Team TTO | Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee | teamtto.org

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

Organisational justice as a concept in local sport took centre stage following the startling news last week of the arrest of two cricketers on representative duty during a regional cricket match between Trinidad and Tobago and the Leeward Islands. Many of the problems that are common to national sport organisations (NSOs) are related to acts or omissions that contradict the concept of organisational justice which is composed of:

Distributive justice

Procedural justice

Interactional justice

The Minister of Sport, Mr Anil Roberts was honest and transparent when announcing that Runako Morton had been suspended from the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affair’s (MSYA) Elite Athlete Assistance Programme (EAAP). The 2004 Athens Olympic swimming coach was unambiguous in his assertion that Morton’s suspension from the EAAP had nothing to do with the matter before the court, but was due to the national cricketer’s breach of the funding body, in this case the MYSA’s EAAP agreement. The Ministry, it was revealed, had acted on the basis of a report from the T&T cricket team manager and captain. Understandably, the embarrassing issue met with emotive and harsh public comment. One only had to read comments on twitter, facebook, etc to recognise that the two players had little sympathy.

Be that as it may, the NSO, in this case the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB), must ensure that the player’s right to due process is protected. This is a responsibility and duty that the TTCB cannot delegate. In this respect it is a reasonable expectation that both the manager and captain would have been guided by TTCB policy and procedures, basic human resource management principles, principles of natural justice and due process considerations.

Runako Morton did not select himself. Even though some cricket stakeholders may feel that the talented St Kitts and Nevis born former Leeward Islands cricketer should not be playing for T&T or that there is hearsay information on the cricketer that ought to have prejudiced—in their view—his consideration for national duty. The fact remains that he was selected in accordance with the TTCB’s selection criteria, and legitimately transferred his “sporting” nationality having met the required residential and jurisdictional requirements. In this respect, procedural justice dictates that the team manager’s report will lead to a formal charge under the TTCB’s disciplinary process. This process will establish if there  was a clear breach, if the player failed to comply with the reasonable directions of the team manager, and the remediability of any breach.

Notwithstanding feelings of disappointment, the cricketer—as the Minister quite rightly put it—is “innocent until proven guilty”. The  potential negative impact is such that the local cricket authorities will want to be meticulous, fair and proportionate in addressing the issue. There are emerging legal issues, considerations and implications that modern day sport administrators must consider. Especially in circumstances where an athlete’s access to funding is dependent not only on their performance but on their selection. In the sport world, athletes get themselves in trouble. Examples that come to mind are Kobe Bryant, Michael Vick, Charlie Davies, Ashley Cole, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Michael Thorpe to name a few. They were given the opportunity to show remorse and to redeem themselves.

Two other aspects of Roberts’ statement that were of great significance and importance: his clarification of the difference between the athlete that he described as elite and those he called super elite. A very important distinction. And his warning to EAAP funded athletes who fail to honour their obligation to represent T&T. The concept of organisational justice is a two-way street. If the athlete wants to be treated fairly, and be the beneficiary of organisational justice, he or she must honour the obligations, warranties and undertakings that are expressed and or implied.

Editor’s note: Brian Lewis is the Honorary Secretary General of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee-www.ttoc.org. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the TTOC.

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

The University of Sunderland is to be the training base for Grenada's Olympic team ahead of the 2012 London Olympics, it has been announced.

The announcement comes three months after a Grenadian National Olympics Committee (GNOC) delegation spent a day touring the university's facilities.

The team also looked at the Stadium of Light, the home of Premier League Sunderland, Sunderland Aquatic Centre and other city sporting venues.

The event was organised by WINDREF (Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation) - the research institute at St George's University in Grenada, bringing together sporting and academic bodies with potential partners in the West Indies

Ivan Whitfield, director of sport at the University, says he hopes the Olympic training base offer is just the beginning of a longer term relationship with the GNOC and the Island of Grenada itself.

He said: "There has been a tremendous partnership effort between the University of Sunderland, Sunderland City Council and SAFC to make this happen, supported by One North East and other sporting facilities in the region. It is fair to say that without this team approach, we may have not been successful in attracting the Grenada athletes to Sunderland.

"We demonstrated that our joined up offer is second to none in a city environment, it's the whole package for the GNOC.

"Their decision links in to what our university can provide in terms of sports science, sport medicine, injury prevention and treatment, which our on-site service undoubtedly appealed to the committee."

The team will train at CitySpace (pictured) - a £12 million sports and social facility which opened in late 2009.

It features a six-badminton court sports hall, a 70-station fitness gym, sports massage and injuries centre, an indoor climbing wall, as well as social, catering, leisure and exhibition facilities.

Grenada made its debut in the Olympics at Los Angeles in 1984 and have competed in every Games since, although they are still waiting to win their first medal.

At Beijing they sent a team of nine, eight of whom competed in athletics with one taking part in boxing.

Royston La Hee, the GNOC President, said: "The facilities in Sunderland and at the university are excellent; I have been very impressed with what I have seen."

Leader of Sunderland City Council, Councillor Paul Watson, said: "We are delighted to be working in close partnership with University of Sunderland to welcome the Grenada Olympic Team to use the city's facilities.

"Hopefully they can be used as a springboard to help the Grenada team achieve great things at the Olympics.

