Athletes protest conditions of 2008 Nationals

Nov 27, 2008 Sports

King attempts to offer reasons

Athletes from the various Georgetown Districts launch a protest outside the Guyana Teachers

By Edison Jefford
Athletes from Georgetown, who were part of the just concluded schools’ championships, launched a protest in front of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) yesterday, citing the substandard conditions provided in Linden.

When asked for a comment, one of the protesters, who requested anonymity, said that the conditions arranged for accommodation, in addition to the threats and physical accosting of officials, was enough to ignite the protest.

The protester indicated that they were threatened and had to be slipped threw a surrogate exit to avoid confrontations after officials from Upper Demerara blurted slurs that could not be taken for grated in that situation.

Speaking to Kaieteur Sport and another section of the print media after the protest, GTU President, Colwyn King said that while he has listened to all the parties involved, he was subjected to similar mistreatments.

“For fear of what would have happened, I opened the gate and got athletes out. I pleaded with officials to change some decisions but then people began saying that I was holding back their trophy,” King recalled.

The top GTU official explained that after slurs and expletive epithets were thrown at him Friday night after the Games, Chairman of the Union’s Sports Committee, Seon Bristol was forced to hand over the championship trophy.

“I was held up on condition that I hand over the trophy before I leave. I was thrown in a corner and slapped three times behind my head while there were people waiting in the parking lot with broken bottles,” King informed.

He said that when the police were summoned, the law enforcement group indicated that the matter was a “domestic affair”. King reinforced his disappointment in the way the officials from Linden managed the Games.

“I am disappointed in the officials from Linden. What was transpiring is not coincidental but was purposefully arranged,” the GTU President said, adding that officials he initially worked with betrayed the Games at the latter stages.

With a recommendation already on the table to nullify the outcome of this year’s national schools’ championships after an emergency meeting on Tuesday, King also stated that, in his opinion, the event should not return to Linden.

“It seems as though there was a different GTU in Linden because people had to win at all cost; nationals should never go back to region 10,” King said, as he asked: “Why can’t we have sports that are free and fair and free from fear?”

The problem is that the results authenticity is being question based on the complaints and protest that followed throughout the competition. King said that the errors in judgement resulted from the officials’ compromise.

There were complaints that athletes were given foul jumps and throws with stewards at prejudicial positions on the field and that athletes were not allowed to compete in track finals when they had clearly qualified.

King accepted responsibility for not allowing Upper Demerara to follow the right process to attain the right to host the 2008 Games.

He said that the district has never responded to their letter in an appropriate manner. “We saw what we got this year and I assure you that this would never happen again since from early next year we will be putting some systems in place,” an outspoken and obviously disappointed King stated.

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