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May 26 - Marius Vizer has turned up the pressure in the race to become the new President of SportAccord by warning that the organisation risks remaining a weak body with no real financial or political power and which keeps being manipulated if they do not elect him here this week.

Vizer, President of the International Judo Federation, is one of two candidates to replace the controversial Hein Verbruggen, who is stepping down after nine years leading SportAccord, the umbrella organisation for all Olympic and non-Olympic international sports federations as well as organisers of multi-sports games and sport-related international associations.

His only rival, Bernard Lapasset, chairman of the International Rugby Board, is widely perceived to be the candidate of choice of both Verbruggen and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), who are opposed to Vizer's central manifesto pledge of staging a united World Championships for all the sports in the same country every four years.

But the Hungarian-based Vizer has a powerful ally in Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, President of the Association of National Olympic Committees and an increasingly influential figure in world sport.

"I consider that the representatives of the member international federations will vote with honour for the sport that they represent, making abstraction of all possible arbitrary interests or external influences that are not for the benefit of sport," said Vizer.

"They have the option to vote for maintaining a SportAccord like it used to be in the past, manipulated from behind, with no perspectives, with insignificant funds, generated through controversial events and without generating a profit for the member federations, a SportAccord with important members but who do not have the possibility to express themselves in the sense of real projects, a SportAccord that almost nobody heard of, besides itsmembers, unknown to the sports media and the media in general, with certain limited, expired and under-performing leaders, supported from the shadows...with leaders reconverted into positions where they would continue to parasite the values of sport.

"With decisions dictated from outside or imposed, with leaders who keep being manipulated and who do not serve the interests of our organisation.

"Or a SportAccord which is a well­‐known world brand, even re-­branded, a modern structure, with a clear and prosperous vision, a new and performing SportAccord, free and independent, that cannot be manipulated, which would strictly serve the interests of its members and their organisation."

Besides a SportAccord Festival, intended to help showcase the smaller non-Olympic sports, Lapasset's manifesto is mostly designed to keep the status-quo, with few radical ideas.

Verbruggen had been lining up Ireland's Pat McQuaid to succeed him, just as he had done as President of the International Cycling Union (UCI).

But the Lance Armstrong doping scandal, which Verbruggen and McQuaid are both at the centre of, scuppered that plan, leading to pressure for 65-year-old Lapasset to stand. 

Verbruggen was elected in 2004 to replace South Korea's Un Yong Kim, who resigned from the IOC in 2005 to avoid being expelled after an Ethics Commission report claimed he had "seriously tarnished the reputation of the Olympic Movement" after he was found guilty of corruption and embezzlement.

It is widely assumed that if Lapasset beats Vizer in the election here on Friday (May 31) then he will be rewarded by IOC President Jacques Rogge by being made a member.

But early indications are that Vizer, who has promised SportAccord would be "managed in a professional, transparent and performing way", has more support for his ideas, which also includes an international bank of sport and international lottery to help generate income for the members.

"Man's most valuable assets are honour and conscience," said Vizer.

"The cause that we each represent at our level should always be guided by the spirit of freedom of expression and decision, the interests and benefits of the communities that we represent, honesty, justice and courage.

"Throughout history vision, knowledge and courage reformed humanity."

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CHAD SALANDY produced a comeback victory for the ages when the National Junior Squash Championships concluded Saturday at Cascadia Squash Club, St Ann’s.

Given almost no chance against Nku Patrick in the Under-17 final, Salandy amazed his fellow players just by the fact that he was able to battle back and force a deciding set after dropping the first two sets.

But the No. 2 seed had something even more unbelievable in store in the decider as he roared back from 8-4 down to win seven of the last eight points and prevail 4-11, 6-11, 11-5, 14-12, 11-9.

The stunning upset also seemed to shake Patrick’s older brother, as Mandela lost five of the first six points of the Under-19 final.

However, the overwhelming favourite and defending champion was not about to let lightning strike twice as he recovered to take 10 of the final 11 points in the game en route to an 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 triumph over Jacob Gillezeau.