"It's fantastic news for the city that we will be playing a role in the Olympic Games in 2012."

Source: www.laureus.com

Sports projects are highly effective when it comes to tackling youth crime and anti-social behaviour and can save the government money, according to a new report published.

One project, The Boxing Academy in Tottenham, North London, costs half as much as a Pupil Referral Unit and has lower re-offending rates amongst the young people it works with, says the report.

The report Teenage Kicks was commissioned by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and produced by charity think tank and consultancy New Philanthropy Capital (NPC).

It was launched in London by Laureus World Sports Academy Member Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and received by James Brokenshire MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Crime Prevention.

Teenage Kicks measured the results of three community-based projects - The Boxing Academy, Kickz and 2nd Chance – which use sport to engage young people in a wider programme of education and support.

NPC found them to be highly cost-effective and successful in reducing youth crime.

"Cuts to sport and youth projects are a false economy," says report author Camilla Nevill.

"Sport combined with targeted support has huge potential to engage hard to reach young people, change lives and communities, and provide value for money. For example, we found that one Kickz project creates £7 value for every £1 invested, by reducing costs to victims, police, prisons and courts."

Youth crime and antisocial behaviour cost the government at least £4bn a year, and one in five young people report being involved in some way. The government is consulting on new initiatives, such as the Criminal Behaviour Order, and is piloting gang injunctions for 14–17 year olds in the next few months.

The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation is now calling on the Government to recognise and develop successful sport-based projects as part of its policy on tackling youth and gang crime.

Grey-Thompson said: "I think everyone involved in sport in the community knows how valuable it can be as a means to help young people. It can give them focus, it teaches them respect and team-spirit and it can keep them off the streets and out of trouble.

"I have always believed sport can be a valuable social weapon. Now this report has produced evidence which proves that sport in certain circumstances can also be a more cost-effective solution than traditional social means. In these difficult economic times, this is a really significant finding," added Tanni.

Minister for Crime Prevention James Brokenshire commented: "This report highlights just how important it is that we intervene in the early stages with young people on the cusp of getting involved in crime, ensuring they have positive engagement with mentors, peers and role models and are supported to change their attitudes and behaviour.

"Sport is an excellent way to achieve this."

Another Laureus World Sports Academy Member Daley Thompson, who cycled from Manchester to London last year to raise awareness for the issue, believes this is crucial.

Double Olympic decathlon champion Daley, an enthusiastic supporter of the report, said: "Sport is not just a nice-to-have. It's a powerful and effective tool for tackling a number of social challenges. The government needs to inject funds and bring communities together to make these projects more effective and grow the number available.

"This report proves the economic case for sport and proves that money can be saved in the long run."

Keesha is typical of many of the teenagers referred to The Boxing Academy. At 14, she had been excluded from school and was constantly in trouble.

She believes the approach of staff at the Academy and the use of boxing helped her turn her life around.

"I used to talk a lot in class, cuss a lot, I used to get in trouble all the time - if I didn't want to do something, there's no way that I was going to do it. But coming to The Boxing Academy has really changed all that. I love boxing, sparring, fighting ... it's such an adrenaline rush, but fun. I laugh when I'm boxing! ... boxing takes out my anger. I needed to get the anger out."

By Duncan Mackay in Marrakech

Casablanca could be set to launch a bid for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, Morocco's Sports Minister Moncef Belkhayat has revealed.

The country's largest city, with a population of three million, has long been touted as a possible candidate to be the first in Africa to host the Games.

Belkhayat has now confirmed that serious planning has already taken place about a possible bid.

"Morocco has committed itself to becoming a great sport nation that stages great sporting events," Belkhayat said during the Africa International Sports Convention (CISA) here.

"Casablanca has a very good chance of positioning itself as a great sports city and organising the Olympic Games.

"One day Casablanca will be organising the Olympic Games."

Belkhayat refused to commit Morocco to a bid for the 2020 Games but left the possibility very much open.

"We will bid for the Olympics soon - whether that it is 2020, 2024 or 2028," he said.

National Olympic Committees (NOCs) have until May 16 to let the International Olympic Committee (IOC) if they are interested in bidding with a final deadline of September 1 to name an applicant city.

Work has already started on a new $300 million (£185 million) state-of-the-art stadium in Casablanca to host the final of the 2015 African Nations Cup, which Morocco was awarded earlier this year.

The Grand Stade de Casablanca is being built in an old quarry and will feature passive solar design with concrete fin-like blades that promote natural ventilation.

Construction on the 80,000 seat stadium is expected to begin shortly and then be completed some time in 2013.

The new stadium is due to replace the Stade Mohamed V, which hosted the 1983 Mediterranean Games.

Belkhayat, a former senior executive with Olympic sponsors Proctor & Gamble before entering politics, wants Morocco to try to host more major events.

They bid for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, losing by only four votes to South Africa.

If Morocco does decide to put forward Casablanca, which is located on the Atlantic Ocean, for the 2020 Olympics then South Africa could again pose an obstacle.

Durban are widely expected to put in a bid but Sam Ramsamy, the South African who is a member of the IOC's ruling Executive Board, said here that if Africa decides to bid for 2020 then the whole continent should get behind one candidate.

Belkhayat, who replaced International Olympic Committee member Nawal El Moutawakel as Morocco's Sports Minister in July 2009, has a big vision for Morocco.

