The Football Federation of Belize announced on Wednesday, March 24 that the football match scheduled between Belize and Haiti is going to be played. The game will be played on Thursday, March 25 as scheduled in Port au Prince, Haiti at 3:00pm local time at Stade Sylvio Cator, HAI.
The Guardian received information from within the camp where the spirits are high having now gotten a feel for the stadium in Haiti. There was much apprehension about the match taking place after an unfortunate incident where the team was stopped while travelling in a bus from the airport to their hotel on Monday, March 22.
Since the incident the FFB issued a release stating that: “After FIFA’s Match Commissioner arrived in Port-au-Prince yesterday morning, he assessed the situation and had several meetings before making his recommendation on the matter.
In a correspondence to the FFB, FIFA Head of Qualifiers and International Matches Tournaments and Events Division reported the following to General Secretary for FFB Earl Jones:
“Following up on our exchange of last Monday, we can gladly report that FIFA’s Match Commissioner arrived in Port-au-Prince yesterday morning. He immediately held several meetings with the police and the security forces as well as with the two participating Member Associations’ delegations on site. No tensions were palpable any longer and the reported incident was clarified with additional security measures being agreed and undertaken to prevent any repetition, as it was a reported case of miscommunication that led to the bus being driven in a wrong area.
Full, open and cordial discussions were fruitfully held and assurances were given for an upgraded security plan to be implemented. The safety and the security of the visiting team’s delegation, of FIFA’s match officials as well as of all actors of this match are guaranteed at all times during the period of stay in Haiti.
There are no impediments which prevent the match from taking place as scheduled.”
Following Thursday’s match Belize will next play Turks and Caicos on the neighboring island nation of Dominican Republic on Tuesday, March 30.
Following these matches, Belize was scheduled to play St. Vincent, who has opted to not participate. The next game is scheduled for June against Nicaragua.