Gillezeau’s sister Faith was crowned the new national Under-17 champ when last year’s Under-15 winner cruised past Jamie Leigh Edghill 11-4, 11-9, 11-4.

Pascal Bell, a relative newcomer to competition, claimed third place with an 11-2, 11-6, 12-10 victory over Amanda Jackson, whose sister Angelique had lost the under-19 title match 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 to Talia Abdool the day before.

Both Marie Claire Barcant and Jonathan Blanc recovered after dropping the opening set to capture the under-15 titles.

Barcant defeated Alexandria Yearwood 5-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-6, while Blanc was a 10-12, 11-6, 11-5, 11-3 winner over Nicholas Caddle.

Aimee D Verteuil halted Jinan Al-Rawi 11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6 for the girls’ under-13 title, while the boys’ equivalent crown went to Kobie Khan.

The son of 17-time national champ Rhea Khan was an 11-8, 11-4, 11-7 winner over Rondel Campbell in the title match, while Christopher Anthony edged Cain De Lima 11-9, 11-9, 14-12 for third place.

Christian Edghll whipped James Lanser 11-2, 11-5, 11-7 for third in the under-17 category, while Luke Asui took the plate after beating Darnell Gittins 11-3, 11-7, 11-7.

Ian Forbes beat Jabari Sampson 11-4, 11-8, 11-1 and Sebastian Krogh was an 11-2, 11-4, 9-11, 11-5 over Jeremy Nieves for the under-13 and 15 plates, respectively, in the three-day tournament.

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Mikel Thomas of Rebirth was the most impressive sprinter on Day One of the 2013 Hampton International Games at Hasely Crawford Stadium Saturday night, grabbing gold in the Men’s Invitational 100 metres and the 110m hurdles events.

Thomas was up quickly and paced to the front, where he stayed in control of the field to reach home in 10.32 seconds, just ahead of Abilene Wildcats’ Ayodele Taffe, who clocked 10.36, and third-placed Ashron Sobers (Zenith; 10.63).

And in the 110m hurdles, Thomas zipped home in 13.59 to triumph easily, with Barbadian Pacer Daley Carter (14.96) second and Rebirth’s Keal Armstrong (17.45).

In the local men’s equivalent, Moriba Morain dashed home in 10.41 seconds to give Simplex the win, with Quinn Lee Ralph (Concorde) second best in 10.59, and Morain’s teammate Joel Dillon third in 10.61.

The women’s 100m was a lot closer, with Kamaria Durant, also of Simplex edging home ahead of Ayanna Hutchinson (Concorde) and Barbadian Shakera Reece. Durant clocked 11.64, Hutchinson finished in 11.64 and Reece, 11.78.

Among the Under-20 boys, Levi Cadogan of Barbados club Pacers won in 10.34, and shared the podium with Abilene’s Jonathan Farinha (second; 10.50) and Cejhae Greene (10.53) of Antigua/Barbuda. Kayelle Clarke was the top Under-20 girl over 100m, grabbing gold for Petrotrin PAP in 11.73, just ahead of Simplex’s Onika Murray (11.77).

Andie Montique (11.52) of Protons and Joan Hospedales (14.13) took the men’s and women’s masters 100m events respectively.

In the one-lap races, Stephon James won for Running Brave in 47.08, ahead of Abilene’s Kyle Greaux (47.58).

Asa Guevara (Abilene; 47.69) was the Under-20 Boys winner, while Romona Modeste clocked 54.50 and streaked home ahead of Neon Trackers teammate Domonique Williams (54.63).

No one team dominated in the 4x100m relays.

Abilene’s ‘A’ team took the Boys’ Under-20 race in 41.13, beating Pacers (42.05) and Memphis Pioneers (42.53). They also grabbed the Boys Under-17 equivalent.