"The sky is the limit," he said.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

With the 2011 Indoor season over, sprinters Semoy Hackett and Marc Burns are T&T’s highest ranked athletes on the latest IAAF World Indoor rankings. Hackett is at number 2 in the women’s 200m with 22.84 seconds while Burns is the tenth fastest in the men’s 60m (6.56 sec).  Hackett’s timing is a national record and was achieved when she finished second at the South Eastern Conference (SEC) Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA on February 22.  The Louisiana State University student improved on the day old mark of 22.86 she set in the heats. Hackett also ran 22.98 seconds on January 22 to be one of only two athletes to run under 23 seconds on three occasions this season.

Auburn University second year student Kai Selvon is 55th. The 18-year-old ran 23.72 seconds at the SEC Championships.  Hackett is ranked 23rd in the 60m dash after she ran a personal best of 7.22 in the heats of the NCAA championships on March 11.In the men’s 60m listing Marc Burns is tenth after he clocked 6.55 in Birmingham, England on February 19. The time is the third personal best (pb) for the season for the four-time Olympic and World 4x100m relay silver medallist. Burns first reduced his pb to 6.57 seconds in Dusseldorf, Germany on February 11. Two days later he improved that mark by 0.01 seconds to 6.56 in another German city, Karlsruhe.

Lalonde Gordon is the next best rated athlete at number 19 in the men’s 200m. Gordon clocked 20.93 seconds in taking gold at the Terrier Classic in Boston, USA on January 29. Afiya Walker is at 36th in the women’s 400m standing after her national record run of 53.10 seconds in winning the Mountain West Conference championships title for Wyoming University in Albuquerque, New Mexico on February 26. Sparkle McKnight is at 77th following her 53.72 seconds run on February 11. Jarrid Solomon is the 44th quickest in the men’s 400m following his 46.79 on February 5. Gordon is 61st on 46.96.

T&T’S IAAF INDOOR RANKINGS

                                
                                                                   
              
                           .

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

By: Tom Degun

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has backed London 2012 in their funding row with the British Olympic Association over the Olympic and Paralympic Games next year.

The dispute now looks set to be decided by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The BOA has recently disputed the Joint Marketing Agreement and is currently calculating how much surplus it will be allowed after 2012.

But the IOC has backed the position of London 2012 as they believe the deal it struck with the BOA in 2004 is fair.

"The IOC was asked to reach a final and binding decision on how the surplus of the Games should be defined," an IOC statement said.

"Having studied the documents and the recent past history of the Games bidding process, we have decided that the word 'surplus' clearly represents the financial results from the staging of the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games combined.

"The IOC would like to see a swift resolution to this dispute to allow all parties to concentrate on delivering what will be outstanding Games in London next year."

A London 2012 statement added: "This is a narrow technical point which does not affect the staging of the Games next year nor the preparations of the British athletes.

"We are pleased the IOC has ruled on this technical point confirming we should continue to determine any surplus on the basis of combined costs and revenues from both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"Now this is settled we look forward to moving ahead together with the BOA to realise our shared vision of hosting a spectacular Olympic and Paralympic Games."

But despite the ruling, the increasingly ugly row looks set to continue as the BOA will now press ahead with their plan to take the matter to CAS.

The unprecedented decision to take the matter to sport's highest court is because the BOA said in a statement that "decisions made by CAS are final and binding."

The BOA filed a formal petition with the CAS last week before the IOC decision was announced but the case could potentially take several months before it is finally resolved.

It is anticipated that the cost of hosting the Paralympics could be up to £400 million ($648 million) which will eat into the profits due to the BOA, who will get 20 per cent of any surplus.

As far as the IOC is concerned, the two Games are tied together but it appears as though the CAS will have the final say on the matter.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

The National Basketball Federation of Trinidad and Tobago (NBFTT) will be launching a coaching certification programme at the VIP room of the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain.

The programme is designed to give accreditation to experienced coaches in an effort to move the sport of basketball forward, as NBFTT maintains the right of athletes to be coached by qualified individuals. So far, the NBFTT has announced that 6 individuals with more than 25 years of coaching experience in associated basketball leagues will be awarded with Honorary Coaching certificates as well as the issuing of 9 NBFTT licences to coaches who are FIBA licensed. Coaches will receive their respective certificates and licences at the venue.

All coaches and others interested are invited to attend the programme.

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

By Duncan Mackay in Marrakech

Jacques Rogge, the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has been urged to offer as much support to a bid from Africa for the Olympics as Sepp Blatter gave to the continent's staging of the World Cup in South Africa last year.

The success of the tournament won by Spain has raised hopes that an African city will soon be able to successfuly bid to host the Olympcis and Paralympics, with Durban emerging as a serious candidate to put itself forward for the 2020 Games.

The subject was top of the agenda at the Africa International Sports Convention (CISA) which opened here today, an event attended by several IOC members and high-powered delegations from the three cities bidding for the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

South Africa's Sam Ramsamy, a member of the IOC's ruling Executive Board, was confident that there will be an African bidder for 2020 with Durban, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth all having put themselves forward.

"We presented the bids by the three·cities·to the [South African] Government and we are awaiting the decision on which one of the trio will succeed," he said.

"The outcome·is expected·next month and Africa is definitely in the race for 2020."

