Category: Sports

Goodnight and welcome to another edition of Sports Monday, I am Paul Lopez. The B.E.B.L. 2024 best of five finals series began on Friday night and, folks, tonight we have a series.

 

The Benny’s Belize Hurricanes played their first two home games over the weekend. The Hurricanes made a statement in game one, defeating the Defenders by twenty-four points in a game that ended eighty-seven to sixty-three points. And when you look at the stats for game one, Glency Lopez and Amir Ross played big minutes and contributed eighteen and nineteen points, respectively, to the win. Marquise Cunningham, who always finds a way to get the inside opportunity, finished with thirteen points on Friday night. Daniel Estes also scored some big points in game one for the Defenders. He finished with nineteen points.

 

 

 

We have also been seeing more by way of play time and performance from Devin Daly who finished with eleven points on Friday night, right in front of Richard Smith who ended the game with ten points. 2024 B.E.B.L. M.V.P. Nigel Jones left a lot to be desired in that game, securing only nine points for his team off four field goals. So that is basically game one in summary.  But game two was a different story for both teams. At the end of the first quarter Defenders led the game by six points with a score of nineteen points to Hurricanes’ thirteen.

 

 

 

A steal by Devin Daly at the start of the second and a foul at the other end. Daly using his size advantage. Victor “Vito” Evans on the other end of the court with the And-One finish. Devon Campbell guarded heavily by Amir Ross. Ross drew the foul and took a moment to celebrate with fans. Devin Daly putting his body on the line there to secure the rock.

 

Down by two points with seconds left in the second quarter, Glency Lopez worked his way along the baseline and made an impressive shot under the basket to tie the match at thirty points apiece at the end of first half. Early in the third quarter things got a bit physical between Campbell and Ross. Ross was initially T’d up after he head butted Campbell in the chest. But after reviewing the play, the referee found that both players were at fault. Campbell and Ross were kicked out of the game.  Less than three minutes later, Hurricanes called for change to bring in Sidibe Bourama. Seemingly upset by the decision, Alex Carcamo took off his jersey and left the game. He walked back to the locker room. The Hurricanes were trailing by three points.

 

 

 

Moments later, Hurricanes’ Assistant Coach Bart Jones picked up his backpack and followed behind Carcamo.  The match was tied at fifty-one a piece at the end of the third. Hurricanes down by one with seventeen seconds left on the clock, Kirk Smith Junior made a massive bucket to give his team a one-point lead. The Defenders were down with eight seconds, but certainly not out. Nigel Jones with the ball. He drew the foul on the inside and missed the bucket. Jones to the line. The first free throw to tie the game is good. Arguably his biggest free throw of the season, Jones banked it and gave his team the one-point lead. Evans tried for a two-point jump shot and missed. Eyan Rene with the second opportunity and he missed. The Civic erupted and the Defenders tied this best out of five series. Game three goes down on Friday night inside the Civic.

 

In some regional volleyball news, Belize’s Under- twenty-three National Female Volleyball Team is currently competing in the Under-Twenty-Three Central American Volleyball Championship being hosted by Honduras. Team Belize faced off against Guatemala on Sunday afternoon in their first match of the tournament. Despite the valiant effort, Belize fell to Guatemala in the fifth set. Tonight, they go up against Nicaragua.

 

 

 

 

Let’s now move into some football action. Belize’s football future is in good hands. The team to watch in this year’s Anthony Mahler Under-Thirteen Mundialito Tournament is Berger United. They may be newcomers but Berger United is dominating. On Saturday, they played against Ebony Lake inside the Berger Field.

 

One minute into this one, Berger’s Camron Brown cleaned up after Ebony’s goalkeeper stopped two attempts at goal. Two minutes later, Breylin Middleton found an opening in front of the goal and made it count.

 

Five minutes in and it was Middleton again with a long range shot direct to goal. Berger United went up by three goals. A minute later, Ebony Lake got some relief with a corner kick from Niroughn Arzu that hit target, much to the surprise of everyone on the field. Berger United won that game eight goals to two.

 

 

The third matchup of the day was between Sampson/Brown and Reality Youths. This one was a though matchup and it ended one goal to zero in favor of Sampson/Brown. At the twenty-sixth minute, goalkeeper Zion Clarke sent a ball flying to the other end of the field. It bounced once just outside of the penalty box and dropped over the goal keeper’s head and into the goal. The goalkeeper was clearly frustrated with himself.