The men’s and women’s events were won by Antigua and Barbuda ‘A’ (40.28) and Concorde ‘A’ (46.23) respectively, while Memphis Pioneers ‘A’ took the Girls Under-17 event in 49.19.
Zenith ‘A’ (46.93) won the Boys under-15, and Neon Trackers ‘A’ (50.60) the girls version. In the Boys under-13 race, Point Fortin New Jets ‘A’ were the winners.

The other youth categories went to Cougars athletics: Girls Under-13, Boys and Girls Under-11 and Boys and Girls Under-9 4x50m relays.

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Within recent times, if one is to go by world sport media reports, there seems to be an awful lot of sword rattling for power, authority and influence within the corridors of power of international sport.

Sport Accord, the umbrella organisation for all Olympic and non-Olympic international sports federations as well as organisers of multi-sports games and sport-related international associations and the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) are two bodies that will like to be even more influential than they are within the Olympic movement. It’s a situation and a circumstance that the IOC (International Olympic Committee) has brought on itself.

Unity and good governance must be real and not just rhetoric. The core values of Olympism and sport aren’t a sacrificial lamb on the altar of expediency and ambition. The perception is that there is a lack of trust in the capacity of democracy to deliver the best options for the sustainable growth of the Olympic movement and the Olympic Games. Mixed signals has created the opportunity for those who represent a world view to position themselves as servants and stewards of the majority.

Where is the passion for the values of sport and Olympism?

In striving to be more professional world sport must first strive to be more ethical. Serving society through sport is faced with the challenge of navigating the turbulent waters of self interest.

Sport politicians who promise the world but deliver nothing once the election race is run, need to be reminded that the welfare of sport and the athletes ought not to be made a political football. Global sport politicians maybe turning the youth away from sport and in the process damaging the image and potential of sport to make a positive social difference.

World sport is facing a period of uncertainty as sport politics and a jockeying for control of the huge commercial benefits that accrue from the success of sport events and the performances of the athletes seems well and truly on.

The messages and the perception of the messages are unclear as self interest and agendas hidden and open take centre stage elbowing out sport and the athletes best interest.

Little of the discourse surrounding the jostle for power and authority seem to reflect the concerns of the developing world and the legion of amateurs and volunteers and under resourced stakeholders who labour tirelessly and resolutely in the vineyard of world sport. Is it that somewhere along the line the soul of sport has been lost?

The international federations and umbrella organisations, be they Sport Accord, ANOC etc, need to reexamine their motives. Is what is happening holding true to the core values, mission and vision that are timeless? Are the global sport power brokers true to the ideals, spirit and values of sport and Olympism?

Sooner rather than later the chasm between amateur/volunteer and professional sport will become impossible to integrate. Grassroots sport is the nursery for professional and elite sport. To continue to widen the gap is not only shortsighted but is anti-sport.

Sport as we have come to know, love, play and support, is in grave danger. World sport leaders and those aspiring to lead, be it the IOC, Sport Accord and other powerful global sport organisations, must represent the core values of sport.

People involved in sport around the world need the assurance that their volunteering and service will not be taken for granted, abused and be in vain. The challenges facing world sport are in many cases complex. But they aren’t insurmountable.

The IOC, Sport Accord and ANOC wield significant influence over Olympic sport. The decisions those bodies make have significant implications for this and future generations.

The priority is the best interest of world sport, the youth of the world who participate and the athletes. If sport is to make a social and economic contribution around the world, there can be no other consideration.

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Host T&T overcame a determined Barbados 3-1 (25-18, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20 to claim the gold medal in their NORCECA Women’s Second Round Group I qualifier to the 2014 FIVB World Championship at the University of the West Indies Sports and Physical Educational Centre, St Augustine, on Sunday night.

Going into the match, both teams had already secured their passage to the Third Round of NORCECA qualification after ending the round-robin series as the top two teams, and despite a much improved showing from the Barbadians, than in their first meeting, the more athletic Calypso Spikers prevailed in one hours and 27 minutes, to finish the tournament unbeaten.

