Latest update December 22nd, 2024 2:01 AM
Hutson returns!
AAG president Aubrey Hutson
– AAG president reinstated; willing to serve if re-elected
By Rawle Toney
Kaieteur Sports – Aubrey Hutson, who was first elected as President of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) in 2013, recently returned to his role after a suspension issued by the General Council on April 15 last year.
Hutson’s suspension by the AAG’s General Council was a result of various incidents, including a well-documented debacle at the 2023 CARIFTA Games that prompted calls for his removal from the local sports community.
The AAG council unanimously voted to remove him, and Amanda Hermonstine, First Vice President, was appointed as Acting President.
However, the details surrounding Hutson’s suspension and reinstatement remain unclear, since AAG officials have declined to comment on the specifics.
Hutson himself has expressed that his suspension was not legally valid.
“The suspension was never legal. That has always been my position,” Hutson told Kaieteur News in an interview, adding “but for the smooth-running of track and field, a sport that I love dearly, I decided to step back.”
Although the AAG announced his removal, Hutson claims he voluntarily stepped aside to allow Hermonstine to take over as Acting President. He also highlighted that his suspension was not recognized by international governing bodies such as World Athletics and Atletismo Sudamericano (South American Athletics).
Though he stepped back from official duties, Hutson remained active in the sport, offering advice and assistance behind the scenes, despite feeling overwhelmed by his leadership role.
He said, “While I was away, I was still assisting, whether people called for advice or contacts for people in international circles…I still was assisting and assisting in the best way possible.”
Hutson chose not to pursue legal action against the AAG, preferring not to disrupt the operation of track and field in the country. This decision, he said, demonstrated his ongoing commitment to the sport, despite the administrative challenges.
Under Hermonstine’s leadership, the AAG achieved notable success on the international stage, as Guyanese athletes earned gold medals at the Commonwealth Games, the South American U20 Championships, and the CARIFTA Games.
Hutson resumed his role shortly before Guyana’s participation in the World U20 Championships in Lima, Peru. But return, however, was met with some resistance from some members of the AAG Council.
Hutson told Kaieteur News, that some members felt he should wait to be formally reinstated, but, he insisted that the council did not have the authority to remove him in the first place, saying, “I think they sought legal advice and they were advised that if they want to move in the right direction, they were told to let me function in my role as president.”
FUTURE OF HUTSON’S LEADERSHIP
Hutson has expressed uncertainty about seeking re-election, adding, that his primary job in track and field has always been about service, not personal ambition.
He stated, “I’ve always taken the position that I want to serve. I have a lot of knowledge of the sport, and hence, I would serve.”
“My thirst for president has never been there, because from the time I got the first suspension letter, they would’ve been hearing from my lawyer, but I’ve always took the position that I want to serve, I have a lot of knowledge of the sport, hence I would serve,” Hutson said.
The AAG is expected to hold elections by the end of the year or early January.
Hutson has left the decision to continue his presidency in the hands of the athletics community, pointing out that his focus is on ensuring the AAG is in good standing—legally, financially, and structurally—whether he continues as president, or not.
Hutson praised Amanda Hermonstine for her efforts as Acting President, noting her energy and commitment to the sport, “I have to take my hat off to Amanda, I think she tried her best; we all have our limitations, but you can’t say she didn’t try her best.”
However, he also acknowledged areas where improvement was needed, particularly in technical decision-making within the AAG.
He remarked, “I feel like some of my colleagues still have some work to do…there were some poor technical decisions that were being made in terms of how we approach the sport, but I was comfortable knowing that I did not put the sport in a bad place.”
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