Citing inactivity caused by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Waterhouse Football Club and Portmore United have decided to withdraw from the Flow CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championships set for Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic from May 16-26, 2021.

The decision of the clubs was made public by the Professional Football Association of Jamaica earlier (PFJL) today.

Jamaica’s Premier League was suspended in March 2020 and subsequently cancelled in May 2020, which meant that there has been no formal football competition in Jamaica since.

For the clubs to be able to resume training, they are required to obtain permission from the Jamaican Government, who in a bid to ensure the safety of the country’s athletes have made it mandatory for governing bodies to satisfactorily meet the COVID-19 protocols imposed under the Disaster Risk Management Act.

To date, the Government has not granted permission for the resumption of football, despite the best efforts of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) and the PFJL, which is pursuing the possibility of a league in a controlled environment which, even if approved, would not be likely to begin ahead of the Flow CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championships.

“Therefore, as our teams have been inactive for more than a year, and with the FCCC weeks away from kick-off, regrettably, both Waterhouse FC and Portmore United FC were left with no option other than to withdraw from this years’ tournament, the PFJL Chairman Chris Williams said in a statement.

“This decision by two of our clubs saddens the PFJL but we remain 100 per cent in support of their decision given the circumstances that have occasioned their pulling out of the most important regional tournament that has realized much success for many of our clubs in years past. It is also inescapable for me not to point to the fact that this is the first of many dominoes that will befall the sport and our players locally, if we not able to restart the Jamaica Premier League before then end of the 2021 season.”

Waterhouse FC President Donovan White said the decision to withdraw was a difficult one.

“This decision is extremely unfortunate and a painful one because our team has earned the right to participate and we really wished we could, but the combination of no return to play yet for football from the Government of Jamaica, which has stifled our ability to generate an income, has left us financially unable to make the huge commitments required in order to participate,” he said.

Clive Marshall, general manager of Portmore United FC, shared similar sentiments.

“The decision to withdraw from the Flow CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship 2021 edition was most difficult and painful. Our players in particular look forward to these international platforms to showcase their talents,” he said.

“It has proven very successful over the years in providing a pathway to the international club market. Unfortunately, we have not been able to train and play for over a year due to the pandemic and the lack of approval from the government.

“Indeed, we’re devastated by this decision but we have to be prudent.  We cannot compete in any competition without proper preparation, let alone, a regional tournament against teams that have been in active competition.  Our players have suffered tremendously over the past 13 months.