$500,000 GOA boost for Lady Jags

Feb 07, 2016 Sports

By Franklin Wilson
With the Lady Jags set to open their quest for Olympic qualification this week in Texas when they take on CONCACAF powerhouse Canada on Thursday at the BBVA Campus Stadium in the first of three group matches, the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) made a timely donation to the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) towards Guyana’s flagship female team.

GOA President K. A Juman Yassin (2nd left) hands over the cheque to GFF President Wayne Forde in the presence of GOA Secretary Hector Edwards (left) and Ian Alves.

At the federation’s Section ‘K’ Campbellville headquarters yesterday, GOA President K. A Juman Yassin handed over a cheque for $500,000 to his counterpart at the GFF Wayne Forde who informed that he reached out to the Olympic body for assistance and they readily acquiesced.
Yassin noted that the GFF is an associate member of the GOA family and based on the request, they decided that they would make a contribution for two reasons.
“One, they are family and secondly, the Lady Jags have been doing exceedingly well, they have made us proud and they have participating in a competition which if they go through can make them qualify for the Rio Olympics.”
With that Mr. Yassin handed over the cheque for $500,000 to Forde in the presence of GOA Secretary General Hector Edwards and GFF Director of Competitions, Ian Alves.
Forde in response thanked the GOA on behalf of the federation stating that it his hope that the GOA’s donation encourages others to emulate.
“I just hope that this would spark a trend within the business community and different government structures with regard to support for the Lady Jags.”
Lady Jags will also face Guatemala on February 14 and Trinidad and Tobago’s Soca Princesses on February 16 for a place in the semi finals of CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship.
The Lady Jags have been hard at training under Head Coach Mark Rodrigues and were expected to arrive in Texas yesterday ahead of the matches.