Latest update April 11th, 2025 9:20 AM
Fortune says its time for him to go
By Edison Jefford
Alisha Fortune
National sprint queen, Alisha Fortune audaciously articulated her belief that it is time for the enduring Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) President, Claude Blackmore to walk away completely from local athletics.
Fortune told Kaieteur Sport in no uncertain terms yesterday that Blackmore, who decided to not seek re–election as AAG President at Sunday’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) has not done enough for toiling local athletes.
“I think its time for him to go. The fact is that he has not done enough and has humbug a lot of athletes,” Fortune firmly believes, while conversely adding that she is not optimistic about the prospects of his successor.
“I hope we get someone better. Blackmore doesn’t make any sense. I think his decision to not run again is good for present and upcoming athletes,” she continued passionately, suggesting hope in the administrative change.
But while not contesting the presidency, the AAG President told this newspaper that he is still open to nominations for other positions.
He said that his fate and future with the AAG were in the hands of the voting clubs.
Claude Blackmore
According to Blackmore, he had informed the AAG General Council at last year’s forum that he is considering not seeking re–election at the top. Apparently, his consideration became concretised sometime late last year.
Earlier this week, Fortune’s male counter–part, sprinter Rawle Greene also expressed the view that the AAG under Blackmore’s leadership had not done enough for local athletes who had dedicated themselves to the sport.
“He has not been doing enough for athletes in terms of priority athletes; they operate like if the athletes has done them something but I hope that will all change soon or my boots will go into my cabinet,” Greene had said.
Similarly, Fortune believed that her career was given a serious blow when she was passed for the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games last year when she was trying to make the Olympic qualifying standards.
“We (Greene included) had good chances training in Trinidad. They could have sent us to CAC after we put in all the time and effort,” the leading female sprinter recalled, adding that nothing was done to develop them.
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