BY CAROLYN JOHNSON, STAR Writer
Marva Bernard, president of the Jamaica Netball Association. - RUDOLPH BROWN
THE JAMAICA NETBALL Association (JNA) said it is not to be blamed for the senior squad's cancelled tour of Trinidad and Tobago this weekend.
The JNA received an invitation from its Trinidadian counterpart to play two practice matches but the hosts did not reserve any airline seats for the team.
"Trinidad invited us to come down there all expense paid," Marva Bernard, president of the JNA, told STAR Sports yesterday.
"They called me on Wednesday (last) to ask me if they paid my airfare, accommodation, transport and meals if I would come and give a practice match (and I said yes) but I thought they would have scheduled airline seats," Bernard said.
Bernard went on to clarify: "It is not because of the JNA's inability to pay for the tickets (why the tour has been cancelled). Now we can't get any seats on any airlines to bring us down there leaving on Friday (tomorrow) to come back on Monday."
The president also said they even tried the Kingston to Barbados to Trinidad route, but to no avail.
The twin-island republic was planning to use this weekend's practice games to prepare for the 2007 World Netball Championships qualifiers in Barbados next month.
Jamaica automatically qualify for the 2007 World Championships, which will be held in Fiji July 10-21, by virtue of being ranked number three in the world.
Bernard added that the Trinidad and Tobago Netball Association said it would invite Jamaica next year for a Test series if Trinidad and Tobago qualify for the World Championships.
Until then, the JNA looks forward to hosting Samoa later this year.
"We would like Samoa to come in November and I'm actively seeking sponsorship. If I don't, my team won't get any practice with an international team before next year," Bernard said.
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