Leading the way for the host, ranked seventh in NORCECA was captain Krystle Esdelle with 20 points, 18 of which were kills and two aces while Channon Thompson added a valuable 19, inclusive of 13 kills and five service aces, and Sinead Jack, 10.

For Barbados, Serbia-based captain, Shari Matthews was also her team’s topscorer with 14 points, punctuated by 13 kills while Spain-based Anicia Wood chipped in with 13.

Speaking after the match, Matthews first admitted it was the best performance by her team over the two days of the tournament.

“We started off very slow on the first day but in the final it was evident that we made a big improvement, but still came up short,” ended Matthews.

Esdelle, while happy her team won the gold medal was disappointed in the actual performance in the final.

She added, “Tonight, our key players did not perform and we made too many errors which made the match complicated for us.”

Andrew Brathwaite, the Barbadian coach was satisfied with his team’s display as it was much better than their previous matches.

“I expected T&T to play at a much higher level tonight, but for some reason they did not, which was good for us and also for the spectators because it made for an entertaining match for the spectators.”

T&T coach, Francisco Cruz was full of praise for Barbados, who he said made his team work very hard for the win.

With respect to his own team Cruz said he was very satisfied with the outcome because at the moment he cannot demand much more.

T&T Volleyball team goes undefeated

Honduras spikes Anguilla for Group I bronze

Captain Tessa Michelle Flores led from the front with a match-high 10 points to lead Honduras over Anguilla, 25-9, 25-18, 25-18 in their third spot playoff also in St Augustine.

In addition to Flores, who had seven kills in her tally, Mariajosse Diaz and Dariana Flores added eight points each in the 64 minutes win for the Central Americans who dominated, 24-15 on spikes, 5-0 on blocks and 15-3 on service aces.

For Anguilla, captain Susan Webster had eight points and Rikiesha Leveret, five in the loss.

It was the second win in as many meetings for the 18th NORCECA ranked Hondurans over Anguilla, ranked 22nd, after registering a 25-15, 25-12, 25-11 win in their round-robin encounter on Saturday’s opening day of the tournament.

By finishing third, Honduras, still has a chance to qualify for Italy, but will only do so, as the best ranked third placed team of all the six Second Round qualifying groups based on the NORCECA ranking on January 1, 2014.

T&T’s Thompson voted Group I MVP

T&T’s Channon Thompson was voted as the Most Valuable Player at the end of the two-day qualifiers on Sunday night.

In addition, 19-year-old Thompson, who played professionally in Poland for the last three years also collected three other awards, Best Scorer, Best Spiker, and Best Spiker as the host team dominated the awards, claiming eight of the nine on offer.

The other T&T award winners on the night were another Poland-based player Sinead Jack Best Blocker, and Courtnee-Mae Clifford, who walked away with three awards, the Best Libero, Best Receiver and Best Digger while Honduras’ Maria Elena Barahona copped the Best Setter accolade to deny T&T, a clean sweep.

​

Honour Roll

Individual awards
Best Scorer: Channon Thompson (T&T)
Best Spiker: Channon Thompson (T&T)
Best Blocker: Sinead Jack (T&T)
Best Server: Channon Thompson (T&T)
Best Digger: Courtnee-Mae Clifford (T&T)
Best Setter: Maria Elena Barahona (Honduras)
Best Receivers: Courtnee-Mae Clifford (T&T)
Best Libero: Courtnee-Mae Clifford (T&T)
Most Valuable Player: Channon Thompson (T&T)​

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Volleyball women win NORCECA qualifying tourney

TRINIDAD and Tobago expectedly claimed the gold medal Sunday night in the second leg NORCECA (North, Central America and the Caribbean) qualifying tournament for World Women’s Volleyball Championships at the Sports & Physical Education Centre (SPEC) of the St Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies.

Despite the fact that they were not at their best and ended up losing their only set in the tournament, the hosts defeated fellow Caribbean powerhouses Barbados 25-18, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20 in the final.

Both teams had already advanced to the penultimate stage of NORCECA qualifying early next year for the World Championships, which will be staged in Italy late in the year.

