7 News Belize

Footballers to Concert Promoters: MCC "Da Fu We!"
posted (October 3, 2012)
The MCC Grounds on Barrack Road is the premier football facility in Belize City; it is also one of the largest venues for public events, but the Football Federation of Belize is not happy that the pitch is being used for anything other than football.

Yesterday, they sent out a press release to voice their displeasure that the Director of Sports granted NICH approval to use it for a cultural festival, which is scheduled for October 12 -14.

Today, at their press conference to announce the new national team head coach we had an opportunity to ask the FFB president why they are so opposed to using a public facility for a public event.

Here's what he told us:

Ruperto Vicente - President, Football Federation of Belize
"I must make it clear that we're not against any cultural fair. But we are against the use of the MCC Grounds for such activities. The reason being is that if you had visited the grounds after the King and Queen Carnival, vehicles were driven on the pitch, and the surface of the pitch was seriously damaged. That endangers our players when they are playing games. As well, I understand that once that activity is being held at the MCC Grounds, it means that the facility is going to be shut off for that weekend from all football activities. Right now, we have young children playing football at the MCC Grounds, from ages 6 through 13 years-old. And we also have the Women's League who is also using the MCC Grounds. We have the inter-district tournament as well, and we have the semi-pro league. Certainly, that's a lot of activities going on for young people at the MCC Grounds, and so would want to preserve the surface of the grounds for our young players, and we would also want to have it open for football activities. Shutting it off for that weekend means shutting it off for a whole bunch of young people, and that's the reason for our disapproval."

And NICH listened.

This evening, NICH personnel held an emergency meeting in which they decided that the venue for that cultural festival will be changed.

We confirmed with the NICH Communications Officer, Shari Williams, who told us that a press release is forthcoming, but the new venue location has not been approved as yet.

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