Bermuda Football Association (BFA) are facing more than $35,000 in fees for training national teams at the National Sports Centre (NSC)

Producing a stack of bills as evidence, BFA General Secretary David Sabir yesterday bluntly countered claims that training at the Frog Lane complex was free, adding that the BFA had rejected a stringent Training Policy for the NSC which was presented to them in late March.

In addition, he hit back at Sports Minister Randy Horton who earlier yesterday issued a Press release refuting BFA assertions that they were banned from using the stadium because of monies owed in relation to that venue.

The he-said-we-said saga gathered steam a day after the BFA announced they would not field an Under-17 national team for a match against the visiting Manchester City Youth Team last night at the NSC.

The primary reason given was that the ban prevented the BFA from preparing a squad properly for the encounter as their National Youth Academy programme (for Under-13 to Under-17 footballers), had been indefinitely suspended.

“It would have been irresponsible to put these boys out there knowing they are inadequately trained to represent this country at the highest level as a national team.

“Once we were removed from the stadium we no longer had a programme that was operating at the level that we have set and that the players expect from us,” said Sabir.

Horton's statement declared that “at no time did Government or the trustees of the NSC issue a ban of the BFA from using the facilities for training or playing games”.

However, a letter from Director of Youth & Sport Anthony Roberts to BFA President Larry Mussenden (and copied to Horton), dated April 25, 2003, reads: “I have recommended that the BFA be refused further access to the NSC after April 30, 2003, should there be no effort to settle your account.”

Sabir revealed the first hint of trouble came before the BFA received Roberts' letter. BFA Director of Youth Development Kenny Thompson tried to schedule training for Youth Academy teams but was informed by NSC manager, Cliff Wade, that certain issues had to be resolved regarding outstanding debts.

The decision to prevent the BFA using the stadium not only curtailed the Youth Academy but, noted Sabir, also jeopardised last month's tour by Canadian team, the Hamilton Thunder. As they had already agreed to host the North Americans, the BFA sought Horton's intervention to be able to play the matches at NSC and got it. However, the Bermuda Select team that faced the Canadians were not allowed to train at the stadium.

On the matter of arrears to NSC, Sabir showed 11 invoices totalling $35,296.50 for training sessions for the senior and various age-group national teams at the NSC between April, 2002 and January, 2003.

He also showed another handful of invoices to illustrate the high costs of hosting international events at NSC.

For using the facility to play the Jamaicans in three matches last Christmas they have to fork out $10,699.20 from gate receipts of $53,998 and for the Under-17 World Cup qualifier against Cuba last December 7, the fee was $2,487.75 out of $10,587. Also for the four-nation World Cup qualifying tournament last November, the fee was $8,862 out of receipts of $26,470 and for last summer's Under-17 International Youth Tournament they have to pay $12,367.60 from $31,909.

He stressed the BFA had never tarried on settling domestic bills but they have strong objection to charges for national training and for hosting international competitions.

“We have maintained that we have no issue with (paying for) the domestic usage of the stadium. Our records will clearly show that we have paid (domestic bills).

“The president (Mussenden) has clearly stated the issue is international. There is no doubt that we have been banned from using the stadium not (only) because of the lack of paying for gated activity but also for the training activities.

“Our records will show that the revenue we derive from our games versus the fees we are being forced to pay to use the stadium have put us in a financial bind. Any activities we bring to the stadium certainly - based on the charges we receive - have not been financially successful.”

Sabir took issue with Horton's explanation that there was a NSC Training Policy under which certain guidelines permitted “free training” to national teams.

“A team that is preparing for a games event will be allowed to use the Centre for training and preparation four weeks prior to the competition,” said the minister in his statement, adding that practice matches during periods can also be played “free” at the stadium.

However, Sabir noted that under the Training Policy's terms, the BFA would not be eligible to use the NSC free of cost until next year when the senior national team begin their World Cup campaign. In addition, he stressed that when the document was brought to them in March they expressed their displeasure. By this time, all of the outstanding debt had already been incurred.

“We rejected the Minister's policy on the basis that it would derail a quality programme aimed at systematically developing, motivating and instilling good sport practices in our young players that would enable them to reach for higher goals.

“Based on his policy we would have no opportunity to be at the stadium until next year when World Cup qualifiers starts which presents a demoralising situation for any quality football programme.

“If we can't overcome the fees associated with the stadium then we can't afford to use it - period.

“Unless we get some intervention from somewhere, our international developmental programme is going to suffer and this is what we are trying to safeguard,” stated the general secretary.

Sabir reiterated that, in pulling the national Under-17 team from last night's game, the BFA never barred anyone on that squad from playing in a replacement team chosen by Shaun Goater, City's Bermuda-born striker. The football official also said the association's stance was in no way meant to cast a pall over Goater's ongoing Grassroots Soccer Festival.

“We have never denied the youth players the opportunity to participate (in matches versus Manchester City's Youth Academy), we said not under the umbrella of the national team because it would have been an injustice to do it in that manner.

“This has nothing to do with Shaun (Goater). Once we were confronted with this situation - recognising we had no other options and that we could not prepare an Under-17 team at the standard they deserve - it was impossible for us to play under the auspices of a national team - and that's it. That is it.”