Ramsamy claimed that when an African city did put itself forward then the whole continent would unite behind it.

"We will get one city to bid from Africa and the good thing is that in Africa we have unity when it comes to matters of international contests," he said.

Ramsamy was the leading figure on a panel discussing "The Road to 2020:Is Africa ready to host the Olympics?"

"Alexandria has in the past presented three bids for the Olympics, Cape Town did in 2004 and Cairo in 2008," he said.

"So why this impertinent, arrogant question all the time?

"The question is when and where and not whether Africa is ready!"

Confidence that Africa is capable of hosting the Olympics and Paralympics has risen significantly following last year's World Cup in South Africa, where was among the best organised tournaments ever and passed off without any major problems, leading Rogge to encourage a city from that country to bid for the 2020 Games.

Gambia's Abdoulie Touray (pictured), vice-president for Africa of the Commonwealth Games Federation, claimed that Rogge had to go further if a bid was to be successful and follow the lead of Blatter.

The FIFA President consistently backed South Africa's campaign to host the World Cup and refused to criticise them when they suffered problems.

"Jacques Rogge needs to come out and make a deliberate statement that Africa does have world-class facilities and can host the Olympic Games," Touray said.

"He needs to do for Africa what Sepp Blatter did."

There was backing for an African bid from Sergey Bubka, the world pole vault record holder who is now a member of the IOC and a senior vice-president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

But he urged the continent to try to statge more major events, such as the IAAF World Championships.

"I agree that Africa deserves to host the Olympics but then African nations must strive to deliver strong bids that can meet the prerequisite conditions," he said.

"Africa needs to host many more major championships to gain experience and confidence for the Olympics.

"But the Governments too must show goodwill and commit to supporting bids and more importantly invest financial resources."

Source: www.sportbusiness.com

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) director general David Howman has suggested there would be a greater “enthusiasm” for catching doping cheats if different countries were responsible for testing each other’s athletes.

Howman claimed such an approach would help to make testing procedures more thorough across the globe whilst warning that the criminal underworld “controls a significant proportion of world sport” through drug trafficking and illegal betting. Howman said: “Why don't we get France to drug test Germany and Germany to drug test France? Perhaps there would be more enthusiasm for catching cheats from another country.”

The WADA chief added that his warning about widespread criminal involvement in world sport had come from sources at Interpol and law enforcement agencies, “some of whom are actively engaged in projects that are trying to address the issue”.

He added: “They say the underworld is involved in betting and in distributing steroids and it's the same jokers, it's not anybody new. I have been saying this for five or six years and now Interpol are justifying it. They now have the numbers and the information and they are really worried about it.”

Howman also told BBC Sport that he believed some scientists at doping laboratories were opting not to report borderline cases. “It's human nature,” he added. You get a borderline case and you think: 'What are the implications going to be? It's going to be challenged, therefore I am going to be before a tribunal, I'm going to be rigorously cross-examined, I'm days away from the office.’ All those sorts of things go through a human's mind.”

Source: www.sportbusiness.com

FIFA chief Sepp Blatter is to face the first challenge to his presidency in nearly a decade after Mohamed Bin Hammam confirmed on Friday that he would stand against the Swiss incumbent in the June 1 elections.

Bin Hammam ended months of speculation and innuendo by stating at a press conference at the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) Kuala Lumpur headquarters that he would seek to end Blatter's 13-year reign. Blatter has not been challenged since 2002, when he defeated Confederation of African Football president Issa Hayatou by 139 votes to 56.

"Today after careful study, consultation and consideration, armed with my love and passion for football, believing that our game is about fair competition, I have decided to contest," said Bin Hammam. The Qatari head of the AFC has been outspoken in his criticism of FIFA's practices since his country secured the hosting rights to the 2022 World Cup in early December.

Despite acknowledging Blatter's contributions, Bin Hammam added that it was time for "new faces, new blood". He continued: "There is a time limit for everyone. I hope that Asia is going to be united behind me, but also the other confederations where I enjoy a lot of friendship and relationships, I hope also those people are going to support me."

Bin Hammam proposed that the 24-man FIFA executive committee, which was hit by scandal in the build-up to the December 2 vote on the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments, should be replaced by a 41-member board. He also said he would hope to set up a new transparency committee and spread FIFA's income more evenly across the globe.

Blatter told reporters on Thursday: "I still feel full of energy and I've not yet finished my work in FIFA. I'm now in the 13th year of my presidency, and the 36th year working within FIFA, so I'm available to the congress. If there is competition there is competition. I have support from different Asian associations, but I must have the support of the whole FIFA family."

Source: www.uk.reuters.com

By John Mehaffey

The criminal underworld now controls a large proportion of world sport, World Anti-Doping Agency director general David Howman said on Wednesday.

Howman told a doping conference convened by the World Sports Law Report at Twickenham rugby stadium that the criminal elements who controlled illegal betting were also involved in steroid trafficking.

"My inside information has it that the underworld is now controlling a significant proportion of world sport," he said.

"The criminal underworld is providing prohibited substances. For $100 (62 pounds) you might get a return back of between $10,000 and $100,000. That's a good return on your investment, the criminal world thinks it's wonderful

"They are also involved in money laundering and bribery and so on."

Howman said there was more money made in trafficking illegal performance-enhancing drugs than in dealing heroin with criminals obtaining the raw materials for illegal drugs and producing them in kitchen laboratories.

