Track and Field athletes fear missing CAC Games thanks to the AAG

Apr 15, 2023 Sports

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– GOA condemns AAG’s tardy approach to governance

Kaieteur News – Nine sports disciplines have qualified to represent Guyana at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, for June 23 to July 8, in San Salvador, El Salvador and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

The multisport Olympic cycle event will see thirty-seven (37) nations from the CAC region competing in over 54 sporting disciplines and events.

Guyana will be represented in boxing, badminton, swimming, table tennis, archery, 3×3 basketball, hockey and athletics.

The newly-elected executive committee of the GOA has confirmed that experienced sports administrator Dr Karen Pilgrim will serve as Guyana’s Chef de Mission for the CAC games.

The disciplines of squash, badminton, and table tennis have all qualified their male and female teams, basketball qualified their female 3×3 team, hockey which will be played in the Dominican Republic has qualified their male team, while boxing has qualified based on their elite boxers’ rankings and performance in regional competition.

However, Guyana’s Track and Field team’s participation is currently in limbo due to the submission of an incomplete and inadequate Long List biographical information of athletes and the non-submission of officials by the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG).

This information is necessary to allow for the accreditation of their submitted list of athletes and officials into the CAC games accreditation system within the deadline outlined by the organizing committee.

Kaieteur News understands that despite repeated formal requests and extensions of deadlines to the AAG for the provision of data on the name athletes based on the organizing committee of the CAC games requirements, the AAG has failed to comply.

The organizing committee of the CAC Games has indicated that due to the short timeframe before the games, there would be no extension of deadlines for submissions of athletes and official long list information since they are battling logistical issues to ensure a quality games.

The GOA is still exploring ways to seek compliance from the AAG, ensuring members of Guyana’s athletics team participate in the prestigious games.

With the qualification positions of the respective disciplines outlined, the Guyana Olympic Association is currently working with the respective national federations to ensure that all the coordination elements, are aligned for Guyana’s successful participation in the 2023 edition.

GOA CONCERNED

Meanwhile, the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) in a release last evening said as it relates to Guyana’s track and field team’s attendance at the games, their Executive Committee is gravely concerned at the AAG’s failure to comply with requests in the interest of their athletes.

The Secretary General indicated that the GOA has been going above and beyond to assist the AAG but it has been a frustrating exercise.

To explain further, the GOA’s Secretary General, Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon, pointed out that the notification of the deadline for the submission of long List information required for the CAC games was conveyed at the March Council Meeting at which AAG’s president Aubrey Hutson was present.

An email was sent to the respective sports disciplines on March 28, 2023 requesting submission of long list information for prospective athletes/teams who may qualify for the games, this email listed the GOA athletes and official’s registration forms which captures all biographical data requirements used for the purpose of accreditation to Olympic cycle games.

A Reminder email was sent on April 4th and another separate email outlining picture specifications was sent on April 5th.

The GOA said they received a response from the AAG on April 6th, 2023 with simply a list of names of athletes with no biographical or long list information provided. GOA sent another email on April 8 giving a deadline of April 11 for the receipt of all of the requested information.

GOA received some pictures on April 11, but regrettably most of which cannot be used because of not meeting the specifications and requirements for the games, and this position was conveyed to the AAG.

Of note, the GOA said, is that attempts at entering the information provided were made by inputting the information provided into the accreditation system in addition to using pictures the GOA had on file for some athletes, however the CAC games accreditation system didn’t allow for acceptance of the photos given that the specific photo requirement is mandatory.

As such, GOA sent another email on April 11 giving a further deadline of April 12 for submission of information.

Persaud-McKinnon further pointed out that the President of the GOA personally reached out and sent another formal correspondence yesterday for submission.

This was done in the interest of the athletes and with a view of assisting the AAG. As of the time of the release last evening, the executive committee had received edited photographs of athletes and officials which they will seek to validate and ascertain if it would reach the games requirements.

The GOA said they note this is a Deja-vu situation and strongly condemns this tardy position of the AAG which is not indicative of the Olympic values, good governance and in the best interest of sport and Guyanese athletes.

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• Caribbean, Central American, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Santo Domingo

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