Suggestions for the advancement of sports

Sep 19, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor;
How bad do we need another medal at the Olympic Games? It depends on how much we are prepared to invest. When we invest big, we will get results. Similar to business, you invest big, your returns are huge.
Penning this independent message, it is with absolutely no affiliation to any government office, sports body and I am solely responsible for my writings. I have absolutely no desire to sit on any sports committee neither do I have any political aspiration.
I will state for the record that I do not possess any sports related title to my name. I am no expert on sports related matters. I don’t possess a university degree of any kind. I have no journalistic training but I simple write as an independent observer on the sidewalk.
A suggested avenue as a start to be considered for the possible transformation of sports is as follows: Guyana at this stage needs to have a forum with the following stakeholders all under one roof in trying to establish how we can all contribute collectively to change the way our sports sector are currently in shape.
Namely: Athletics Association of Guyana, Guyana Teacher’s Union, National Sports Commission, Guyana Olympic Association, The Private Sector, The Tourism Sector, Ministry of Education/Sports, Local arm of the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA), International Sports Consultant, representatives from all other 9 administrative regions apart from Region 4 club representatives, coaches,the Opposition Party, an IAAF representative and any other sports related office.
Athletes/Sports Ambassadors need to understand fully that a scholarship does not mean that when you jet off abroad, you just show up on a track for training. You have to showcase balance with your academics. They also need to understand that a training stint abroad in no way guarantees going pass the first round of any international meet. Are you prepared mentally for such a challenge?
I say to the general public at large, not to be ‘MIS-LED’ by the media or anyone that one can just show up and make it to the medal podium of any Olympic Games. There is a process of preparation that needs to be taken and perhaps the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) and the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) can share or educate the public further.
I am not the type to just sit around when the Olympic Games are held and only focus on the athletes who are served with medals and listen to anthems played. I crave to listen and learn about the adversities some athletes would face in getting to the world stage. The Independent Olympic Athletes who march under the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) white flag are such people I make reference about. Make an effort to listen to those stories and only then you will understand that the journey/adventure is not only about medals….
T. Pemberton

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