T&T crushed the Bajans in less than an hour in the very first match of the tournament in the round-robin phase the morning before, but this victory took 87 minutes.

Krystle Esdelle was the first to admit that the four-time defending Caribbean champions struggled when the captain stated: “Tonight our key players did not perform and we made too many errors.”

Still the left-hander, the Most Valuable Player when T&T captured the gold medal in their group in the first leg of qualifying last year in Suriname, pounded 18 kills and two aces to be the game’s leading scorer with 20 points.

Esdelle’s fellow Poland-based players Channon Thompson and Sinead Jack were this country’s others to reach doubles figures, contributing 19 (13 kills, five aces) and ten, respectively.

For Barbados, veteran captain Shari Matthews, who is based in Serbia, had 24 kills and 14 points all told, one more than the Spain-based Anicia Wood.

Just before the final, Honduras picked up the bronze medal by beating Anguilla 25-9, 25-18, 25-18 in just over an hour, the day after also whipping them in straight sets in the round-robin phase.

The Barbadians had beaten both Honduras and Anguilla in straight sets in the group phase and T&T were undefeated in their four matches over the weekend.

T&T were represented by Esdelle, Jack, Thompson, United States-based Samantha Prescott, Finland-based former national junior captain Darlene Ramdin as well as Abby Blackman, Countnee-Mae Clifford, Renele Forde, Abigail Gloud, Andrea Kinsale, Rechez Lindsay and Kelly Billingy, one of the leading players in the Caribbean for over a decade.

The five-time Caribbean champs were eliminated in the third and penultimate round of NORCECA qualifying for the previous World Championships, the 2010 edition in Japan.

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New Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (T&TOC) president, Brian Lewis has called for a singular vision in the promotion of track and field in Trinidad and Tobago.

Speaking at yesterday’s launch of the National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA) Championship month at the VIP Lounge of the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Lewis said an important opportunity awaits the country at the August 10-18 World Championships in Moscow, Russia.

“This is the World Championship year. The reality is that Moscow will attract the attention of over six billion television viewers--over 2,000 athletes and 200 countries. Many people take for granted what that exposure means to Trinidad and Tobago. You can’t put a value on that global exposure and the positive profile that the NAAA, the athletes who will be representing Trinidad and Tobago in Moscow will bring to this country.

“I wish to urge the public and all the stakeholders, whoever you may be, that it is important to support track and field. Of our 18 (Olympic) medals, 14 have been won by track and field. In terms of the World Championships, we have won ten medals. But when we compare it to the performance of our archrivals Jamaica, and I mention Jamaica deliberately to put a context, we should not be fighting among ourselves, we should not be seeking to create parallel organisations.

“We should be seeking to respect each other,” the T&TOC president continued, “and the roles in the contribution to progress, grow and develop sport, and by extension, to develop the young people of this nation, so that we will create the foundation for a better future.”

The first of four NAAA Championship meets will be staged this weekend, at the Crawford Stadium. On Saturday and Sunday, the public will have the opportunity to see T&T’s Carifta stars on show at the National Junior Championships.

The cast includes quartermiler Machel Cedenio, middle distance runner Mark London, distance runner Akeem Marshall, hurdler Jeminise Parris, long jumper Andwuelle Wright, and throwers Hezekiel Romeo and Chelsea James. All seven athletes earned gold at the 2013 Carifta Games, in Nassau, Bahamas.

At the launch, Sagicor’s Michelle Serville presented NAAA Games Committee chairman Allan Baboolal with a $150,000 cheque. The full value of Sagicor’s sponsorship is $250,000. National Gas Company (NGC) is contributing $250,000 as well. The list of sponsors also includes Blue Waters, Petrotrin and Phoenix Park Gas Processors.

However, it was noted that the main source of funding for the Championship month is the Sport Company (SPORTT). SPORTT’s Alexander Smith commended the NAAA.

