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The Jamaican netball team is shocked by Netball New Zealand's refusal to let the team take the trophy they won in a pre-Commonwealth Games tournament back to their home country.
President of Netball Jamaica Paula Daley-Morris told Jamaican newspaper The Sunday Gleaner the association was extremely shocked by New Zealand's refusal to hand over the trophy after Jamaica's Sunshine Girls defeated the Silver Ferns in the tournament 59-53 last month.
Dr Daley-Morris said the Jamaican team did not receive any medals or a replica trophy for winning the competition, adding "it wasn't a pleasant feeling" for the athletes to go unrewarded for their victory.
"At the end of the series for the Taini Jamison Trophy, we were anticipating receiving the trophy, but we were told that it has never been won by any other national team and that it couldn't leave the country," Dr Daley-Morris told The Sunday Gleamer.
"The team was disappointed in that we didn't get medals or replicas, and we asked for even a picture of the trophy itself or even something symbolic to mark the occasion, and we haven't received that either.
"We got a little framed New Zealand plaque, and it wasn't even a plaque that had any writing to say what we received this for in terms of the competition. It was just normal memorabilia, and I don't think it was sufficient."
In response, New Zealand Netball operations director Kate Agnew told the New Zealand Herald the Taini Jamison Trophy was a "perpetual onshore trophy" which was used for series against any nation apart from Australia.
"The Taini Jamison Trophy is a perpetual onshore trophy. It remains onshore and the main trophy never leaves New Zealand," Ms Agnew said.
"[Jamaica] were told that the Taini Jamison Trophy doesn't leave New Zealand, reasons for that is mainly around insurance and the value of the trophy…
"I understand that once they won the trophy they thought they could get to take it and we told them the trophy doesn't go off shore. As is often the case, the reality of a situation doesn't quite become clear until it [does] actually impact upon you."
The series was the second time Jamaica played New Zealand for the Taini Jamison Trophy — The Sunshine Girls having been defeated in 2016.
But New Zealand were unable to prevent Jamaica from taking home silverware from their most recent contest. Jamaica beat the Silver Ferns 60-55 in the bronze medal match at this month's Commonwealth Games.
Dr Daley-Morris has said she will take up the issue in an official capacity by writing to Netball New Zealand about the matter.
Topics: netball, sport, new-zealand