MICHAEL MITCHELL, one of Jamaica's most experienced assistant referees, has been missing since Saturday morning.
The 36-year-old who, was named in a group of four FIFA referees to officiate in the second leg of the World Cup qualifier between Cuba and Costa Rica, was due to leave the island on Friday. Peter Prendergast, Tristan Tulloch and Raymond Pine were the others.
DUE AT MEETING
Mitchell, according to Prendergast, as the referees administrator for KSAFA was due at a meeting on Saturday morning but did not show up.
"He is normally responsible for the refreshment for the other referees and even if he is not training he would show up. We never saw him on Saturday morning and did not hear from him which we found very strange as he is not normally that kind of an irresponsible person," Prendergast said.
Prendergast said he last spoke to Mitchell on Friday when his colleague called him.
"I spoke to him on Friday when he called and suggested that we (the team which was scheduled to leave for Costa Rica) do a Church League match on Saturday as a warm up for our assignment in Costa Rica over this weekend.
"He was not present for that and again that was not like him. He also had a game scheduled for Sunday at Tivoli Gardens and the result was the same," Prendergast added.
Checks were made at the different hospitals according to Prendergast but there were no reports of him being there.
Mitchell, who lived alone in the Corporate Area, has officiated in a number of World Cup matches and was very successful at the 2001 World Youth Cup in Argentina.
Meanwhile, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has put up a reward of $100,000 for anyone who can give information on his whereabouts.
N.W.
