Following the Lady Jaguars decision to solicit government intervention into the unequivocal allocation of resources by the federation, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has acknowledged the issues and said that it is committed to resolving all matters plaguing the programme.
This is according to a release from the GFF yesterday.
“It is regrettable that this highly-valued group of players did not avail themselves of the opportunity to raise their concerns directly with the federation’s executive or administration,” said president Wayne Forde in the release.
“However, the federation recognises the seriousness of the issues raised and is deeply concerned that some of Guyana’s most valued players feel disenfranchised in this way.
The executive committee will be reaching out to the players to meet and discuss the matter in the coming days,” he added.
The Lady Jaguars, Guyana’s National Senior Women’s team, on Wednesday dispatched a letter to the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson Jr., highlighting the unequal allocation of resources by the GFF to the programme.
A copy of the correspondence was also sent to First Lady Arya Ali.
“We are writing to express our frustrations around the unfair and inequitable distribution of resources and support provided to the female participants in comparison to our male counterparts. We feel the impact of years of systemic bias. We have been relegated to second-class citizens because of our gender even though our records and accomplishments are amongst the best across the Caribbean region,” the Lay Jags wrote.
While the GFF acknowledged that the members of the Lady Jaguars are not paid match fees, it said that it is working on instituting a comprehensive compensation policy which is consistent with international practice.
The release stated that the policy, which is scheduled to be implemented before the November FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, will encompass key areas including out of pocket allowance, stipend, match fees and bonuses.
“It is apposite to note that there was a relaunch of women’s football in 2017. A critical element of the relaunch was the establishment of the International Support Group (ISG), based in North America, that serves as the interface between the Federation and the international coaching staff and players. The ISG, which is composed of eminently qualified persons, plays a critical role in identification and selection of international players for the SWNT, as well as coordinating team camps and preparations”, the GFF release stated.
According to the correspondence, the current administration upon taking office in 2015, completely restructured the women’s programme, adding that this was done in part to ensure no financial burden would be transferred onto the players and/or parents in the future which were a staple of previous years.
“This restructuring required an internal process of review, policymaking, the establishment of the ISG, and the recruitment of new staff. Since the relaunch, all associated costs for the SWNT’s participation in matches, including flights, transportation, accommodation, training equipment, match kits, and other equipment acquisition have been paid for by the federation”, the released explained.
“For the first subsequent international engagement in April 2018, the Federation introduced a stipend policy for players in competition, with the female youth teams being its first beneficiaries.”
“As an example, between 2016 and 2020, the Lady Jaguars played more than twice (125%) the number of international matches than in the period 2011 and 2015. Female youth national team engagements rose 300% between the same periods, as the current administration established new teams to compete at U15 and U20 level, and invested further in the U17 programme”, the release added.
The federation also disclosed that several international engagements scheduled to occur this year. They are the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in November, the U20 Concacaf Championship in September, the U17 Concacaf Championship and u14 Girls Caribbean Football Union Challenge Series.
The GFF also dismissed the allegations of systematic bias.
“Gender equality is an urgent issue that requires deep structural changes throughout society, and beyond the limited influence of sport. The federation is determined to remain a leading light in promoting, fostering and delivering positive change for women among sports federations in Guyana and beyond,” said Forde.
“We would like to reassure the football community and the nation that the federation is committed to gender equality and fair and equitable representation and treatment for women in all our activities. The federation does not practice systemic bias with regard to women, and women are certainly not treated or regarded as ‘second class’ citizens by my administration.”
Meanwhile, President of the Guyana National Association for Women’s Football (GNAWF), Andrea Johnson, said: “I would like to first acknowledge the seriousness of the concerns raised by the players. As President of the Guyana National Association for Women’s Football and a woman, I have a duty to work with the GFF in assessing any gender-oriented bias and once determined to exist, work towards bringing about the necessary changes.”
She added, “Notwithstanding that these issues were never raised with GNAWF, I wish to assure the affected players of my full support in addressing their concerns. While it is fair to say that we still have a long road to travel in the development of women’s football in Guyana, I can attest to the significant progress the GFF has made since 2015. The GFF has fully funded Guyana’s participation in international tournaments over the past five years, with our teams recording more than credible results on each occasion.”
Similarly, President of the ISG, Rebecca Vaughan, said, “Whilst the International Support Group had no prior knowledge of any communication between our Lady Jaguars and our Government; we acknowledge the ongoing work that needs to be done to address gender inequity. We are mindful of the current administration’s meaningful progress that has significantly advanced the women’s game in Guyana. The grassroots development and investment have resulted in female domestic players earning the opportunity to represent our beloved country at the senior international level.”
According to the release, while the GFF recognizes the difficult task ahead in creating a level playing field for women in the sport, the current administration has secured measurable success with the assistance of the FIFA, Concacaf and the ISG.”