“The Juvenile Championships, Junior Championships, Senior Championships demonstrates evidence of a definite athlete development pathway. We are indeed pleased about this. The inclusion of the Combined Events (Championships) shows a general inclusion of all the various events in track and field.”

NAAA president Ephraim Serrette also spoke about the importance of the Combined Events meet.

The Senior Championships will be staged between June 21 and 23, and the meet is expected to feature all the top T&T athletes, including Olympic men’s javelin gold medallist Keshorn Walcott.

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T&T’s senior men’s rugby team made its first international appearance in just under a year count on Saturday when the team secured a comfortable 19-6 win away to Barbados in the Round Two (South) Nacra Rugby Championship, at the Garrison Savannah, Bridgetown.

It was a positive result for the Calypso Warriors, which last tasted national 15s action in June last year, when the team was eliminated from the IRB 2015 World Cup qualifying competition by rivals Guyana. Only a match prior to the disappointing loss suffered in Guyana last year, T&T met Barbados and won 32-3.

Saturday’s result saw T&T climb to the top of the three-team table on equal points (four) with Guyana, which defeated Barbados 19-17 a week prior ibn the Nacra Championship opener. Barbados, having lost its two matches was ruled out of progression to the championship match against the winner of the North Zone (consisting of USA South, Cayman Islands and Bermuda).

The next test for the Larry Mendez-coached T&T team comes a week after, this Saturday, when the team faces Guyana is what is expected to be a thrilling encounter at St Mary’s College Ground, Serpentine Road. A win will ensure T&T Round Three action against USA South, which topped the North division after two wins. The date for the Round Three match is yet to be decided.

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Adam Frederick will captain Trinidad and Tobago’s senior national rugby team when they travel to Barbados to tackle the hosts this Saturday in a NACRA (North America and Caribbean Rugby Association) Men’s 15-a-side Caribbean Championship first round encounter at Garrison Savannah from 4 p.m.
The experienced number eight and standout player for Trinidad Northern Rugby Football Club—who has skippered T&T in the past—resumed the captaincy in the team selected by the T&T Rugby Football Union (TTRFU) and released yesterday.
He replaces scrum half Jonathan O’Connor at the helm. O’Connor led T&T during last year’s failed qualifying campaign for the 2015 World Cup.
Team T&T leave for Barbados on Friday, and return two days later.
They are currently training under “quietly confident” coach Larry Mendez—also head coach of Harvard Club’s rugby team. That team won seven of eight tournaments they played—including the TTRFU’s Toyota Championship and Senior Divisions—in 2012.
It is little surprise that half the squad of 22 comprises Harvard and Caribs RFC players after their fantastic last season. Harvard were dominant last year, and Caribs have had a stranglehold on the title for over two decades before that.
From Harvard are John Hill (prop), Tariq Cheekes (scrum half), Joseph Quashie (centre) and back row duo Rowell Gordon and Wayne Kelly; the Caribs players are Ernest Wright (prop), Miguel Lara (hooker), Graeme Alkins (back row), Anthony Lopez (wing), Shaquille Tull and Jamal Clark. The latter two will take up positions in the second row.
The other players come from Tobago, Northern RFC and Royalians RFC, with UWI earning one pick—centre Jesse Richards.
Getting their first call-ups to the senior national team are Tull, Lopez, Tobago prop Melville Eastman, Royalians’ Kereem Figaro (second row) and winger Kwain Manswell, also of Tobago.
According to a TTRFU release, Curtis Nero has also stated that the players are very upbeat, and are eager to return Trinidad and Tobago to the pinnacle of regional rugby.
The match is a virtual must-win, with T&T still to face Guyana on June 1 at UWI. Only one of the three teams will move on to the next round. Guyana beat T&T last year to knock them out of World Cup qualifying.

