LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter

The impressive performance by members of the Under-20 squad that won a silver medal at last month's Pan American Games may have earned them a spot in the Under-23 Olympic squad, according to Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president Crenston Boxhill.

"He (coach Wendell Downswell) told me that the squad of 18 for the Olympics could very well include 50 per cent of these (Under-20) players," said Boxhill on Friday at a luncheon the JFF hosted for the team.

The players, however, would have to fit in with technical director, Velibor Milutinovic's programme, to be selected.

Training is scheduled to start this month and the 2008 Beijing Olympic qualifiers will begin in September.

The Pan Am Games football teams should originally be comprised of Under-22 players who would go on to represent their respective countries the following year in the Olympics, which uses Under-23 players. However, Boxhill said the organisers suddenly changed the age limit, which "was a blessing in disguise for us".

"The change of the age-group category for the Pan Am Games and the subsequent exposure received by these players, means that the coaching staff has the dream of any coaching unit: a wider pool from which to assemble the best Olympic squad - the original group plus this group of players," Boxhill said.

Jamaica has never qualified for the Olympics and Boxhill says he sees qualification as an integral step in the development of football.

"We see Jamaica's participation in the 2008 Olympics as a vital stage in our programme," Boxhill declared.