"Then they are distributed to our kids and our grandchildren. People are dying," he said."

Howman told reporters his information came from law enforcement people "far more experienced and knowledgeable than any one of us."

"They say the underworld is involved in betting, in distributing steroids and it's the same jokers, it's not anybody new," he said.

"I have been saying this for five or six years and now INTERPOL are justifying it. They now have the numbers and the information and they are really worried about it."

Howman also told the conference there was evidence that there had been attempts to bribe doping control officers with money in brown envelopes.

He told reporters the amounts involved were "thousands of dollars."

BIOLOGICAL PASSPORTS

Pat McQuaid, president of the International Cycling Federation (UCI), told the conference disciplinary proceedings had been opened against seven riders on the basis of evidence from their biological passports which were introduced into the sport in 2008.

All professional riders have to provide blood samples to the UCI, which creates a unique medical profile of each athlete.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

Trinidad and Tobago swimmer Kimba Collymore took the second place finish, clocking 1:04.98 in the 100 yards breaststroke final event at the National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) Swimming and Diving Championships Divisional conference in Buffalo, New York, USA on March 4. Collymore represented Daytona State College (DSC).

A day later, Collymore placed forth in the 200 yards breaststroke final in a time of 2:25.95 taking almost six seconds off her qualifying heat time of 2:31.84. Both races were won by Tryshia Centeno of Indian River College. In the 50-yard freestyle competition, Collymore placed sixth with a time of 24:35 but then helped her team to finish second in the 4 by 50 yard medley relay final. The team finished in a time of 1:45.83. Indian River College, again took gold in the race. DSC eventually finished the conference in second place overall behind Indian River College.

Source: www.saathlete.com

Qatar has announced plans to bid for the 2017 world athletics championships, just months after winning right to stage the 2022 World Cup.

The Qatar Olympic Committee on Wednesday says holding the athletics championships in Doha would help promote the sport around the world and allow the IAAF to expand its reach further into the Middle East.

Along with winning 2022 World Cup bid, Qatar has hosted the 2006 Asian Games, 2011 Asian Cup and the athletics world indoor championships last year.

The only other city to announce a bid was London, which would host the championships in the stadium built for next year's London Olympics.

Formal bids must be submitted by Sept. 1 to the IAAF, which will announce its decision in November.

Source: www.sportbusiness.com

Visa has apologised to people who were unable to book tickets for the 2012 Olympic Games on the first day of going on sale.

The debit and credit card giant, which is an official sponsor of the Olympics, offers the only route to purchase tickets online, and spectators have six weeks to apply. However, those who applied with Visa cards that expire before the end of August found that the ticket website, which went live on Tuesday, could not complete their orders.

"We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused to those cardholders who are having problems applying for London 2012 tickets," a Visa Europe spokesman told the Press Association. "While we are aware that cards which expire before August 2011 are not currently being accepted, as a priority, we are working closely with all relevant parties to resolve this issue as soon as possible."

The spokesman added: "It is important to stress that tickets are not issued on a first-come, first-served basis, and any ticket registration taking place by April 26, 2011 will have an equal chance of success in the ballot. For those cardholders who do not wish to wait, there are a number of alternatives including using a Visa prepaid card."

On a day of glitches, the showpiece countdown clock to the 2012 Olympics, which has pride of place in London's Trafalgar Square, also stopped. A statement from official Olympic timekeeper Omega admitted: "We are obviously very disappointed that the clock has suffered this technical issue."

The statement added: "The Omega London 2012 countdown clock was developed by our experts and fully tested ahead of the launch in Trafalgar Square. We are currently looking into why this happened and expect to have the clock functioning as normal as soon as possible."

Source: www.trinidadexpress.com

George Bovell III and Cherelle Thompson were named 2010 Male and Female Swimmers of the Year respectively, at the Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago's (ASATT) awards ceremony on Saturday at the UWI Open Campus, Gordon Street, St. Augustine.

Bovell's highlight last year was his fourth place finish in the 100-metre individual medley at the FINA World Short Course Championships in Dubai in December, a new national record of 51.96 seconds. He also won gold in the 50m freestyle at the CAC Games in Puerto Rico in a meet record of 22.23 seconds.

His silver medal performance in the CAC Games in the 50m backstroke posted a new national record of 26.09 seconds. Bovell III was also named by the First Citizens Sports Foundation as one of the top ten senior athletes in 2010.

Thompson enjoyed a successgul year in the junior ranks in 2010 was a finalist in the CAC Games and a semi finalist at the Commonwealth Games in India. She also qualified for the World Short Course Championships.

In November, Thompson erased the 50m freestyle record of Olympian Siobhan Cropper, establishing a new time of 25.61. Thompson was also named by the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee and the First Citizens Sports Foundation as the Junior Sports Personality of the Year Female.

ASATT president Lindsay Gillette comgratulated all the swimmers and water polo players for their top level performances in 2010.

"You work hard and train in the 'Alaskan tempuratured' pools on mornings and late nights and in the blazing sun on afternoons. You forego sweet limes and parties just to keep focused on achieving your goals. As an Association, we will work hard to represent, make your dreams a reality and assist you to become as great as you want to be."

Gillette also made mention of turbulence in the public domain which may have overshadowed the excellent performances of the athletes.

