Latest update April 23rd, 2024 12:59 AM
Apr 04, 2009 Sports
By Rawle Welch
Following feverish efforts by sports officials at the start of the year to provide a brighter future for sports in this nation, it now appears as though the brakes have been applied, causing a sudden halt to proceedings.
After suffering heavy criticisms from almost all sections of the media last year for poor performances, the early outlook seemed to indicate that officials within certain organisations were making a conscious attempt to improve their performances, perhaps to simply avoid the negative publicity.
They held Annual General Meetings and elected office bearers to chart the way forward and the situation from all appearances looked encouraging and the prospects of a productive year seemed bright.
There was a ray of hope that with such an important constitutional requirement out of the way, the stage was now set for them to accelerate planned programmes in an effort to fully utilise the sports calendar
Equally essential, one would have thought that those who were guilty in the past of doing little to advance the development of their respective disciplines would have followed suit and effect the necessary changes within their administrative structure to initiate progress.
Instead, what we’ve seen since is administrators who look to be suffering from brain lock, completely devoid of ideas to combat the various adversities which has arisen due to the economic downturn, while those yet to get their house in order appear not to care about the sensitivities of athletes and enthusiasts or the damage that they are causing to their respective organisations.
Almost in every regard, there is a definite slow down and athletes and the media are now pondering what will happen next.
The persistent struggle for sponsorship coupled with the lack of imaginative schemes from administrators to procure funding has compounded issues further and this is having a debilitating effect on athletes preparing to represent Guyana at regional competitions.
The disclosure of names of athletes chosen to compete abroad is not released until the final moment, giving rise to suspicions and all sorts of negative comments such as teams not having the true national representation, but more to do with who can afford to secure the travel and accommodation costs.
This obviously disgusting trait that has been allowed to shape our selection policy for a few years now and it has left some of our better, but obviously poorer athletes at home, causing frustration and resignation from the particular sport.
In Guyana, the opportunity to wear national colours is no longer earned, but could be bought if your parents or whatever connections you may have has money.
It was never like this in the past and the new terms have been endorsed by indolent sports managers who’re reluctant to organise fund-raisers or who perhaps lack the capacity to do so.
A recent article that appeared in this newspaper did speak about the dangers of administrators enjoying more than two terms in office.
It stated that in many instances when they go past two terms, the organisation struggles for new ideas and very often it regress instead of progress.
There are many such sporting institutions across Guyana and it is time that many of us stop sitting on the fence and devise ways to agitate and remove those who believe that it is their right to rule forever irrespective of a lack of performance in office.
As promised, the media will continue to lead the fight to effect change in the sports arena.
LISTEN HOW JAGDEO WILL MAKE ALL GUYANESE RICH!!!
Apr 23, 2024
Kaieteur Sports – Over the weekend, the prestigious Lusignan Golf Club played host to the highly anticipated AMCHAM Golf Tournament, drawing golf enthusiasts and professionals alike from across...Kaieteur News – Just recently, the PPC determined that it does not have the authority to vitiate a contract which was... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]