AAG attempts to justify Collins’ selection

Jul 19, 2008 Sports

– leaves more questions than answers

By Edison Jefford
It was a case of raising more questions than answers yesterday when President of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) Claude Blackmore sought to clarify issues related to Guyana’s poor representation in Poland.

Blackmore, speaking at an AAG press conference held to clear the air on why Guyana did not send a better team to the World Youth Championships in Poland, recently, could not answer the question about Alika Morgan directly.

Asked why Morgan did not attend the meeting ahead of eventual candidate Oslyn Collins, Blackmore circumvented before coming up with the justification that Morgan missed an appointment at the United States Embassy.

“Alika was the number one choice; she was also going to Beijing and the Caricom 10K (in Antigua); she was suppose to go for a visa on June 11 but the day before she called the office to say that she has an exam” Blackmore said.

His response was directly related to the question of why Morgan was not considered ahead of Collins. In the first instance, Blackmore had stated that he is pressed for time and had a funeral to attend in response to the question.

Tackled about whether Morgan was informed of her selection, Blackmore said that the AAG did not contact the athlete, which was why she was led into believing that the local athletics body gave her no thought.

“We did not alert Morgan (about her selection), in hurriedness, we had to make a decision; we met on a Saturday and had to submit a candidate by Monday mid–day,” the AAG President told the media.

“We considered her first but because of those logistics, we did not proceed,” he continued, adding that the athletics association also looked at the possibility of sending Triston Joseph or Leota Bobb.

The AAG boss said that injury forced Joseph out of contention while Bobb was just returning from Trinidad and would not have gotten here in time for consideration. The next best choice was Collins, he informed.

Instead of opting out of the competition entirely, Blackmore said that the AAG agreed to send Collins, who placed seventh in heat five in round one of the competition, to avoid paying a US$1,000 fine for not sending anyone.

“This scenario of us sending an unqualified athlete only occurred after Austin opted out,” Blackmore stated. US–based sprinter Analisa Austin had made the qualifying standard for the 100m of the World Youth Championships.

Asked about the AAG’s reactions to Collins’ participation at the prestigious youth games, Blackmore said that the body’s council have not met on the issue since he only got back in the country recently.

“I would like to get a report from the manager and coach of the Trinidad and Tobago team. That is important!” Blackmore indicated. Collins had reportedly travelled to the meeting with the Trinidadian team.

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AAG attempts to justify Collins’ selection

– leaves more questions than answers

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AAG attempts to justify Collins’ selection

– leaves more questions than answers

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