T&T squad:
Melville Eastman, Kwain Manswell, Keishon Walker (Tobago RFC); Ernest Wright, Miguel Lara, Jamal Clark, Anthony Lopez, Shaquille Tull, Graeme Alkins (Caribs RFC); John Hill, Rowell Gordon, Wayne Kelly, Tariq Cheekes, Joseph Quashie (The Harvard Club); Felician Guerra, Trizene Mc Lean, Kelson Figaro, Kereem Figaro, James Phillip (Royalians RFC) Adam Frederick (captain), Jonathan O’Connor (Trinidad Northern RFC); Jesse Richards (UWI RFC); Larry Mendez (coach), Dale Trotman (assistant coach), Derek Ashby-Williams (physio), Curtis Nero (manager).

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After years of discussing the successor to International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge in the shadows, the candidates have started to emerge into the light as the crucial vote for the most powerful position in world sport looms closer.

The vote is due to take place on September 10 at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires during a gathering that will also see the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic host city announced and a sport voted onto the programme for those Games (or if it is wrestling, retained).

But if you ask any IOC member in private, electing the ninth President of the Olympic Movement is by far the most important vote they feel they will cast in the Argentinian capital.

The man everyone is discussing as the favourite to succeed Rogge, who was elected at the Session in Moscow in 2001 to succeed Juan Antonio Samaranch, is Germany's Thomas Bach.

One of the worst kept secrets in the Olympic Movement finally came out last week when the Montreal 1976 fencing champion became the first candidate to officially declare that he will stand to replace Rogge at a hastily organised press conference in Frankfurt.

Bach has been talked about as the most likely successor Rogge for several years but the status of early front-runner is not always a good thing in a race such as this and the German no longer appears overwhelming favourite he was just six months ago.

The favourite he probably remains though, largely because the IOC is a Eurocentric organisation with 43 of the current 101 IOC members hailing from the continent and seven of the eight Presidents so far having come from Europe; the exception being American Avery Brundage, who served from 1952 to 1972.

But even if some of the media are already proclaiming him the victor, Bach knows it will be the 100 other IOC members that will be of sole importance to his bid.

"It is very much about convincing the individual members rather than the worldwide public at large," Bach said upon unveiling his candidacy, clearly aware that the majority of those who have installed him a favourite, including several bookmakers, are completely irrelevant.

Next on the list is Singapore's Ng Ser Miang, yesterday became the second candidate to officially declare that he will stand to replace Rogge with a press conference in Paris.

This, though, wasn't any old press conference.

Ng's cleverly constructed gathering took place at Paris-Sorbonne University; the exact location where the founder of the Modern Olympics Baron Pierre de Coubertin held the first ever Olympic Congress in 1894 in a historic gathering that led to the revival of Games in Athens two years later.

Coubertin was the longest serving IOC President, holding the position for 29 years from 1896 to 1925, and in his bid to become the Frenchman's latest successor, Ng unveiled a vision that the founder of the Modern Olympics would be proud of.

Ng spoke most prominently on youth, saying: "We must harness the collective power of Olympism for the benefit of the world's youth - and we must refocus our efforts on the education of youth through the values of sport, for they are tomorrow's living Olympic legacies."

Already he is sending out his manifesto to the IOC members and that coupled with the symbolic location of the announcement, shows he was perhaps more prepared than Bach, whose Frankfurt press conference was rather rushed and who is still drafting up the final points of his own manifesto, which won't be made available to the members until next month.

Having been quietly collecting the promise of crucial votes over the last few years, he is certainly one to be watched closely, and one to be feared by his rivals.

Next up comes International Boxing Association (AIBA) President C K Wu, who will declare next week in his native Taiwan that he will enter the race.

Wu has given the decision some thought, with his manifesto already complete, and he will be the longest serving IOC member in the race following his entry into the organisation in 1988 some 25 years ago.

Wu's vision contains his particularly strong on his commitment to the cultural and educational aspects of the Olympic Games and he will be hoping that his manifesto will convince the IOC members to get behind him.

He will also look to illustrate the impressive work he has done with boxing since taking over as AIBA President in 2006, particularly for his role in spearheading the successful campaign to get women boxers competing at the Olympic Games.

