Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

A MARRIAGE, of sorts, between the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) and the region's premier academic institution, the University of the West Indies (UWI), is expected to produce several fruitful and lasting benefits to the sport of football over the next couple of years.

A match made in heaven seemed to be the consensus of several JFF, UWI and government officials on hand to launch the project, expected to get off the ground in the next few months, at the Mona Visitors' Lodge at UWI, yesterday.

An immediate result of the union will see the much-discussed JFF Academy, last earmarked for Malvern in St Elizabeth, finally find a home on 6 1/2 acres of land donated by the institution. The move falls in line with a broader goal by UWI, which involves enhancing the institution's sports credentials.

Other developments

Other developments include the remodelling and further development of the UWI Bowl, which is expected to see the building of a US$5 million lighted mini-stadium with a mondo track, the expansion of current pool facilities and enhancement of the Sir Frank Worrell cricket ground.

Falling within this umbrella of development will be the US$2.5 million JFF academy, which will primarily be funded by the FIFA Goal project.

Originally, the academy was expected to be located in Portmore, and a groundbreaking ceremony was held there attended by FIFA president Sepp Blater in 2003.

However, after taking over office in 2004, the Crenston Boxhill-led JFF administration saw a move to St Elizabeth as more in line with their vision of what the institution should be.

On returning to office in November, Captain Horace Burrell's team found the location to be unsuitable and sought FIFA's permission to once again relocate the academy.

With permission granted to the JFF a little over a month ago, the property at Malvern will now be sold and the money from that, plus an amount not yet handed over from the goal project, will be put into the UWI site.

Second project

In addition, the JFF has put in a successful application for a second Goal project, worth $400,000, which will also be funnelled into a phase of the proposed UWI academy.

"This is a significant day in the development of Jamaican football. Obviously, a synergy formed with this noble institution means the sky is the limit for football," said the JFF president.

Minister of Youth, Culture, Enter-tainment and Sport, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, said the partnership had the full support of the government.

"Locating the academy at UWI will no doubt add tremendous value to both institutions. The government is in full support of such a partnership," Grange said.

Increased sponsorship

The minister also took the time out to announce that the JFF would now benefit from an increased sponsorship amount from the Sports Development Foundation, which would be in the region of $150 million for the next few years.

Meanwhile, UWI also unfurled plans to fully develop an Institute of Sport and Medicine, which will provide care for injured athletes and is expected to aid in physical develop-ment with, among other things, an indoor pool for physical training.