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GOA set aside $14million for 2015 rugby campaign
By Rawle Welch
With the year 2015 anticipated to be a busy one for the national rugby teams and the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) overheads at an unprecedented high, the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) announced its intent to significantly alleviate the Union’s burden, during a press briefing yesterday.
President of the GOA K.A. Juman Yassin (right) and President of the GRFU Peter Green seen at the briefing yesterday at Olympic House.
President of the GOA K.A. Juman Yassin speaking at the occasion disclosed that roughly $14million have been earmarked to assist the national rugby teams get to various tournaments along with contractual support for Technical Director Angus Thomson and other related expenses for the teams’ preparations.
According to Yassin, the GOA and the Union have enjoyed a cordial relationship of recent, adding that because this year is a very important one for them the Association found it imperative to offer its support.
He mentioned the support, which started last year when the Union was given $3million to attend NACRA, will continue with funding for the team’s participation in Hong Kong, the NACRA Sevens in the USA which will cater for airfares, accommodation etc to the tune of $6.5 million, while the Pan Am preparations in Guyana could cost in excess of $990,000.
Yassin added that the GOA will be covering the cost of the team’s travel to the Games in Canada in July and other related needs to the tune of $5.5 million.
He reported that the GOA intends to foot the bill for the team to be in Canada at last two weeks prior to the commencement of the Games and that according to him is an additional cost.
“We have taken the burden and headache off the Union,” Yassin said.
The GOA Boss then congratulated the President of the Union Peter Green for leading the entity on a successful path and expressed hope that the current success spills over in 2015.
Green opened up by stating that the success garnered so far is all part of a three-year plan that was constructed last year, informing that they’ve achieved all their goals to date.
“We were in the red in 2013, but last year we were able to convince some of our sponsors to assist us and we are now reaping the rewards of our labour,” Green said.
He thanked Yassin for listening to the Union’s pleas for assistance and answering the calls.
Green was also grateful for the support of Beharry Companies and the Government that made significant contributions as well.
Thomson quizzed on the makeup and preparations of the team revealed that the team is a combination of experience and new players, while the preparations have been going well to date, especially with the arrival of the overseas-based players.
He assured that they will not be going to Hong Kong for a training exercise, but rather taking it as a serious boost to their preparations for the NACRA Sevens slated for June.
He, however, reminded that the Group that Guyana is in is a tough one with the likes of Spain, Zimbabwe and Tonga, all very strong teams in the division.
Guyana open up against Zimbabwe next Friday, while the team leaves this Saturday.
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