 

 

 

 

Well folks that is all we have for you in tonight’s coverage of Sports Monday. Catch you in the next one.

Over the weekend, The Belize Athletics Association held a first-of-its-kind workshop led by athletic coaches from Jamaica. That Caribbean nation is known for producing world-class athletes in various disciplines. They were here to impart some of their knowledge and experience to those in Belize who are passionate about advancing sports and athletes. Those discussions proved to be fruitful in concept. We spoke with a couple of the coaches, as well as the president of the Belize Athletics Association about the way forward.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Four athletics coaches from Jamaica were in Belize over the weekend for a first-of-its-kind sports workshop. Organized by the Belize Athletics Association, the theme of the workshop was Structuring Belize Athletics for Success.

 

Cojac Smith, President, Belize Athletics Association

“One of the things that came out which we all agreed on was the lack of communication and collaboration among various disciplines and the shortcoming with funding, infrastructure and facilities. So those were the major points as I am sure you are aware of and everyone is aware of. We are all facing the same challenges. So we need to come up with a community effort and mitigate those issues going forward.”

 

 

 

The Jamaican coaches agreed that one of the areas of improvements that is needed to advance sports in Belize is increased collaboration with the Ministry of Education. We spoke with a couple of the coaches about how this concept is being implemented in Jamaica.

 

Neil Harrison, Track and Field Coach

“It is imperative that you have a designed curriculum that every school in Belize is following this kind of curriculum. From an academic and theoretical perspective, the kindergarten, the primary Shcools, the high schools, coming straight up to the tertiary institutions and once you have this kind of structure it lends itself to a much better product in terms of how do we find talent in Jamacia. It is through the PE classes and the PE teachers just seeing the boys running up and down, climbing and they say based on this one, based on the kind of a activity they are doing, we can put them into various discipline.”

 

 

Marlon Gayle, Lecturer, Physical Education

“Sports are driven back home by our principals, from the primary level and secondary. At both levels you have their association then ensure the quality of sports from one level to the next helps that sort of transition to the next level. Our principal plays a key role along with staff. So every school has a setup to harness these talents.”

 

 

 

And with every discussion related to sports in Belize, a lack of adequate infrastructure is always raised as a talking point. This weekend was no different and varying views were shared. Physical Education lecturer Marlon Gayle had his thoughts on the conversation.

 

Marlon Gayle

“We are faced with the same situation like every other Caribbean countries and countries outside the Caribbean as it relates to sports and so forth but that dedication and commitment ultimately drives coaches to do very well. We don’t have all the necessary resource. We don’t have all the tracks in every area. What we have now is as a result of the work that has been done over the last hundred years. But the thing is, these did not just come as a result of government funding. It was a result of the work we put in then we realized what our potential was. Then our investment in it ultimately overtime would have taken us to that point. The same thing can happen here and greater. Our kindergarten and primary schools they all train on grass. Belize has a lot of land. There is absolutely no excuse for Belize and other country that we don’t have  certain resources.”

 

One thing was agreed upon by all four coaches and those in attendance at this week’s training, there is a need for greater collaborative efforts among all the sporting associations and federations in Belize. A suggestion has been made for the development of a unified sports strategy led by those passionate about seeing greater advancement in the various disciplines. These four coaches noted that Jamaica does not have a secret formula outside of passion and dedication to sports.

 

 

 

 

Neil Harrison

“I don’t think Jamaica has adequate funding to support sports in its entirety but I do believe when you are a winner you have many mothers and fathers. When you are a loser you become an orphan. So as coaches, the kind of level of passions we do have and how we try to unearth talent and you just want to get one person that is going to do well and that is going to sell your country and the powers that be is going to do everything to get that funding because remember Jamaica is known because of not only we are Jamaica, Jamaica is know because we have someone who can run fast or some footballers who play good football or some netballers or the Sunshine girls. We are well known because of sports. Everywhere you go people can tell you about a Shelly-Anne Frazer, an Ellaine, a Usain Bolt. We started with some simple athletes who are now world beaters.”

