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ZURICH, Switzerland - Gordon Savic, head of the FIFA Competitions Services Department, on Thursday reconfirmed in a very clear manner that Jamaica's National Stadium in Kingston has been approved by the FIFA for the World Cup Qualifier against The Bahamas on June 15.
Savic preferred not to be recorded for an interview, as he said he was "not issuing a statement", but was only facilitating the Sporting World's query as a guest of the Home of FIFA in Zurich, Switzerland.
He said recent information circulating in Jamaica that the National Stadium was not approved for the game was not true, and had there been a problem he would know because all such information originate from his office here at the FIFA.
He added that there was no cause for concern as the National Stadium was among those approved by the FIFA inspection team during the 18-month worldwide inspection of facilities.
Savic said he first heard of the news when contacted by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) general secretary Horace Reid the day before.
It is understood that information circulating earlier in the week in Jamaica was that only provisional approval was granted by the FIFA for the game because $60 million was needed to install an electronic security system, as well as improved medical systems for players and spectators, along with additional fencing and signage.
The bathroom and vending facilities were also said to be in need of urgent attention in the Bleachers.
Reid, himself a FIFA Stadium and Security Inspector, was appalled at the traction the news item got, considering that it did not originate from the FIFA.
"I was very surprised to learn that there was some amount of controversy regarding the FIFA approval of the National Stadium," he said.
"Only six weeks ago FIFA completed its second inspection and approved the facility, and in fact when I heard of the controversy I immediately called FIFA and spoke with the head of the Competitions Services Department, Gordon Savic, who is also my colleague, and he, too, expressed shock and surprise at that kind of news."
Like Savic, Reid sought to set the record straight: "But FIFA has approved the facility, there are no issues that would prevent us from staging our games, and in fact FIFA has already done the appointments (match officials) for the first World Cup qualifier against The Bahamas in Kingston on 15th June, and there will be an inspection now for the Trelawny Stadium on the 29th of April."
That second leg game on June 18 will begin at 4:00 pm.
Reid added: "The FIFA inspector will arrive in Montego Bay on the afternoon of April 29 and do the inspection. Currently we have a number of the JFF officers, Raymond Anderson, Bruce Gaynor and Peter Prendergast, overseeing the arrangements that we need to have in place with Independence Park Limited, managers of the facility.
"But again I don't quite understand why that news would be given to the Jamaican people. It begs the question if someone is creating mischief, or is trying to embarrass somebody else, but there is absolutely no need for that because the Stadium has been approved and we have no issues," concluded Reid.
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Savic preferred not to be recorded for an interview, as he said he was "not issuing a statement", but was only facilitating the Sporting World's query as a guest of the Home of FIFA in Zurich, Switzerland.
He said recent information circulating in Jamaica that the National Stadium was not approved for the game was not true, and had there been a problem he would know because all such information originate from his office here at the FIFA.
He added that there was no cause for concern as the National Stadium was among those approved by the FIFA inspection team during the 18-month worldwide inspection of facilities.
Savic said he first heard of the news when contacted by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) general secretary Horace Reid the day before.
It is understood that information circulating earlier in the week in Jamaica was that only provisional approval was granted by the FIFA for the game because $60 million was needed to install an electronic security system, as well as improved medical systems for players and spectators, along with additional fencing and signage.
The bathroom and vending facilities were also said to be in need of urgent attention in the Bleachers.
Reid, himself a FIFA Stadium and Security Inspector, was appalled at the traction the news item got, considering that it did not originate from the FIFA.
"I was very surprised to learn that there was some amount of controversy regarding the FIFA approval of the National Stadium," he said.
"Only six weeks ago FIFA completed its second inspection and approved the facility, and in fact when I heard of the controversy I immediately called FIFA and spoke with the head of the Competitions Services Department, Gordon Savic, who is also my colleague, and he, too, expressed shock and surprise at that kind of news."
Like Savic, Reid sought to set the record straight: "But FIFA has approved the facility, there are no issues that would prevent us from staging our games, and in fact FIFA has already done the appointments (match officials) for the first World Cup qualifier against The Bahamas in Kingston on 15th June, and there will be an inspection now for the Trelawny Stadium on the 29th of April."
That second leg game on June 18 will begin at 4:00 pm.
Reid added: "The FIFA inspector will arrive in Montego Bay on the afternoon of April 29 and do the inspection. Currently we have a number of the JFF officers, Raymond Anderson, Bruce Gaynor and Peter Prendergast, overseeing the arrangements that we need to have in place with Independence Park Limited, managers of the facility.
"But again I don't quite understand why that news would be given to the Jamaican people. It begs the question if someone is creating mischief, or is trying to embarrass somebody else, but there is absolutely no need for that because the Stadium has been approved and we have no issues," concluded Reid.
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