Dominican government maintains ban on games involving Haitian national teams and clubs in the country
The Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kelvin Cruz, reaffirmed this Sunday the official position of the Dominican Government to prohibit football teams or clubs from Haiti from using the country’s sports facilities to play international matches. This decision, which has the full support of President Luis Abinader, remains firm following the events that occurred on October 1st at the Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium during the match between the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
The ratification of this measure arises due to the scheduling of a Concacaf Caribbean Cup match, planned for this Tuesday at the Cibao Fútbol Club stadium in Santiago. The match, which would have pitted Haiti’s Violette AC against Jamaica’s Portmore United, cannot take place on Dominican soil under these government guidelines.
Communication to international organizations
Faced with this scenario, Minister Cruz reported that he has already formally notified local soccer authorities about the validity of this ban. Likewise, he announced that he will send official communications to the governing bodies of soccer at the regional and global levels, specifically to FIFA and Concacaf, to communicate the position of the Dominican State.
The main objective of this measure is to prevent any type of altercation or logistical inconvenience in the organization of sporting events in the national territory. With this action, the Ministry of Sports seeks to facilitate the process for international organizations to reschedule such matches in other venues, guaranteeing order and safety in the country’s sports facilities.
We, as the Ministry of Sports, made our formal position known regarding this type of event involving Haiti, due to the incidents recorded on October 1st at the Félix Sánchez Stadium.
Kelvin Cruz, Minister of Sports and RecreationThis position, which was ratified by the president shortly after the October incidents, is consolidated as the Government’s official policy in the face of the current situation, prioritizing stability and control in the use of national sports venues.