 

Cojac Smith

“One of the things that came out, would athletics take the lead and we don’t mind taking the lead. We will take the lead and lead the charge in order to get everyone more collaborating and communicating so we can collectively move sports in Belize forward.”

 

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

Goodnight and welcome to another edition of Sports Monday, I am Paul Lopez. We begin tonight’s coverage with a look at some highlights from this weekend’s Anthony Mahler Under-Thirteen Mundialito matchups.

 

First up is the match between Samspon/Brown and Belize United. Belize United are playing in the black and white jerseys and Sampson/Brown are in red and white.

 

 

 

 

 

 

One minute into this one, a kick from Shae Gordon towards the goal bounced off the post and went out of bounds. Number nineteen for Belize United got past two defenders and sent the ball into the goal area, but no one was there to follow the play.  Sampson’s defensive strategy on this day proved too much for the defending champions. And right before the end of the first period, Sampson had a good look at the goal, but they were not able to fully execute. Shae Gordon with another attempt towards but the ball was deflected by the goalkeeper’s foot. That match ended with no goals scored on either side.

 

 

 

The second match of the day saw Royal Fusion’s female team take on Phoenix FC’s female team. Two minutes into this one and it is Royal Fusion’s Amina Burgess with the first goal of the match. Amina Burgess again at the eighteenth minute with a spot kick that led to an own goal. Four minutes later Jacelyn Zuniga sent the ball flying over the goalkeeper’s head and into the net. A good effort by the goalkeeper to try and stop that one. The match ended four goals to zero in favor of Royal Fusion.

 

 

 

And finally, Burger United overcame Ladyville Rising Stars three goals to zero. The first goal was scored six minutes into the match by Breylin Middleton with a header off a corner kick. And only four minutes later, a beautiful pass in front of the goal to Camron Brown converted into goal two for Berger United. The third goal was scored by Breylin Middleton just before the end of the third and final period.

 

 

 

 

In other football news, Saint Jude Roman Catholic School in Camalote Village won the 2024 National Football Primary School Championship. On Friday, they went up against Our Lady of the Way RC from Ladyville for the title. Saint Jude RC won that match one goal to zero.

 

 

 

 

 

The Most Valuable Player Award went to Ethan Vargas. Additionally, Holy Ghost Roman Catholic School from Dangriga won the Female National Primary School Football Championship. Shanalle Smith received the MVP trophy. We say congratulations to all the winners and the teams that participated in the tournament.

 

 

 

 

From football we move into some softball action. The Belize Rural Softball Fast Pitch Tournament is currently underway.

 

We were in Burrell Boom Village on Saturday night where three games were played, one female match and two male matches. In the female competition, Double Head Unity went up against Burrell Boom Boomers.

 

If ever there was a perfect definition for a blowout match, this would be it. Double Head Unity was first up to bat. They made ten runs in the first inning of the game. Back-to-back, runners were able to steal bases. In many cases, runners made it home with little to no hesitation. This homerun hit from Reana Stephenson led to an additional two runs.

 

The second inning was much of the same. Unity scored seven additional runs in that inning and five more in the second inning. Declaring the mercy rule, the umpire called off the game in the third inning. Double Head Unity won the match twenty-two runs to zero.

 

Well Folks that is all we have for you in tonight’s coverage of Sports Monday. Catch you in the next one.

Belize’s National Senior Men’s Football Team fell to Guyana today three goals to one in their second 2026 World Cup Qualifier match. Team Belize travelled to Guyana on Saturday, following their loss to Nicaragua inside the F.F.B. Stadium. They played Guyana’s national team today. The first half of the match finished with zero goals for both teams. Guyana exploded in the second half, scoring three goals in five minutes. The first and third goals were scored by Deon Moore at the sixty-fifth and seventieth minute. Liam Gordon scored the second goal at the sixty-sixth minute. Belize would not score its first and only goal until the eightieth minute off a header from Carlos Bernardez. In total, Belize made five shots at the goal, while Guyana made twenty-three shots at the goal. The last time these two teams met was in 2019. Guyana also won that game.