"As president of this Association, I will do all in my power to ensure that our athletes are protected and are not disadvantaged my issues that are no fault of their own. I intend to work with my executive and the council and all stakeholders of our support, to transform the aquatic product to one which any athlete and their parent would be proud to associate with and any sponsor would be proud and willing to invest in."

Specially recognised at the ceremony was Youth Olympic gold medallist Christian Homer, who was T&T's first and only medallist at the Singapore Games.

Homer was jointly named with Cadell Lyons as the 15-17 male athlete of the year.

CISC medallist and the first Tobago resident on a national swim team Mosi Denoon and Commonwealth Games Paralympic finalist Shantol Ince received special awards.

The CAC Games silver medal winning male 4 x 100 m freestyle relay team of Bovell, Caryle Blondell, Joshua McLeod and Jarryd Gregoire were also specially honoured.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

By Brian Lewis

The streets of Trinidad and Tobago were alive and pulsating one week ago. The Queen’s Park Savannah was the centre of attention and focus. Last week’s column had sought to parallel Carnival and sport. This week I want to stay on the same theme for the simple reason to identify aspects and lessons that can help both sport and Carnival. There are attributes that are mutually beneficial from the perspective of commonality, and similarity of strengths and weaknesses. National Sport Organisations (NSOs) can learn from Carnival stakeholders and vice versa. Let me hasten to point out that with many sport personalities and aficionados involved in Carnival in some way or the other, it should not be that hard for sharing of information, knowledge and experience. Aspects of Carnival that provide compelling lessons and examples include the attention to detail and organisation that most of the mas bands invest in their product. The level of logistical organisation that is required in putting together a Carnival or Jouvert band, Carnival fete or competition cannot be underestimated.

The fact that there are a number of young people involved in the organisation and leadership of Carnival bands, and steel bands in particular women. Women are also more pronounced in calypso, chutney and soca. As a result the level of innovation and creativity going into the segmentation of the demography of Carnival bands is eye opening. This is an area NSOs can and should pay close attention to; the growth in participation among Carnival bands, the diversity of stakeholders, the enthusiasm and passion for Carnival and the high level of spectator interest both local and foreign. It is also important to acknowledge that in the pyramid structure that is Carnival, money and profit is not a major motivator. This is not to say that profit is not the main objective for some. Nothing wrong with that. What I am suggesting is that for the vast majority Carnival is a passion. How does Carnival succeed in capturing and harnessing that passion and enthusiasm?

This year the return of Carnival to the stage at the Queen’s Park Savannah has been hailed far and wide as an unqualified success. But, can it really be so when masqueraders had to wait anywhere from 4- 7 hours to move from Park and Frederick Streets to the savannah stage? In this respect Carnival may very well be able to take some lessons from sport as it relates to the administration of rules and penalties for rule violations. Bands that break the rules should be either disqualified or suffer a deduction of some kind. In a sport, an athlete or team that is not officially registered for the competition would not be allowed to take part. Subject to clarification one can only wonder how come bands that are not part of the NCC band of the year competition can be allowed to parade in the competition.

What is the basis for declaring Carnival 2K11 a success? It is the same challenge facing T&T sport—the discipline to conduct a structured analysis of performance and success. It is always important to remember that success is fleeting and means different things to different people. You can have all the potential in the world, but you will not discover it or harness it unless you have discipline. What is needed for both Carnival and sport to reach the heights they are both capable of reaching is that those in charge must be willing to learn from others, and to respect their competitors. Openness creates an environment where others can bring their ideas and thoughts without fear or defensiveness. Now that Carnival is over what next?

Editor’s note: Brian Lewis is the Honorary Secretary General of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee-www.ttoc.org. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the TTOC.

Source: www.trinidadexpress.com

By Kern De Freitas

Runako Morton has been dropped from the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs' Elite Athlete Programme, effective immediately.

This was announced by a stern Sport Minister Anil Roberts yesterday during a press conference at the Ministry's Abercromby Street, Port of Spain headquarters in the wake of Morton's arrest on the weekend.

The St Kitts and Nevis-born cricketer, who has played for Trinidad and Tobago this season in regional competition, was held in Morvant by police along with Leeward Islands player Tonito Willett—also from St Kitts and Nevis—for alleged possession of marijuana. The pair were each granted $100,000 bail yesterday after spending the weekend in police custody.

But Minister Roberts stressed yesterday that the Ministry axed Morton solely for indiscipline, as he broke team curfew and left their hotel, the Cascadia in St Ann's, on Friday night.

Said Roberts: "We will not tolerate at any point in time any athlete, no matter how great they are, representing Trinidad and Tobago and receiving funding from the Government—and therefore the people of Trinidad and Tobago—[and] operating in an indisciplined manner, breaking team rules, and therefore he has been removed."

The Minister added that the decision was solely that of the Ministry, made on consideration of oral and written reports from T&T cricket manager Omar Khan and skipper Daren Ganga.

Morton will immediately be replaced on the EAP list by a player expected to be confirmed tomorrow.

Roberts also issued a warning to all athletes receiving elite funding from the Ministry and hoped all national sporting organisations will follow this example for breaches of code of conduct.

