Keep politics out of sports

Apr 29, 2022 Letters

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Dear Editor,

The performance of any individual or organisation or association that does not respond to well – founded criticism with a willingness to change will be prosaic. I refer to a letter published in the Stabroek News on Wednesday April 27, 2022 allegedly written by Keith Campbell, Council member, AAG in response to one I wrote to the media about the “CARIFTA Games debacle.” I am not certain if Keith Campbell wrote in his personal capacity or that he was authorised by the AAG to do so for the association.
Editor, please permit me to respond. The writer accused me of wrongfully stating that the team was the most successful one that participated in the Games. That is not so. Here is what I wrote, “This team which is perhaps, the most successful CARIFTA Games team to represent Guyana”. If the writer knew about the most successful team, he had a wonderful opportunity to highlight it for public consumption. The main thrust of my letter was that the debacle started before the team left Guyana. I still maintain that position. The facts are; The AAG approached the Government for funding. At the ninth hour it received less than 50 percent of what the association budgeted for and requested. As a result several athletes including Aliyah Headly and Osa Blair from the Police Progressive Youth Club were among others who did not make the trip to Jamaica due to lack of funds. Apparently, the AAG did not think outside of the box to garner funds for the team to participate in the games. No effort was made to contact the police who I am sure would have provided funds for their athletes to travel. As a former Sports Officer of the Guyana Police Force I can testify that the Police did so over the years and are prepared to do it again.
Top Cop, Clifton Hicken is a sports enthusiast. I am certain that he would have easily find money for his athletes to travel. The Guyana Police Force is not an impecunious body.
My understanding is that the Police Progressive Youth Club has the involvement of five coaches including longstanding coach Lyndon Wilson. Contrary to what Keith Campbell alleged Lyndon Wilson coached both athletes, other coaches were also involved. Wilson concurred. Keith Campbell does not have to do any research, all he has to do is to talk with coach, Lyndon Wilson and he will find out that Wilson coached the athletes in question.
Thanks to what Keith Campbell wrote it is now public knowledge that another athlete Hamesh Joseph with the nearest qualifying time did not travel with the team. Is it that an athlete was selected to go to the Games on the grounds that he had the nearest qualifying time but did not travel due to lack of funds?
Things went woefully wrong in Jamaica. This caused a member of the management team to contact the illustrious Attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes seeking financial help to correct the sad state of affairs that was affecting the athletes and others in Jamaica. He immediately wired money to correct the situation. For his altruism, the famous attorney-at-law was accused of attempting to score political points. Meanwhile, Mohamed’s Enterprise contributed money for the trip. The cash was accepted without any question asked or any political points raised.
Instead of sticking to the facts in issue and facts relevant to the facts in issue, Keith Campbell spent a lot of time attempting to belittle my integrity and character. He opined that I am either misinformed, wicked or somewhere between. Where is that? He concluded that I am dishonest and/or disrespectful and have a hidden agenda. I dismissed those comments as unadulterated piffle. As a former senior member of the Guyana Police Force I know Keith Campbell well. He may not be aware, but I can truthfully attack his character. However, those who know me will tell you that it is not my life style to do so. I believe in the words of Michelle Obama, “When they go low, you go high.” I deal with issues and I tell them like they are. No denial or distortion of facts like Keith Campbell. I have no hidden agenda like Keith Campbell. I relate the facts as they are, as I did in my letter to the Editor. I stand with what I wrote.
I will not waste any more of my time to deal with irrelevancies, inconsistencies and inaccuracies propogated by Keith Campbell in his missive.
I pray that God will help the AAG so that its members including Keith Campbell can be proactive and objective in order to deliver the highest quality of service to our athletes. The athletes deserve it. Keep politics out of sports.
I rest my case.

Clinton Conway
Former Sports Officer
Guyana Police Force

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