The F.F.B. Stadium in Belmopan came alive on Friday night with football fans hoping for a Belize National team win against Nicaragua. But the result was quite the opposite, team Belize lost to Nicaragua in the 2026 World Cup Qualifier match, four goals to zero. Would the results have been different if three of the national team’s players did not sit out the game in protest? News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

On Friday night, the Belize National Football team made its debut in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. They went up against Nicaragua’s national team. This was Nicaragua’s second match in the group. They played and won their first game against Montserrat. According to the latest FIFA ranking, Belize is sitting at the one hundred and eighty second position. Here is what the starting lineup looked like for both teams.

 

CONCACAF Announcer

“Let’s take a look at the lineup by the home national team. Belize with Tillett in the goal. Lopez, Trapp, Martinez, Ayala, four in the back. Myvett, Polanco and Avila in the middle in the midfield. Guerra, Bernandez and Moss will be three men in charge of producing goal for the team coach, David Perez. Let’s take a look at the starting lineup for Nicaragua. Rodriguez in goal. Five in the back with Quijsno, Flete, Serapio, Perez, Avecado. Four midfield is Rodriguez on the right, Moldskred, Montes in the middle, Hernandez on the left. On the front Number nine, Jaimee Moreno.”

 

 

 

The starting whistle is blown, and the game is underway with an early position by Nicaragua. Eight minutes and forty seconds in. Nicaragua in possession. Pass to number three in midfield. He dropped it inside to Montes who was unable to get a clean shot off. Spot kick for Nicaragua in the fourteen minutes. A kick to Hernandez, he got around Belize’s defender, gets the header and goalkeeper Tillett was able to make the stop. Twenty-six minutes in and Belize was struggling to get the ball beyond midfield, while Nicaragua was dominating possessions and getting more shots towards the goal. A pass through the middle found Moldskred near the goal. He fired, and Tillet again with the spot. A second attempt towards the goal hit the crossbar.  Immediately following that play, Belize gained possession. Moss to Avila on the right wing. Avila sprinted down the field, into the penalty box. Avila shot the ball towards the goal. It bounced off the goalpost and spun towards Bernardez in front of the goal. But he was unable to finish for Belize.

 

Nicaragua scored its first goal thirty-nine minutes into the game, with a bullet from Hernandez off the header from a Belizean defender. Belize, down by one.

 

Jordy Polanco with one final attempt before the end of the first half to tie the game. Polanco dropped the ball to the far post, and no one was there to get it. That’s how the first half ended. A dominant forty-five minutes for Nicaragua. A Belize team that was unable to match, respond, and tie the game.

 

 

Fifty-three minutes into this one. Hernandez for Nicaragua all alone just outside the penalty box. He got the pass and pushed towards the goal. A hard tackle by Eugene Martinez sent Hernandez to the ground. The referee called a foul inside the penalty box, awarding Nicaragua with a penalty shot. With that shot they went up two goal to none.

 

 

 

 

Goal number three for Nicaragua came ten minutes. Medina to Moreno, Moreno with the quick touch to an open Hernandez, again on top of the penalty box. Hernandez saw the opening and placed the ball into the net. Down three goals with twenty-five minutes of play time left on the clock, Belize’s coach David Perez made several changes. Among them, he replaced starter and midfielder, Jordy Polanco, much to the dismay of Belizean fans as the crowd began booing the coach.

 

 

 

 

Nicaragua’s fourth and final goal in this match against Belize was made at the tail end of the game. Acevedo went down inside the penalty box off a hard tackle, leading to the second penalty shot in the game awarded to Nicaragua. Moreno took the penalty and scored.

 

 

 

 

 

We heard from team Belize immediately following the game.

 

David Perez, Head Coach, Belize National Football Team

“We competed very well during the first half. I think quite well, with tactical disorders and adjustments that we had to correct. But, well, the second half cost us a little more. Those two changes, well, in the end they are two quality changes and, well, we must accept them.”

 

 

 

 

Nahjib Guerra, Belize National Football Team Player

“It’s very, very tough last because it’s a loss at home, so I believe we need to go back to the drawing board. We, as coach said, we already seen how Diana plays, so it’s just for us to focus on our strength and build more on our weakness because we have a good team, but, uh, the big advantage at Nicaragua, however, also is they had players of better quality playing in Europe. In bigger leagues.”

