The Supreme Court has denied an application for the extension of a temporary injunction barring the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) from holding internal elections.

The injunction was initially granted on January 12 and expires today (February 9). The elections were initially set to be held on January 14, but President of Beach Soccer Patricia Garel filed an application in the court for it to compel the JFF to allow members of the Beach Soccer organisation to vote in the elections.

This after the Michael Ricketts-led JFF refused to recognise Beach Soccer as the official governing body of beach football in Jamaica and, therefore, were ineligible to vote in the elections. Beach Football Association was the governing body recognised by the JFF and as such, were given voting rights. Beach Soccer appealed and tried to get the JFF to change its decision to exclude them. After they were unsuccessful, Garel and her executives took the matter to the Supreme Court, which granted the injunction for 28 days while it heard the merits of the application.

The court agreed to the prohibitory injunction barring the JFF from holding the elections until it could be determined which of the bodies is recognisable under the JFF constitution and, therefore, eligible to vote. It was Garel’s contention that the constitution under Article 12 recognised Beach Soccer as affiliates and such a position was even supported by the JFF when they asked the association to send representatives to the congress it held last September.

The court, however, felt that there was not enough evidence put forward by Beach Soccer that proved its affiliate status and as such, it was left with no case to try. The injunction was, therefore, not extended and the JFF is now free to its elections.