"[The Morton issue] is extremely sad and this goes out not only to cricketers, but to all athletes representing Trinidad and Tobago. We will not, cannot and will never support, encourage or tolerate indiscipline of the rules when wearing red, white and black when receiving funding."

Roberts felt the decision was not a harsh one and said no athlete was exempt from such action except when they suffer injury. They have to keep performing at a high level, with a professional attitude, and will be assessed on a month-to-month basis.

But the Sport Minister has not shut the door on Morton receiving funding again, if he is freed of the charges. He must, however, fit the original criteria, including playing 75 per cent of the matches for T&T, with good fitness and discipline reports.

"The law will have to take its course on [the court case], but [funding is] certainly based on this [legal] situation," Roberts stated. "It does not look like he will be a candidate for coming back in until that situation has sorted out itself."

And Roberts reminded all elite athletes who fail to represent T&T that their funding will be revoked as well.

"In this hierarchy, Trinidad and Tobago comes first. University comes second, come down to club," Roberts said. "One of the terms of receiving funding is that you will make yourself available for Trinidad and Tobago for national duty."

Source: www.mobile.nytimes.com

By BOB HERBERT

Dave Duerson was once a world-class athlete, a perfect physical specimen whose pro football career included Super Bowl championships with the Chicago Bears and New York Giants. Friends and former teammates would tell you that he was also a bright guy - a graduate of Notre Dame with a degree in economics and, at least for awhile, a successful businessman.

When he shot himself to death in his South Florida home last month, the despondent Duerson, who was 50, fired the bullet into his chest rather than into his head. He did not want to further damage his brain. As he explained in text messages and a handwritten note, the former all-pro safety wanted his brain tissue studied, presumably to determine whether he had been suffering from a devastating degenerative disease that is taking a terrible toll on what appears to be an increasing number of pro football players and other athletes.

As The Times has reported, Duerson wrote, "Please, see that my brain is given to the N.F.L.'s brain bank."

Professional football has a big, big problem on its hands, and I'm not talking about the lockout that is jeopardizing the 2011 season. The game is chewing up players like a meat grinder. The evidence is emerging of an extraordinary number of players struggling with lifelong physical debilitation, depression, dementia and many other serious problems linked to their playing days.

Duerson's concern was believed to have been centered on chronic traumatic encephalopathy, an incurable disease associated with depression and dementia in athletes who played violent sports like football and boxing. A number of retired football players, including some who took their own lives, were found to have had the disease, which can only be diagnosed post-mortem.

Pro football, the nation's most popular sport, had been ratcheting up its violence quotient for years. Fans loved it. But a backlash has developed as more and more stories come to light about the awful price retired players are paying for a sport that increasingly resembles Colosseum-like combat. Few players escape unscathed after years of brain-rattling, joint-crippling, bone-breaking, consciousness-altering collisions. Many live out their lives in chronic pain, varying degrees of paralysis, and all manner of cognitive and emotional distress.

The N.F.L. has taken some remedial steps, especially in the area of head injuries. But pro football, always violent, is now violent in the extreme, and there is some question as to whether that violent style of play - and the consequences that flow from it - can really be changed. Paul Tagliabue, a former N.F.L. commissioner, told The New Yorker about the comments of a group of former players who had looked closely at the way defensive play has changed. "They raised the idea," said Tagliabue, "that it was no longer tackle football. It was becoming collision football. The players looked like bionic men."

I am an enormous fan of football, but I get a queasy feeling when I see one of those tremendous hits that leaves the opposing player lying as if lifeless on the turf. Or when I read about players like Andre Waters, formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals, who shot himself to death in 2006 at the age of 44. A forensic pathologist said Waters's brain tissue looked like that of an 85-year-old man. It turned out that he had been suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the disease that Duerson may have feared.

This is an enormous tragedy. So many players are suffering in the shadows. They need much more help from the N.F.L., the players' union and the myriad others cashing in on a sport that has become a multibillion-dollar phenomenon. And big changes are needed in the rules, equipment and culture of the sport to cut down on the carnage inflicted on current and future players.

I once was a big fan of boxing. I marveled at the breathless, elaborately detailed stories my parents' generation told about Joe Louis and the unparalleled Sugar Ray Robinson. I followed Muhammad Ali's career from beginning to end. I read biographies of the great boxers of the 20th century.

But I also saw the televised fight in March 1962 in which Emile Griffith beat Benny (Kid) Paret so savagely that Paret died 10 days later. Robinson also killed a man in the ring, Jimmy Doyle, in a fight in 1947. And it's no secret that even the greatest fighters tended to end up in bad shape, demented or enfeebled from the punishment of their trade - Louis, Robinson, Ali, so many others. I haven't been able to watch the sport in years.

It's a very bad sign that chronic traumatic encephalopathy, long associated with boxing, is now linked to football. With the carnage increasingly emerging from the shadows, there is no guarantee that football's magical hold on the public will last. Players are not just suffering, some are dying. The sport needs to change.

Source: www.trinidadexpress.com

Story by: Kwame Laurence

Zwede Hewitt seized silver at the NCAA Division 1 Indoor Track and Field Championships, in Texas, USA, late on Saturday. The Trinidad and Tobago athlete ran an impressive second leg for Baylor University, setting the stage for victory in section two and second spot overall in the men's 4x400 metres relay.

