Last word not yet said on irregularities Inter-Guyanese Games 2024 – de Ware Tijd

Oct 31, 2024 Sports

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Suriname, Guyana object to several irregularities

Kaieteur Sport – “We do not accept that. For us – and also for Guyana – there is no overall champion. If we give in, we are shortchanging our athletes,” said Aniel Ghisaidoobe, chairman of the Suriname School Sports Federation Foundation (SSFS), during a press moment. The Surinamese selection is angry and disappointed in French Guiana, the organizer of the Inter-Guiana Games 2024, which took place from October 23 to 26. Transport, housing, food, failure to comply with protocols and other agreements and unsportsmanlike conduct are just a few of the abuses that occurred.

Board member Désiré Eendragt, who was charged with counting the points, also expressed his dissatisfaction. “The last word in this has not yet been said.” Suriname and Guyana have expressed their dissatisfaction and plan to do so again during the evaluation and discussions between the three countries. It is important that matters are discussed and corrected, so that the IGS can proceed flawlessly in the future.

“We were disappointed, because last year we accommodated all guests in hotels”, said SSFS President Aniel Ghisaidoobe.

According to Ghisaidoobe and Eendragt, the sports event for students is too good a project to stop. It is more than just a sports project. There are multiple goals that are being pursued. “It is a collaboration between three governments. Sport is a great instrument,” said the chairman. Social goals are being pursued.

The SSFS board regrets that things have gone this way. It would not have had to come to this if the French had adhered to the protocols. There were good discussions and agreements made during the preparations for the event. But in the last few weeks, communication was somewhat difficult.

Crossing and lodging

The misery began on the Friday before departure when the French reported by email that the ferry that maintains the connection between Suriname and French Guiana would not be used and that Suriname itself had to make arrangements for the crossing. This was strange, because three days earlier it had been promised by email that the boat transport would be arranged.

By acting quickly, a possibility was created to make the crossing. The day after the email, Ghisaidoobe sent a group to Albina to check whether the crossing with small boats would be safe. Based on established criteria, nine boats were eventually selected, with which the Surinamese and Guyanese delegations could be ferried.

Arriving in Saint-Laurent, it turned out that no one from the organization was present to receive the selections. Also, no instructions had been given to the bus drivers, which caused delays.

In Cayenne, where the Games were held, the Surinamese delegation only received information about the lodging accommodations in the evening. To the surprise of the SSFS, there were accommodations that had not been brought in before. “We had already gone to Cayenne to inspect the locations,” Ghisaidoobe said on Tuesday. “It was clearly stated then that we did not want rooms with fans, but air-conditioned.”

When it turned out after arrival that this was not the case, the Surinamese selection, after consultation with Minister Gracia Emanuël of Regional Development and Sports, immediately protested. The SSFS made it clear to the French that if the situation did not change, the delegation would return to Suriname immediately. “We were disappointed, because last year we did accommodate all the guests in hotels”, according to Ghisaidoobe. According to him, the intention is for each edition of the games to be better, so the French should do better than Suriname, which was charged with the organization last year.

Unsportsmanlike

The French also failed to adhere to the protocols and agreements during the matches. For example, the final of the indoor football match between the host country and Suriname was led by French referees, while clear agreements had been made that the lead should always be in the hands of neutral people. The Guyanese who was supposed to lead the match was replaced shortly before the start of the match. This caused a lot of frustration. The match degenerated when the French were awarded a penalty.

The scoring also went wrong, because the French used methods that were only known to them. According to the protocols, the first place gets nine points, the second seven and the last five. Suriname dominated in volleyball and chess and was always in the finals in the other sports. Behind the table, people wondered how Suriname ended up in second place.

Guyana also disagreed with the French declaring themselves overall champions and, like Suriname, did not sign for the final ranking. The athletes also disagreed and the Surinamese swimming delegation refused the medals in protest.

Ghisaidoobe does not yet know what will happen. Suriname has already expressed its dissatisfaction to the Sports Director of French Guiana and the French embassy. These agencies have promised to talk things out as soon as possible.

During these talks, Suriname and Guyana will try to still resolve the dissatisfaction and work on improvements for next year’s games in Guyana. “We have to do that as quickly and as well as possible, because in 2025 it will be sixty years that these games are organized,” said Ghisaidoobe.

 

(Last word not yet said on irregularities Inter-Guyanese Games 2024)

 

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• agreements, Board member, Crossing and lodging, Suriname School Sports Federation Foundation, unsportsmanlike

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