Miami drugs crisis.

The Bermuda Football Association has agreed to stump up bail for six of the Under-23 soccer players.

It is believed the players will be placed in the custody of the US Immigration Department once bail has been posted. But their future after that remains unclear.

The seventh player -- Tokia Russell, a juvenile -- is to appear in court this afternoon. His parents have flown out to be with him.

The BFA acted after an emotional two-hour meeting with parents, who lashed the association for abandoning their sons in Miami.

Last night Mrs. Kathy Smith, mother of Keishon, said: "There was no excuse for the way the BFA acted.'' And a brother of arrested player Kevin Jennings said: "The matter could have been dealt with better.'' Government also came under fire for not having a representative to greet the returning squad on Friday night.

Meanwhile, the BFA's first vice-president Mr. Neville Tyrell flew back to Florida yesterday to be one of the association's men "on the spot.'' Shadow Health Minister Mr. Nelson Bascome, a BFA executive committee member, will join Mr. Tyrell today.

And team coach Mr. Mark Trott also intends flying out to the players -- at his own expense.

So far the BFA have put up some $27,000 to cover bail and a retainer for the players' lawyer Mr. H.T. Smith, president of the American Bar Association.

The crisis flared when Meshach Wade, Herbie Dillas, Shawn Riley, Keishon Smith, Donnie Charles, Kevin Jennings and Tokia Russell were arrested by US Customs officials after flying into Miami International Airport from Jamaica on Friday.

They were charged with possessing and importing a total of eight pounds of marijuana, and taken to a pre-trial detention centre at Dade County.

Only hours earlier the Under-23 squad had been hailed as heroes after toppling Jamaica 1-0 to gain their slot in the Pan-Am Games finals in Argentina next March.

The arrested players, except for Tokia Russell, appeared at a bail hearing at Dade County Court on Saturday. They were represented by Mr. Smith.

The judge fixed bail at $2,000 each, and set a December 30 trial date.

The BFA moved yesterday as reports reached The Royal Gazette of anger among parents over how the association had handled the crisis.

Parents of the seven players met BFA officials yesterday morning.

It is understood the meeting was highly-charged, with officials facing tough questions over why the players had been left alone in Miami.

Mrs. Smith, who has spoken to her son, Keishon, said the players felt "abandoned and on their own.'' She stressed there was particular concern for 17-year-old Mr. Russell, who has been detained separately.

"We as parents need to have an interview with The Royal Gazette so we can say what we have to say.'' Mrs. Smith said the parents received an apology from Mr. Tyrell.

"He made a mistake, but the damage has been done.'' Mrs. Smith also criticised Government for not having a representative at the Airport to welcome the squad home on Friday night.

And she took aim at Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan for his comments in the House of Assembly.

She accused Sir John of convicting the seven players before they had been found guilty.

"I thought you were meant to be innocent until proven guilty.'' Kevin Jennings' brother, Kentoine, who plays for local club Vasco, admitted there was some unhappiness with the BFA.

"The matter could have been dealt with better,'' he told The Royal Gazette .

He added his family had been in touch with Kevin Jennings.

"My brother is all right, although I don't know the kind of conditions he is living in.'' Yesterday BFA president Mr. Richard Thompson admitted parents were concerned about the way the association had handled affairs.

He said it had been Mr. Tyrell's decision to leave the seven players in Miami by themselves.

"When I heard I expressed surprise. I have spoken to Mr. Tyrell and accept he made a judgment call.'' Mr. Thompson said Mr. Tyrell had the BFA's backing.

He added yesterday's meeting with parents was predictably "very emotional.'' "I expected that.'' At a Press conference yesterday, Mr. Thompson and BFA general secretary Mr.

David Sabir, announced their plan to ensure the players did not spend Christmas behind bars.

Mr. Thompson said he understood the players would be released into the custody of the US Immigration Department once bail was posted.

"What is going to happen after that is not clear. A trial date has been set for December 30.

"It is possible that US Immigration will allow them to come back to Bermuda to await the trial, but it is also possible that US Immigration will want them to stay in the US.

"We'll have to wait and see on that score.'' Later Mr. Thompson said it was possible the players could be released today.

Mr. Thompson said the BFA met with parents to tell them what the association had done.

"The BFA feels great sympathy for the parents involved. They have had a great shock, and must feel very frustrated at not being able to be with their sons.

"No matter what the outcome of this case, no matter whether these young men are found guilty or found completely innocent of the charges, what has happened is a tragedy for all of us.

"The public of Bermuda, which was so excited by the team's victories in Jamaica, has seen their excitement turn to sadness and shame.

"Our reputation has been given a heavy blow just by the very fact of the arrest of the players -- something which has received considerable publicity in the US and internationally.

"We in the BFA are deeply saddened by this incident, and we feel that as a sporting body, we must now turn our attention to ways we can prevent this kind of thing from ever happening again.

"Some people have said that if we had adopted some kind of drugs policy in the past, this kind of thing could not have happened.

"I do not feel it is as simple as that -- the bottom line is that the BFA does not condone the breaking of any law, and that is well known.

"The BFA certainly does not condone drug use or the smuggling of drugs. It may be worth pointing out that drug testing, had that been part of our policy, would not necessarily have prevented this particular incident.

"But the BFA's focus must be the good health of the sport of football in Bermuda.

"We take our responsibility for football very seriously. We are willing to consider any idea which will help us avoid a situation like this in the future, and we will be meeting over the next few weeks to see what measures we might be able to adopt.'' Mr. Thompson and Mr. Sabir stressed the players had been given two warnings about drugs.

Once before the tournament -- and again on the bus while they were being driven to the airport in Jamaica.

Mr. Thompson continued by saying it was important to remember how well the Under-23 squad had played.

"It is something that Bermuda should be proud of, no matter what happened afterwards.

"We intend to compete in Argentina, and we are determined that Bermuda should do well in Argentina.'' Yesterday some family members of the arrested players told of their shock at hearing the news of the arrests.

A cousin of Mr. Herbie Dillas described Miami as a well-known "drug gateway.'' He wondered if the players had been warned about the Miami authorities' tough approach to drugs.

"Miami has tremendously sophisticated X-ray equipment,'' said Mr. Cliff Dillas, of Warwick.

Mr. Dillas said he had been devastated to find out the news of the arrests.

"I feel shocked and saddened by what has happened.'' Mr. Dillas suggested the $75,000 the players received for their victory should be handed back to Jamaica.

Mr. James Charles, the uncle of Donnie Charles, said: "I was shocked and disappointed when I heard the news.'' UNDER FIRE -- BFA president Mr. Richard Thompson