Latest update May 22nd, 2026 12:38 AM
AAG raises concern over ALBA participation
By Edison Jefford
The Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG) has expressed concern over the logistics relative to its representative team participating at the upcoming Games of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) in Venezuela.
President of the AAG, Colin Boyce, told Kaieteur Sport yesterday that he is still to get a recent update on the final arrangements for the participating team, but what he has heard so far could lead to athlete’s underperformance owed mainly to fatigue.
He said that the route identified so far is overland from Georgetown to Lethem-Lethem to Brazil and Brazil to Venezuela over a period of 72 hours. Boyce said that he is not too sure that athletes will be able to recover enough to perform at their best.
“The recovery period will not be adequate for athletes to perform at their optimum. It is a major concern for us at this time because we do not want a situation where our athletes perform below our expectations,” Boyce indicated. The ALBA Games will be held during July 17-30.
The team is expected to leave Guyana early Thursday morning and apart from the travel logistics Boyce said that he is aware that it is also dangerous for foreigners to travel that route overland. It is a serious security concern of the athletics association.
“With 72 hours on land, I am not sure if there are arrangements for stopovers so that the females at least can have a bath. I am awaiting an update from the Chef-de-Mission, Mr. (Hugh) Denbow on what exactly are the intentions of Government,” Boyce said.
Guyana was invited to the ALBA Games for the first time, and is expected to send cycling, track and field, boxing and karate teams. Swimming and table tennis were initially a part of the strong contingent, but both disciplines have since opted out for varying reasons.
Boyce said that the AAG will meet on Wednesday where these concerns will be raised. He said, though, that “we’re not thinking about a withdrawal at this time, we are more concerned over the welfare and wellbeing of our athletes going on that tour.”
According to Boyce, the last update he received on arrangements to have Guyana represented at the Games was that Government would have funded travel while the respective participating disciplines would have provided per diem and meals for their teams.
In addition, he informed that Government would have provided track suits while the associations provide competition apparel. “If that is so, the AAG is not in a position to finance any apparel or per diem, but like I said, I will know exactly soon,” Boyce said.
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