some netballers and other athletes who requested one-on-one training or training with strict protocols.”
The government said the Football Association would engage with the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports and local footballers to resolve the matter.
“We look forward to the full clarification from the Saint Lucia Football Association as to the reasons for Saint Lucia’s withdrawal,” it said.
“The Government of Saint Lucia has made significant investments in sports in Saint Lucia, including football, with the establishment of the Sports Academy and the upgrading of all our sporting facilities in order to attract regional and international tournaments.
“The Government will continue to do all it can to facilitate the advancement of our athletes and Saint Lucia as a leader in sports. The Government sees the participation in activities such as World Cup Qualifiers as critical to the development of sports and has done all in its power to facilitate the involvement of our athletes.”
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ECB chief insists no decision made on Mott future
England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Richard Gould has denied reports a decision has already been made on Matthew Mott's future as white-ball coach.
Mott's future has been called into question in the aftermath of England's failure to defend their T20 World Cup crown in the United States and West Indies, losing to India in the semi-finals.
Mott also oversaw England's calamitous 50-over World Cup campaign last year, as they lost six of their nine matches in India and crashed out in the group stage.
Reports earlier this week suggested the decision had already been made to dispense with Mott's services, with Eoin Morgan a contender to succeed him, though the former limited-overs captain has since said he has no interest in the role.
Asked by BBC Test Match Special if Mott's future had already been decided, Gould said: "That's not true. That's certainly not true.
"Matthew Mott is a really good guy and coach. He's got a great track record and it is the same with [captain] Jos [Buttler].
"We are always assessing options - that is what happens in high-performance sport, you are always assessing your options.
"You never want to be drawn into being given the dreaded vote of confidence or anything like that. Competitive sport always brings scrutiny and decisions.
"We'll constantly want to assess our options but we'll always want to do the right thing by the sport, the team and individuals."
West Indies grab three late wickets on day one as third Test against England in the balance
England lost three wickets in a dramatic end to day one of the third Test against West Indies, leaving them in a precarious position after restricting the tourists for 282.
Gus Atkinson finished with figures of 4-67, while Chris Woakes took 3-69 for England, as only a fine sixth-wicket stand from Jason Holder and Joshua Da Silva saved West Indies from being bowled out for a much lower total.
But England, chasing a 3-0 series whitewash, let their dominant position slip when taking up the bat for the final 35 minutes, Zak Crawley (18), Ben Duckett (3) and Mark Wood (0) being dispatched as bowler Jayden Seales dropped them to 38-3.
Windies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite won the toss and chose to bat, leading his side to a solid start before a spell of three wickets in five overs before lunch put England on top.
Atkinson accounted for Mikyle Louis (26) and Alick Athanaze (2) on either side of Wood sending stumps flying with a full delivery to dismiss Kirk McKenize for 12.
Brathwaite's knock of 61 was brought to a halt shortly after the action resumed, the captain gloving Wood's leg-side ball to Jamie Smith as the tourists slid from 76-0 to 115-5 in 45 balls.
Holder (59) and Da Silva (49) then shared 108 to drag the Windies towards a respectable total, but things looked bleak for them when the latter feathered Woakes' ball through to Smith.
Having gone 30 overs without a wicket, England needed just 14 more to polish off the tail, the highlight being a terrific diving catch from Joe Root to send Gudakesh Motie (8) packing.
England were given just over half an hour with the bat to cap Friday's action, but any hopes of a serene finish were soon dashed.
Holder made two terrific catches off Seales' bowling, the first from Crawley's thick outside edge and the second to dismiss Wood for a duck, either side of Alzarri Joseph's cracking delivery accounting for Duckett.
That spell ensured what had been a good day for the hosts ended on a sour note, with the Windies sure to target quick wickets when the action resumes on Saturday.
Data Debrief: Atkinson and Seales dominate
This series began with all the focus on James Anderson as England's greatest-ever bowler bowed out at Lord's, but Atkinson has taken centre-stage since making his Test debut in the opening match and now has 20 wickets through five innings.
That is eight more than West Indies' Jayden Seales, the next-most prolific bowler in this series, has managed.
Seales was determined to have an impact on day one, though, and his two wickets at the death have set the stage for a far more competitive match than those England won at Lord's and Trent Bridge.
Bairstow set sights on swift England Test return
Jonny Bairstow bit back when asked if he was targeting an England return, insisting it is "all I want to do."
Bairstow was dropped from England's Test team for the ongoing series against West Indies.
The 34-year-old was part of England's T20 World Cup squad, and played in all five Tests of the tour of India earlier this year.
Bairstow has made 100 Test appearances, and when asked what his immediate target was, the wicketkeeper-batsman told former England captain and now-BBC Sport pundit Michael Vaughan: "All I want to do is play for England. That's end of.
"You don't need to ask me that do you? I think you know me well enough and I think you've known me for long enough to know that."
Bairstow did, however, enjoy a break away from the game, having had four weeks off before he joined the Welsh Fire for the Hundred.
He said: "At the same time it's been a great period of time.
"I had the best part of seven months away from home. Since January, I had five nights at home in my own bed since, until three weeks ago.
"That's the thing you have to sacrifice, time at home but at the same time, when you are away for that period of time, it takes its toll."
England are 2-0 up against the Windies in their three-match series, with the final Test starting at Edgbaston on Friday.
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