Jersey football UEFA visit delayed until New Year

Wednesday 28 December 2016

Jersey Football Association President Phil Austin says the UEFA delegation to the Island will take place – only it will now be postponed until next year.

Jersey has applied to European governing body UEFA for international status and the hope was that the first steps on that process would be made this autumn.

But a UEFA delegate could not make the visit earlier this month as he had been elevated to a position within FIFA – the world governing body – which means the inspection has been delayed.

“It was disappointing, but we are in this for the long haul,” said Mr Austin. “We now expect the delegation to come sometime in the New Year and obviously we will be hoping it looks at our case favourably. Ultimately, the loss of a few weeks won’t make much of a difference, but we do hope to get some information soon about when it will take place in the New Year. We obviously want that as soon as possible.”

Jersey’s application will go before the Court of Arbitration for Sport next year after their initial bid for international status was declined by UEFA.

“We feel we have a really strong case,” said Mr Austin. “We know part of the process is to be patient which we are prepared to do because we are convinced what we are doing is right for Jersey and right for the sport in the Island.

“As soon as the new date for the UEFA delegation visit is put in the diary we can begin to move forward again.”