Latest update April 24th, 2024 12:03 AM
Sep 09, 2012 Sports
More than one week has expired since Director of Youth and Sports, Neil Kumar, apparently embarrassed by the Olympics achievement of ‘lesser Caricom mortals,’ Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada, awoke from his lethargy and read out the riot act to the heads of local sports organizations signaling his intention to initiate strategies to curtail their lax approaches to sports development. The intensity of Mr. Kumar’s scathing revelations suggests a sense of urgency in addressing those concerns in Guyana’s bid to field a formidable presence in the 2016 Brazil Olympic Games and raise the hopes of sports lovers that at last someone in authority is prepared to take the proverbial bull by the horns to initiate the appropriate change of fortunes.
From all appearances, Kumar’s advisers were on cue and he was subsequently influenced to say just the right things. Since then, the deafening silence out of the National Sports Commission (NSC) or relevant sports bodies on this matter, has seem to suggest another impetuous and erratic outburst that, like previous ones, have raised our hopes only to die a natural death without an affirmative of tangible input.
Ever since the culmination of the London Olympics there has been an outcry for explanations from the relevant authorities of Guyana’s dismal showing. No one wants to take the blame and there have been vicious exchanges between officials of the NSC and the Guyana Olympics Association (GOA) with each entity blaming the other for the poor returns of the local team. Mr. Kumar’s attempt at a forensic examination was belated, but soothing to those anxious for a pragmatic approach towards the elimination of future embarrassments.
Naturally, because of our history of empty rhetoric and procrastination of sports administrators, citizens will pay keen attention to the developments and any slip that suggests officials are reneging on commitments will be met with caustic affront.
Mr. Kumar’s revelations that he is engaging the relevant heads of the Sports Associations/Federations resonates well but he must be cognizant of other stakeholders whose input will be necessary for the initiative to find traction. The general, objective ought not to be the acquisition of cheap political mileage but a genuine effort to convene a forum utilizing all available resources and expertise, initiate meaningful discussions regarding a solid plan that sets out realistic goals, identify a time factor coupled with the funds necessary for its implementation, the source of the funding and the appropriate human resources.
Thereafter, the sub groups vested with micro responsibilities must subsequently address their respective mandates with gusto.
There has been much talk emanating from various sports executive bodies of the need for academies. Such institutions would serve to provide an all round, broad based plan towards the development of the selected athletes. Given that Mr. Kumar adapts this tact, the qualifying criteria must be rigid which would set the stage for qualitative performances. The selected athletes (runners, judo practitioners, boxers et al) must be subjected to a qualifying standard that juxtaposes with regional (or preferably international) criteria. In the absence of the latter variable, officials must set a timeline for these athletes to attain certain standards and their continued participation in the programme must rest on such progress.
Furthermore, these selectees must understand their ambassadorial statuses and must conform to rigid and appropriate attitudes that promote such concepts. There must be support from every stratum of society but all input must be channeled through a nerve centre which controls the overall workings. That nerve centre could be the very NSC over which the Director of Sports has great control but decisions must be arrived at by consensus and not in a dogmatic way.
Sometimes people brainstorm issues with an aim of coming up with tangible solutions but ironically it is the uninitiated that produces the correct formula to address the situation. Mr. Kumar, by dint of his position as Director of Sports, is well positioned to pilot the necessary strategies that will jump start the rehabilitative process. He has indicated that he has convened meetings with the requisite heads of sports bodies and has laid bare his intentions to change the status quo. Has it ever occurred to Mr. Kumar that his department should have been the livewire where past icons of the respective disciplines could have been employed and their expertise utilized by their successors?
And before the DOS gloat over the few persons of such ilk employed in his department he must also say folks are allowed to participate in the decision making process within their expertise.
Lavern Fraser, a competent netball coach and a busybody in general sports development, was once an integral force in the NSC but has since been employed at the University of Guyana. Is there a successor or is her input still sought? Gordon Braithwaite and Dennis ‘Chow’ Hunte are prominent football stalwarts who would have defined themselves during their active years. They are working with Mr. Kumar but is their boss utilizing their expertise and just how have they impacted on the development of local ball weavers. What are the working conditions of these ‘stalwarts?’
Just having the past stalwarts around the office is certainly not enough; they must impact positively on the fortunes of their respective successors.
Mr. Kumar is looking outward and finding much to criticize but in actual fact what is needed is brutal introspection if he is really serious about changing the status quo.
In short, the DOS must abandon the useless rhetoric and demonstrate the goodwill to initiate positive action to change the fortunes of the sports community. Such attitudes would compliment the disgust he demonstrates when reading out the riot act to his subordinates.
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