Letter to the Sports Editor…KN Reporter needs a better approach in soliciting for Ruggers

Nov 19, 2011 Sports

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Dear Editor,
If Rawle Welch genuinely supports the idea of materially rewarding rugby players who brought home the sixth Caribbean and North American Championship, he might want to find a better tactic than driving wedges between rugby players and the GRFU. Choosing to time this attack when the whole of the local rugby community is unified in its jubilation over the recent win is singularly misconceived.
The article “They did it for the Sixth Consecutive Time…” starts in the right place, challenging the Government to recognize the singular achievements of Guyana Rugby Sevens. Sevens rugby is the only sport in which the Caribbean – let alone Guyana – is represented at the highest international levels of their sport. We are now invited to compete in the single most prestigious Sevens competition in the world – the Hong Kong Sevens.
The article then abruptly deteriorates into a rampage on the character and reputation of the GRFU Executive without a single fact, reference or quote in justification. This is the epitome of irresponsible journalism.
Smearing the GRFU ‘’administrators’ with allegations of having  an “indifferent mind-set” over the lack of adequate rewards to players; of having “the power to change the fortunes of these dedicated players”, of “chronic abuse of players for their personal benefit”,  and wanting to “hold on to office for the benefits derived” is unfounded and unfair.
Suggesting the situation warrants a rugby equivalent of WIPA is a mix of the malicious and the delirious – unless, of course, you want to kill off rugby altogether.
Like most of the best-run sports in Guyana, rugby relies on its Executive members to absorb a lot of admin costs into their ordinary lives: no full-time secretaries or administrators; no stipend, honoraria, or expenses under any other guise whatever.  Executive members are constantly putting their hands in their pockets to cover visits to doctors, purchase of supplements and other needs which players themselves can’t afford. Other than designated officials, no executive travels with teams. And we spend a great deal of time trying to raise the money needed to keep Guyana rugby at the international levels it has achieved through the work of dedicated players and dedicated officials.
It would be nice if rugby could afford to have an office and paid administrator, but we can’t, so we get on with the job, like other well-run sports.  Rugby is administered on much the same basis everywhere. It makes for great camaraderie and friendships locally, around the Caribbean and the wider world, which is what the sporting environment was all about before being polluted by television royalties.
We can afford to give players nothing other than the playing kit in which they represent the country. They receive no financial incentive at all.   Everyone in local rugby would like to do better by the players and hopefully one day we will. What the personal benefits are that executive members derive from constantly trailing around corporations and government Ministries, begging for support is beyond me – unless you happen to be a masochist.
Normally Rawle Welch writes perceptively about rugby and understands the financial problems that rugby faces. His previous analyses of the lack of any serious sports policy in Guyana are superior to anything else that appears in sports journalism in Guyana. It would be helpful if he would expand on his position that people with more ‘administrative capacity and corporate clout’ will unlock financial resources the present executive is incapable of doing.
Seen from where we stand, sustaining the levels achieved by a combination of dedicated players and executive now requires government support.  The players have clearly earned house-lots. (A rugby pitch to call our own would also be welcome). The only reason they aren’t on offer is because there aren’t enough votes in rugby to make it worthwhile.
If KN genuinely has the interests of players at heart, they have the resources at his disposal in the form of a national daily to carry on a sustained campaign along these lines.
If, however, KN wants to deviate from serious sports journalism and start name-calling they can call our Executive ‘inefficient’, or ‘short-sighted’ or ‘lazy’ or whatever it chooses and nobody would bother to reply.  However, maligning the integrity of people who are extra-ordinarily generous with their time and resources without a single supporting fact is not acceptable.  Either produce the evidence or retract the allegations.
Kit Nascimento –
President
Theo Henry – Head Coach
Mike McCormack –
Director Rugby 7s

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