JAMAICA SPORTS NEWS: October 25th – 31st, 2014

PULLOUT OF WINDIES FROM INDIA TOUR “HUMILIATING” SAYS PATTERSON—10/25/14
Former Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson has called the decision of the West Indies team to pull out of the India Tour “humiliating.” He says it shows a “total collapse” of the government system in administering the game by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). The Windies one-day team decided to abort their tour of India due to a dispute concerning pay with the west Indies Players’ Association.

SCHAFER BELIEVES CARIBBEAN CUP IS IMPORTANT—10/26/14
According to Winifred Schafer, head coach for the Reggae Boyz, the Caribbean Cup is very important to the team. The men’s senior team must finish among the top teams in the regional tournament in order to move on toward the 2018 World Cup Finals in Russia. The top four teams from the Caribbean Cup are guaranteed places in the 2015 Gold Cup tournament.

SMIKLE RECEIVES TWO-YEAR SUSPENSION FOR DOPING—10/30/14
Traves Smikle, Jamaican discus thrower, has received a two-year suspension from the International Association of Athletics Federations. The suspension was handed down due to a positive test for a banned substance in June 2013 at the Jamaican national championships. Smikle said at the time that he had not knowingly taken any banned substance. He was one of several athletes who had positive drug tests at the event.

WOLMER’S BOYS DEFEAT HAILE SELASSIE 4-0—10/31/14
Wolmer’s Boys remained two points clear at the top of the rankings in Group H with a win against Haile Selassie of 4 to 0. Their victory was achieved at the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ASSA)/LIME Manning Cup match at the Spanish Town prison Oval.