Wagiya Foreign Players Complained About Living Conditions

Another element of the Premier League of Belize’s investigation will focus on the living conditions and meal arrangements provided to the now-deported players during their time with Wagiya Sports Club. Allegations have surfaced of inadequate meals and poor accommodations, claims that Moss strongly denies. Still, it adds yet another layer to a widening sports scandal. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

When American football player Devien Bell signed a contract with Wagiya Sports Club in Belize to play for the team he was promised food and accommodation. Section nineteen of the contraction also indicated that payment for the player would be explained in section twenty-six of the agreement. And while Bell went ahead and signed the contract, it did not contain section twenty-six, no word on remuneration. But Bell claims there was an agreement reached on remuneration.

 

Devien Bell, American Athlete

“I knew from coming in, based off what they told me, I would be given a house, three meals a day, money for transportation, a pro debut and a paycheck for every practice I attend, with a bonus if I were to play over four hundred minutes, I was to be given a bonus or stipend.”

 

Bell, after being deported under circumstances that is at the center of an ongoing league investigation, claims he never received any compensation for his contributions to the team over the months. We asked Team Manager and Owner Nelson Moss about those payment arrangements.

 

Nelson Moss, Manager/Owner, Wagiya Sporting Club

“It all falls under the tryout agreements we had with their agents. So I was just holding true to that.”

Paul Lopez

“Were agreements ever made for them to be paid during this period?”

 

Nelson Moss

“The agent himself said he was going to get that money for me and he was going to take care of that for them.”

 

Moss once again placed the blame squarely on the shoulders of the players’ agents.

 

Paul Lopez

“They assert that they were subjected to less-than-ideal living conditions and provided with adequate nutritious meals.”

 

Nelson Moss

“That is an outright lie, that is an outright lie. That one text you saw, all the receipt of the payments of the people that cook for them refutes that.”

 

Moss did not furnish News Five with any receipts, but we saw more than just one text message. News Five obtained several images and videos. Here Devien Bell is pictured preparing a meal of white rice and bread. Ramen noodles and “so suh” mac and cheese also made the cut. Toast with honey was on the menu, and fried eggs prepared on a makeshift fire were also consumed.  One player can be seen here doing his laundry on a piece of wood in the shower. Notably, at least one of the deported foreign players from Colombia has reached out to News Five refuting claims of ill treatment and lack. And, frankly, adequate living conditions can be subjective. Guatemalan Coach Kevin Brugman, who was also deported after running into legal issues with immigration, gave News Five his perspective.

 

Kevin Brugman, Guatemalan Coach

“Yes I can tell you that, according to some of them or almost all of them that the meals weren’t always on time. They were late and that sometimes it was only two meals or sometimes it was only one meal in the morning and one meal after the training. So I know that the men were complaining. I tried to talk to him and he said it was all lies and he was doing all he could for them and they were ungrateful.’

 

Nelson Moss

“I cannot do that, I have to take care of my players, because I want they perform. As you can see, they performed well. When all this was happening, we draw Verdes, beat Progresso. So, no player treated bad will perform.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez

 

We’ll have the agent’s perspective in Thursday’s newscast.