Hewitt teamed up with Americans Whitney Prevost, Drew Seale and Marcus Boyd for a three minutes, 05.42 seconds clocking. The 21-year-old T&T quarter-miler produced a 46.18 seconds split to set up the medal-winning mile relay performance. Texas A&M University struck gold in 3:04.24, while bronze was bagged by University of Arkansas (3:06.79).

Another T&T athlete, Jovon Toppin ran the lead-off leg for University of Florida. Florida finished fourth in section three and 10th overall in 3:15.77, but had the satisfaction of capturing the men's team title at the American collegiate championships.

Florida accumulated 52 points at the two-day meet, 12 more than second-placed Texas A&M (40). Brigham Young University copped third spot with 34 points, while Kyron Blaise's Louisiana State University (LSU) finished fourth with 31. Baylor earned 13 points at the meet to finish joint 16th with Iona College.

Blaise, who was 12th in Friday's men's long jump with a 7.49 metres leap, finished ninth in Saturday's triple jump. The T&T athlete's best effort in the triple jump was 16.10m. Will Claye and Christian Taylor—students at University of Florida-- finished first and second, respectively, jumping 17.32m and 16.99m. Claye's jump is a new meet record. Jamaican Julian Reid (University of Texas) finished third with a 16.71m effort.

University of Oregon scored 67 points to emerge as women's team champions, beating University of Texas (38) and Semoy Hackett's LSU (37) into second and third, respectively.

Hackett finished sixth in Friday's 200m final in 23.21 seconds and eighth in Saturday's 60m championship race in 7.29. The T&T sprinter had clocked a personal best 7.22 in the qualifying round.

Lakya Brookins (University of South Carolina) grabbed 60m gold in a sizzling 7.09 seconds. The other medals were claimed by her fellow Americans, Jessica Young (Texas Christian University) and Kenyanna Wilson (LSU). Young clocked 7.17 and Wilson 7.18.

The 7.09 run produced by Brookins equalled the collegiate record, set ten years ago by American Angela Williams, and broke Williams' 7.13 meet record, established at the 2002 Championships.

Tonya Nero's Wichita State University earned one point at the NCAA meet to finish joint 57th—with six other schools--in the women's team competition. On Friday, the T&T runner was 13th in the women's 5,000m in 16 minutes, 26.42 seconds.

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

By Tom Degun in Barcelona

All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu (pictured) believes that rugby sevens could replace the 15-a-side format of the game as the pinnacle of the sport after it was added to the programme for 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted to include rugby sevens at their 121st Session in Copenhagen in October 2009, after a presentation from key people in rugby which included Lomu, and the sport will appear in Rio for the first time since the Paris Games in 1924, when the winners were the United States.

Lomu is one of the greatest and most recognisable rugby stars of all time, and is a veteran of both forms of the game having won 63 caps for New Zealand in a career that started when he burst onto the international scene during the 1994 Hong Kong Sevens tournament.

The 35-year-old, who was also part of the All Blacks side that won gold at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in the sevens tournaments, claimed that the prestige of the Olympic Games could see sevens replace its 15-a-side counterpart as the sport's top draw.

"For me, I do believe that sevens could overtake the traditional 15-a-side game as the biggest prize in the sport," Lomu told insidethegames at the Global Sports Forum here.

"The thing is, that would be a bitter, hard pill for a lot of people to swallow but you have got to be honest.

"The Olympic Games, you can't get any bigger than that in terms of what they can generate and what they can do for world rugby in a short space of time.

"It is nothing short of amazing, this is where the biggest turning point for rugby is.

"It changes the complete dimensions of the game and this is where I see the future of world rugby moving towards.

"As much as I do the love the pure form of the 15 man game, when you look at it, sevens showcases the quickest, best-skilled players competing at a much faster pace in a shorter game so it is much more exciting.

"Rugby sevens is also an advertisers dream because it is so explosive and because the big events feature nations from across the globe."

Lomu said that he would have loved to have competed at an Olympic Games but revealed he takes heart from having played a huge role in getting the sport inducted in the event.

He said: "I get asked a lot if I'm disappointed that I'll never be able to get to play for New Zealand for an Olympic gold medal.

"Yeah, of course I am.

"But the one thing I can say is that I was part of the group [in Copenhagen] that actually made it happen for the future players and to shape rugby globally by bringing it to the Olympic Games.

"That is just as satisfying or just as close as it gets to winning an Olympic gold medal."

Lomu added that it would be fantastic to see a rugby representative claim IOC membership, with International Rugby Board (IRB) President Bernard Lapasset and Lomu himself mooted as potential future IOC members, but said it is not essential at this stage.

"Down the line, if rugby has an IOC member, that would be fantastic," said Lomu, who is popular within the organisation.

"But at the end of the day, rugby is just happy to be back on the Olympic programme at this stage because that is the stepping stone towards the future of where rugby can be.

"The IOC has a great relationship with the IRB and a great relationship with rugby as a whole so it is not essential to have a rugby IOC member now.

"Many of the IOC members are former great athletes and they know and understand sport very well so I have no worries about rugby at the Olympics.

"It is about what is best for the sport so the IRB are there to govern rugby, to make sure it is in good stead and make sure that it is in line with what the IOC standards are.

"With or without a rugby member on the IOC, you can be in no doubt that the IOC will ensure the highest standards are attained and that is only a good thing for the game."