The 21 member Belize National Football Team left Houston today and is reportedly in Monterrey Mexico tonight. It is big news because the players reportedly threatened to go on strike and refused to play game 2 against Mexico in Monterrey on Saturday. Reports are that they threatened to strike because they weren’t paid for Sunday’s dramatic showdown with Mexico at the Reliant Stadium in Houston Texas.
Those reports say the players confronted Football Federation President Bertie Chimilio on Monday night at the JW Marriott where they gave him an ultimatum: if they don’t get paid – they won’t play in Monterrey. Best reports to us are that a written agreement was worked out and the players left Houston this morning and are supposedly in Monterrey tonight.
Again, we have spoken to multiple sources, but we could not get confirmation from Bertie Chimilio who was in transit to Monterrey. But the story is that the FFB promised the players that if more than 50,000 people attended the game at the Reliant Stadium, they would each get US$5,000 each after the game in Houston. Well 51,137 people attended. But the players weren’t paid and when Monday night came and they still got no money, they lay waited Chimilio in the hotel lobby.
As we say we’ve been unable to reach Chimilio or the Football Federation for comment or confirmation but we’ll keep trying.
