We have to make it right! – President Ali

Oct 28, 2022 Sports

…assure athletes of a bright future; calls for National Federations to be accountable.

By Rawle Toney

Kaieteur News – President Irfaan Ali, following an apology to the nation’s athletes for the lack of support they receive, stated that moving forward, the Government of Guyana will play an integral part in ensuring that basic standards are met whenever they’re representing the Land of Many Waters.

President Irfaan Ali

“To all the athletes, I share your pain, I want you to know that you have our full support. I know many of you have alluded to the support over the last two years, the lack of support you would’ve had and the investments we have been making,” President Ali said.

He also assured athletes that under his watch, their sacrifices and challenges of the past, will not be their future.

The President’s statement via his Facebook page on Wednesday, came after National athletes Keevin Allicock and Nicolette Fernandes, this week, spoke out on how athletes are treated when overseas, pointing to the recent fiasco at the South American Games in Paraguay.

The People’s Progress Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government under President Ali has pumped a total of $4.7B into the sports sector, with a bulk of the budget going to the advancement of sports facilities across Guyana and the completion of the two synthetic tracks in Linden and Berbice.

However, athletes and sports enthusiasts bemoaned the lack of support given to national associations and athletes, particularly those representing Guyana.

President Ali stated, “We can’t ask our athletes to give their best and perform at an optimal level when we don’t support them to do so.”

“Sport is an important part of the life of any country,” the President said, “Most of our national joy and feeling of pride, a lot of comes from our success in sports in every area. And I’m sure most of us will understand the joy and pride of every athlete who wears our national uniform to represent our country.”

President Irfaan Ali sharing a light moment with 2022 Caribbean Squash Champion Ashley Khalil.

The Head-of-State called for a governance structure and better coordination between his Government, through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, and the national associations/federations.

According to President Ali, he spoke with Minister Charles Ramson Jr to improve the accountability and governance structure of associations.

President Ali said he received many calls and messages from several national athletes, adding “I share their concern about how the Governance mechanism of the different sports disciplines are handled in our country.”

While admitting that the governance of sports falls under the various national associations/federations, President Ali believes that, “All stakeholders must be responsible and we must all play our part to ensure that those wearing our national colours are treated fairly to ensure that they’re treated with respect and dignity and also that they understand their responsibility in doing what is right in representing our country.”

President Ali believes that there must be some minimum standards for all teams and athletes when they’re representing Guyana, while further stating, “It is time I think that from a national level that we engage all the sporting bodies and the athletes, in ensuring that we set a minimum standard. Physiotherapists and medical personnel must be assigned to teams when they’re leaving to represent Guyana. I think this is important.”

The Commander-in-Chief also stated that there needs to be greater involvement and participation from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

“I believe strongly in sports; we’re putting more investment into sports facilities, but we also need to put investment and time into the governing institution and ensuring that minimum standards are adhered to, when athletes represent our country,” President Ali noted.

“We need to have that conversation at the national level. This is important. We cannot have institutions that are not accountable and responsible for their actions.”

President Ali said his administration will “Continue to make those investments, we’ll continue to ensure that we do our part from Government to build our sporting institutions, to build our athlete and to reach out to have you (the athletes) fully supported when you wear our national colours with such pride.”

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