Punishment and Personality – The Jude Bentley Story

May 20, 2009 Sports

By Edison Jefford

His name is synonymous with a luxurious automobile but he has enjoyed less than a lush life since the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Jude Bentley is the local federation’s prisoner with the hallucination of a parole appointment.

Jude Bentley

The Disciplinary Committee of the Guyana Cycling Federation met on May 23 and 30 in 2006 to penalise Bentley and Warren McKay after reported indiscipline on their way to, and in Australia for the Commonwealth Games.

McKay and Bentley were both guilty of similar infractions but McKay received a lighter sentence: McKay was suspended for six months and fined $10,000 while his counterpart was suspended for one year and fined $20,000.

In the minutes of the May 30, 2006 meeting, the Disciplinary Committee reported that the athletes were reprimanded according to the International Cycling Federation’s Discipline and Procedures–Forms of Infringement rules.

McKay paid his fine, served his sentence and is competitively riding to this date. Bentley, on the other hand, is still serving his sentence despite known attempts to pay his fine and return to competitive cycling in Guyana.

The committee found that “both cyclists displayed indiscipline behaviour while attending the Commonwealth Games in Australia”. The document, which Kaieteur Sport has, went on to single out Bentley for gambling and abuse.

If both athletes were found guilty of the similar offences then it is appropriate to conclude that their punishment must also be similar. The fact that McKay was treated in a different manner brings into question Bentley’s situation.

The committee discovered that Bentley left the Games Village without permission on two occasions, gambled and was abusive to officials. The cyclist admitted to those allegations and submitted to the terms of his punishment.

This newspaper understands that Bentley had an arrangement to pay his fine sometime in September 2007 but was told that the cycling federation has to meet to decide whether or not they will allow him back into the sport.

From May 2006 to September 2007, his one year ban would have expired and leaving the fine to be paid. It is not clear whether Bentley made a prior attempt to pay the fine but my findings dignified the September 2007 effort to pay.

The investigation also uncovered that a 100 percent interest was imposed on Bentley after the one year lapse without paying the fine. This brought the figure to $40,000 but he got a 50 percent discount on the interest. He now owes $30,000.

When the federation decided that they have to meet to determine his status, Bentley asked that his money be returned to him until such time. Since then, the top cyclist has not been given the chance to pay the fine or compete locally.

Bentley attempted to speak with President of the cycling federation, Hector Edwards on a few occasions and was reportedly told that he has to publicly apologise. He agreed on the basis that he get his permit to ride in Guyana.

The rest is history. Bentley has not apologised and he has not been issued his local licence. The furore escalated this year when he attempted to ride at two separate events –one of which had nothing to do with the cycling federation.

He was prevented from competing at both events and was even purported to have blocked the circuit in the National Park in protest. This proved to be the incorrect version and the athlete was exonerated from Police Officers.

In a confidential email to the Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation Chairman, Bentley was allegedly banned from competing in competitions that are held under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

The email was sent directly from the mailbox of a prominent cycling federation official in a clear attempt to prevent Bentley from competing in Trinidad. The official and Trinidad federation chairman will remain nameless here.

Contrary to what the email indicated, the Ministry did not ban Bentley. Director of Sport, Neil Kumar asked that the matter between the athlete and cycling federation be amicably resolved so that future fracases can be prevented.

The meeting at the

Ministry that the email alluded to occurred following the incongruity at the Cheddi Jagan Memorial Race this March. The meeting included officials from the Guyana Olympic Association and the federation.

Bentley attended the meeting with Attorney–at–law, Ronald Burch–Smith, who wrote to Edwards on February 18, 2009 “in good faith to help bring [the] very unfortunate state of affairs to a fair conclusion.” Edwards has not replied.

There is no doubt that Bentley deserved the punishment he received for his behaviour on a national tour. The federation has already punished the athlete and their current decision to withhold his local licence begs for an explanation.

Since there are no pending disciplinary proceeding against Bentley, the federation has in more ways than one, exposed a personal issue with him. The federation must behave in a manner that is consistent with professionalism.

Bentley obviously has problems with his character but the federation must ensure it does not engage in malevolent practices. Withholding the cyclist local permit borders on such behaviour and that is dangerous for the federation.