 

 

 

And can the blame for this massive home field loss be placed on three players who decided to sit out the game. Fans who are familiar with the team noted during play time that Michael Salazar, Nanah Mensah and Deshawon Nembhard were not on Saturday night’s rotation. According to a statement issued by the Football Federation of Belize shortly after the defeat, these three players will have to face a disciplinary committee because they decided to sit-out the game only four hours before playtime. They cited contractual differences. The F.F.B. says their decision significantly impacted the team’s performance. On their part, the three players issued a joint press release stating that it was a difficult decision and that they had to take a stand against the continued mistreatment players have received at the hands of the F.F.B. The release refers to unprofessional communication, lack of organization, poor conditions and accommodations. They play Guyana this weekend.

 

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

Goodnight and welcome to another edition of Sports Monday, I am Paul Lopez. The Belize Elite Basketball League’s finals have been set.

The Benny’s Belize Hurricanes will face off against the Belize City Defenders. The Defenders secured their spot in the finals on Friday night after bringing down the San Pedro Tiger Sharks inside the Belize City Civic Center. It was a close one. The Defenders only defeated the Tiger Sharks by three points. The first quarter saw both teams scoring equal points. The Defenders outscored the Tiger Sharks by four points in the second quarter and three points in the third. But that still did not deter the San Pedro Tiger Sharks as they were looking to repeat their trip to the finals. The Tiger Sharks outscored the Defenders in the final quarter by four points. This one came down to the last twenty seconds.

 

 

Down by one point, Tiger Sharks was in possession of the Ball. Conorque threw it in to Williams. He found Arana, Arana back to Williams. Williams tried to drive and he is guarded heavily. He went back to Arana and Arana turned over the ball. There is a scramble for the ball and on the other end, John Kelly extended the Defenders’ lead to three points. Coach Rico Black called an immediate timeout and protested a non-call by the referees.

 

 

 

After review, the initial decision was upheld, and Sharks had possession with four point seven seconds left on the clock. Thurton threw the ball in, Conorque tried to find Williams and ended up turning over the ball on the most critical play of the game.

 

We spoke with a couple of the players following the playoff victory.

 

 

 

Devon Campbell, Belize City Defenders

“It means a lot for us. It gives us a chance to win the championship and everybody in the city wants to see the two city teams in the championship. So, this is big, it makes basketball great again.”

 

 

 

 

 

Nigel Jones, Belize City Defenders

“Last year it didn’t end how we wanted it. We had a couple set backs last year and we just wanted to come back and like you said it is a redemption tour for us and the same way we went out last year we want to take out everybody one by one this year. So we handled our business in San Pedro this first round. Now we have Hurricanes. We will just go out and keep out and keep fighting the way we are and we feel like we can handle business in the finals.” 

 

 

 

And, as the Belize City Defenders prepare to face off against the B.E.B.L. Defending Champions, the Benny’s Belize Hurricanes, the nation’s Under-Eighteen Basketball Team is on its way home from Argentina after placing eight in the 2024 FIBA AmeriCup. After they were unable to win their FIBA World Cup qualifier match on Friday, team Belize fell to Venezuela on Saturday in a game that went to overtime and ended eight-six to eighty points. And then on Sunday, they faced off against Puerto Rico and fell to that team in a game that ended seventy-nine to forty-nine points. Eight teams competed in the AmeriCup tournament. Belize finished in the last position.

 

 

In Cycling, Jyven Gonzalez secured a silver medal in the Under-Twenty-Three Central American Honduras Tour. The eighty-mile race was held on Sunday.

Two hours and twenty-eight minutes into the race and Jyven Gonzalez was the only Belizean among a lead group of six riders. His name rang through the ears of spectators as the announcers kept repeating it in awe of his endurance. But, twenty minutes later, Gonzalez experiences some mechanical issues and fell behind. The lead group was now down to four. And with just a mile left in the race, Gonzalez made a surprising come back. Gonzalez sprinted to the finish line behind the winner, Costa Rican, Kenny Chavez.

 

 

 

Jyven Gonzalez, Belizean Cyclist

“Dah mih wah solid race today. Finally could talk in a little creole. I had to talk English for so long. But yeah, dah mih wah supper hard race. This was no joke, but everybody know from my physic I am not a pure climber. But I had to just fight through and push myself.”

