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Trinidad and Tobago Women’s National Senior Team forward Afiyah Cornwall today secured an emphatic legal victory over her former head coach, Kenwyne Jones, for defamation in the Port of Spain High Court.
Cornwall, 24, was represented by attorneys Debbie Juman and Lana Chunilal of Gerard Raphael & Associates, while the matter was heard by Madame Justice Joan Charles. Jones was represented by attorneys Andrew Lamont and Gary Hannays.
(Copyright Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.)
Cornwall’s legal team described the sum awarded for damages as “significant”.
The case was in response to comments made by Jones at a press conference he hosted on 11 July 2022, soon after the Women Soca Warriors lost 1-0 to Panama in their closing Concacaf W Championship group fixture in Mexico.
The Women Warriors needed a win to advance to the playoffs for the New Zealand 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup, but gave a toothless showing, in which they mustered two shots and a single effort on target across 90 minutes.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.
Wired868 asked Jones, at the time, about his non-selection of Kennya “Yaya” Cordner and then 20-year-old attacker, Cornwall. And, in the latter case, the coach defended his decision by claiming that Cornwall was omitted for disciplinary issues—citing examples related to her supposed behaviour under other coaches.
Cornwall and her mother, Natalie Griffith, immediately contradicted Jones’ claims. And, with no apology offered by the coach, they turned to the judicial system.
Jones, a decorated former footballer who represented Trinidad and Tobago at the Germany 2006 World Cup and played for Southampton, Sunderland and Stoke City in the England Premier League, sought to justify his statement on the grounds of justification, qualified privilege and fair comment.
Justice Charles ruled against Jones on all three defences and criticised the now 41-year-old coach for not verifying the accuracy of his statements, which the coach admitted during cross-examination.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.
Cornwall’s attorneys argued that Jones’ statements were deliberately made to injure her professional reputation and bring her into public scandal and ridicule.
They noted that not only were the coach’s assertions untrue, but he had no basis to make the claim since Cornwall had not trained under him.
Far from being an indisciplined player, Cornwall actually captained Trinidad and Tobago at every level up until that point, under three separate coaches: Marlon Charles (National Under-15), Jamaal Shabazz (National Under-17) and Richard Hood (National Under-20).
T&T won 6-0.
Photo: MexSport/ Concacaf.
“Her personal and professional reputation has been brought into public scandal among relatives, friends, acquaintances, the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago,” stated Cornwall’s legal team, “as well as regional and international readers and viewers.
“[Cornwall] may be viewed as unfit to hold any post or to be given future considerations to hold leadership roles in sporting governance anywhere. The defamatory statements effectively red-flagged her.”
Justice Charles found that Cornwall proved her case “on the balance of probabilities”. And the judge noted that Jones’ statements, due to his prominence as a player and position as head coach, could prompt teams interested in the player to back away.
Photo: Ire Charles/ Wired868.
Jones, Justice Charles ruled, should have been cognisant of the fact that he bore a heightened responsibility to conduct himself appropriately as head coach, and to exercise “care and circumspection” to Cornwall and his players.
The former football star, who has coached Queen’s Royal College since 2022, will pay a heavy price for his indiscretion, while Cornwall is now vindicated.
Cornwall missed out on Trinidad and Tobago’s 2026 Concacaf W Championship qualifying series due to injury.
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Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.
And that’s how our T&T Senior Women’s football team almost came close to qualify for their 1st ever World Cup appearance, not only that, they played poorly tbh. Every time the ball played, they are giving it away, which has to be fix now!
I remember when Jones sent back a bunch of Sunderland kit for St Anthony’s College to play in. The fact that it had a betting company in the shirtfront logo position seemed to be an irrelevant second thought.
So not Jones’ first brain fart….