Faced with growing unrest from the rank and file of football players, the Football Federation of Belize (FFB) and The Belize Premier Football League (BPFL) have agreed to play ball. The FFB and BPFL have settled their stalemate, which prevented BPFL players from joining the national team and representing Belize at the World Cup trials in Canada.
Fearing international embarrassment, earlier this week players started agitating and were planning a solidarity rally. That is when Prime Minister Hon. Said Musa jumped into the fray yesterday and called BPFL and FFB to a meeting. They emerged with a truce in which the FFB agreed to offer conditional membership to the BPFL.
Sounds promising, but really, this is nothing new as the same offer was made and refused last year. FFB President Dr. Bertie Chimilio says the only difference this time around is that it will allow Belize to save face in Canada.
Dr. Bertie Chimilio, FFB President
"He narrowed everything down to a proposal we had sent to the league back in November of 2003 which they rejected and he read through it and asked them again what problem they had with it and they said none. So we are going to use those same terms and conditions as the basis for the solution to this situation."
So what has changed between when you guys had offered them provisional membership and now when they accepted it?
Dr. Bertie Chimilio,
"Well I presume a whole lot of things. The national pride came out because it is the World Cup, the biggest game in FIFA. It is the World Cup elimination, it is Canada against Belize and the players really are hurting, they are hurting over the last two years and they decided it is time do something. So I believe the pride touched everybody and that is why the BPFL decided it is time for us to work along and let's move on."
The BPFL was only granted provisional membership and they will later negotiate with the FFB the terms of full membership.