 

 

 

 

 

From cycling we move into some football action. We continue our coverage of the Anthony Mahler Under -Thirteen Mundialito Tournament.

 

Tonight, we bring you highlights from a matchup between Ebony Lake F.C and Phoenix F.C. Ebony Lake sought to make a statement early in this one. In the first of three periods they scored three goals. The first goal was scored by Edgar Diaz Junior two minutes into playtime. Diaz fired from the center field line. The goalkeeper was unable to keep it in his hands.

 

Two minutes later, Denzi Jones puts in this beautiful left foot kick that proves to once again be too much for the goalkeeper. And just a minute later Jones again, was able to secure a third goal for Ebony Lake.

 

Phoenix F.C did not go down without a fight. It took them thirty-five minutes, but just before the game-ending whistle was blown Camron Gordon secured a goal for his team. That one ended three goals to one, in favor of Ebony Lake F.C.

 

 

 

 

 

And finally, for tonight, here is a sporting discipline that does not get much coverage in Belize, table tennis. The Belize Table Tennis Association hosted its Junior Table Tennis Tournament over the weekend inside the Swift Hall. Each competitor in the tournament took turns to play against each other. The games then went on elimination rounds. Ten-year-old Jorge Espat emerged victorious as the tournament champion. We send our congratulations to the organizers on a successful tournament.

 

Well folks that is all we have for you in tonight’s coverage of Sports Monday

 

Catch you in the next one.

Belize’s National Under-Eighteen Basketball team fell short of its goal to become one of the top four teams in FIBA’s Americup 2024. A place in the top four would have secured Belize’s ticket to FIBA’s Under-Nineteen World Cup 2025 in Switzerland. After losing three of four group games earlier this week, Belize faced off against the Dominican Republic, the number one ranked team in their group. And it almost went down to the wire. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

It was team Belize’s last chance to qualify for FIBA’s Under-Nineteen World Cup in Switzerland next year. After Wednesday night’s upset against host country Argentina, team Belize played against the Dominican Republic this afternoon. The winning team secured a spot in the 2025 FIBA World Cup. Early in the first quarter, the Dominican Republic led by eight points, following this jump shot from Wilmer De La Rosa. Belize finally got on the scoreboard with two free throws from Josiah Moseley. Just under two minutes left in the first quarter. Moseley had two defenders on him, he spun around, jumped and made the two.   The first quarter ended with Belize trailing by one point.

 

In the second quarter, Belize took an early lead. Moseley at the three-point line extended that lead to five points. Adrian Brito cleaned up under the rim for the Dominican Republic and they regained the lead. The Dominican Republic was up when Moseley found his way through their defense and got to the rim to cut down the lead. Just over a minute on the clock in the second quarter, De La Santos from the three-point line brought the DR to thirty-four points. The half ended at thirty-four a piece after this huge effort from Wilford Dawson.

 

 

 

The Dominican Republic went on a seven nothing run early in the third. Dawson broke that run with a smooth two-point jump shot. With just under three minutes left in the third, team Belize was only trailing by two points when Felix Jorge caught a three-point to extend his team’s lead. But the game was not ever for team Belize. They fought to keep this one within range. Eighteen seconds left on the clock and Dawson again, this time tying the game at fifty-four points to end the third quarter.

 

 

 

The fourth quarter decided this one. A minute and a half into the fourth with Belize up by one point, Moseley points it up over two defenders and extends Belize’s lead to three points.  The opportunity to make an appearance in FIBA’s 2025 U-19 World Cup quickly began to slip out of the hands of team Belize in the final five minutes of this one. De La Rosa drives, makes a big pass under rim and extended their lead to nine points.  `The DR’s lead was at eleven points when Parham came up with the steal and sprinted down the other end to bank a three-point shot. Unfortunately, it would not be enough to overcome the DR’s late fourth quarter run. Dominican Republic’s won the match seventy-nine points to sixty-nine points. Belize plays over the weekend for the fifth to eight positions in the Americup.

 

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

On many occasions when athletes travel abroad to represent Belize at sporting events, the Ministry of Sports is heavily criticized for not providing adequate funding for the teams to be better prepared. The Minister of Sports has explained that there is simply not a big enough budget to cover all the teams that need sponsorship. So, he came up with an idea to introduce a Support Sports app that gives everyone at home and abroad a chance to contribute towards that effort for Belize’s athletes. News Five’s Marion Ali was at the National Sports Council’s Conference room when the app was introduced today. Here’s that report.

 

Marion Ali, Reporting

It’s the latest app in the country, designed to allow Belizeans to make monetary contributions to the National Sports Council so that it can better prepare athletes representing Belize abroad.

 

Iris Centeno, Sports Director, National Sports Council

“We as a social organization will be the beneficiaries. Let me correct that.  The athletes will be the beneficiaries of this creative app.”

 

National Sports Director, Iris Centeno explained that the app allows anyone to make a contribution to the success of Belizean athletes.

 

Iris Centeno

“The app basically is going to be the engine that supports the dreams of the Belizean athletes, our future Hall of Famers, and the people that take our national pride to international contests worldwide. This provides the opportunity for every Belizean from every walk of life. regardless of their financial standing to donate to a worthy cause. It is often said that half of Belize lives in other countries. This app ensures that the opportunity for Belizeans with a social conscience also engage in giving back to their country of birth.”

 

 

The app allows for transparency when one donates money from anywhere and at any time. It allows for direct deposits from as little as a dollar, using debit cards, to the bank account of the National Sports Council. Aziel Ku is the app creator.

 

Aziel Ku, Sports App Creator

“What you would have to do is just scan this QR Code or the link that you might receive and you will have access to the app. You will not need to go to make an extra step to download and then register, but anyone can just scan that code or that link and they will instantly get access to the app, whether that be on a website, on their laptop, on their phone, on their iPhone, whichever device they have or tablet. Once you open the app you will see at the bottom there is a “donate now” button and you’re able to click that and it’ll open and allow you to select whether it be a credit card for international donors or you can use your local debit card. You can also use the direct deposit, meaning you can make the deposit via transfer from your personal bank account and then just upload the payment towards their platform and they can register that payment as well. If you choose a provider as Belize Bank, it’ll ask you for your card number and the C.C.D., so that our software will make the deduction on behalf of you directly from your account and then deposit it Into the National Sports Council’s bank account.”

 

Minister Rodwell Ferguson assures that a board will decide how your money will be best put to use.

 

Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Sports

“There’s a board of I think 12 or 13 members, so amongst themselves they will decide how the money has been spent based on requests. For example, we have about 40 to 41 federations and I’m telling everybody know that you can’t make a request directly to the National Sports Council unless you come through your own federations. So what this will do is encourage every discipline or every football team or basketball team to register with their federation to make sure they can benefit from this procedure. We at the National Sports Council are going to guarantee you that your money is going to be spent properly. I guess over the years, Belize has become disillusioned with the National Sports Council because every time you hear different misapplication and so forth. I’m hopeful that this will work and everything will run properly.”

 

The app can be used with all local bank accounts. Marion Ali for News Five.

The AmeriCup Basketball Tournament taking place in Argentina has taken the Belize National Under-18 Basketball Team on a whirlwind of experiences on their first two days of play. In their first match, Belize beat Brazil but in their second game, they took a trouncing from the United States team. And today when we caught up with him, the Minister of Sports, Rodwell Ferguson put things into perspective on the Belize team’s representation. Ferguson said that whatever the outcome of the games, the Belize team will receive a warm welcome back home.

 

Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Sports

“We are like the David amongst the Goliaths. Argentina has a big population. I know Brazil population is 215 million and the U.S. is likewise, I think, over 230 million. So number one, Belize, I’ve never been there. But locally, we defeat a big country with 130 million Mexico to reach there. And so we won our first game against Brazil, which I have to go away. And that, by itself, if we don’t win another game, that, by itself, exalts Belize, and I’m happy. When we met the U.S. yesterday, I guess we were a bit intimidated, and we got very nervous, and we lost by almost 100 points. With that, I still give my guys all the kudos, all the hooray, because they put Belize on the map. Imagine a country with 397, 000 people, I guess not even in Brazil or Argentina, but Belize is full. But Belize is not on the map. So I will give them my full and a lot of support, and the guys have a lot to do in the end. We are going to meet them at the airport. I’m going to congratulate them for a wonderful job that they FIBA America.”