Female fighters made their Olympic debut at London 2012, in what was widely seen as the best boxing competition in the history of the Games.

His problem could be causing a split Asian vote with Ng, something that would play into the hands of the other candidates, and he remains the "dark-horse" in the race. But right now, that is no bad place to be.

There are just two other that are likely to move before the deadline for declaration of candidacies on June 10.

The first is Puerto Rico's Richard Carrion, the man dubbed the banker of the Olympic Movement due to his role as chair of both the IOC Finance Commission and Audit Commission.

It is Carrion who has spearheaded the hugely lucrative major deals the IOC has done in the last decade and any manifesto of his will no doubt underline that the financial stability of the organisation would be very much secure under his Presidency.

Finally we comes to Sergey Bubka, the pole vault legend who won every single major honour in his sport and who still holds the world record.

Bubka has shown himself to be an astute political mover and is best known as vice-president International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), with many previously believing that his primary focus was the top job in that organisation.

However, Bubka claims to have received strong backing to move for the IOC Presidency from a number of senior figures, and at 49-years-old, he will be by far the youngest candidate in the race.

He therefore hopes to demonstrate a real affiliation with youth and to give the Olympic Movement a figurehead who has the physic, looks and style of an elite athlete near his prime.

What is the most fascinating part of this race is that is nearly impossible to speculate because it will be just 101 IOC members deciding the new President in a secret vote.

In fact, less than that given that some members will not attend the Session in Buenos Aires, some will abstain from voting and the candidates themselves will be ineligible from voting until they are eliminated from the race as it is carried out.

So dubbing anyone "favourite" is a little pointless and the candidates will know that.

Their job is simply to convince their IOC peers that they are the best person to take on the most powerful position in world sport.

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New TTOC boss urges basketball coaches:

In his first official address since being elected into office, Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee president Brian Lewis called on the newly-certified basketball coaches to spread their knowledge and grow the sport through their knowledge.

Lewis was the feature speaker at the National Basketball Federation of Trinidad and Tobago’s certification handing-out ceremony at the VIP Lounge of the Hasely Crawford Stadium  on Thursday.

Nearly 100 certificates from FIBA, the international body overseeing amateur basketball worldwide, were awarded to coaches for their successful completion of courses. That included 38 FIBA level two certificates and  60 FIBA community and level one certificates.

This followed the joint hosting of training workshops for coaches in communities across the country by NBFTT and the  Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SPORTT) recently.

Nathaniel Charles was also issued a FIBA referee’s licence which makes him eligible to officiate in FIBA international tournaments.

In his maiden address, Lewis said that without good knowledgeable coaches, the country can’t have great players.

“The importance of quality coaching and officiating can’t be undervalued or ought not to be undervalued.

“One can only hope that everyone will put their newly acquired knowledge to optimum use. I urge all the basketball stakeholders to seek to work together for the betterment and best interest of Trinidad and Tobago  basketball.”

After congratulating the successful coaches, SPORTT and  the NBFTT for their forward-thinking attitude, Lewis said: “Don’t let self interest and hidden agendas stifle and hold back the growth and development of T&T basketball. Strive to increase participation. Strive to develop a clear and long-term athlete development pathway that caters for basketball for all.”

Lewis said at the elite stage, coaches should strive for qualifying teams for the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) and Pan American (Pan Am) Games. They should also strive for excellence, he added.

“This evening I am suggesting to you that the handing out of these deserved and hard-earned certificates can be the platform for a new way of thinking for TT Basketball.

The NBFTT general secretary Nadine Khan said despite the organisation’s many financial challenges, it is continuing its drive to raise the level of basketball in T&T in keeping with their  Strategic Plan 2011-2014, with the hosting of training workshops.

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Brian Lewis, new president of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC), and a former student at Fatima College and St Anthony’s College, became involved in sports administration. at the tender age of 23.

As he tells it, he first became assistant public relations officer of Trinidad and Tobago Body Building Federation in 1983 when he challenged a childhood friend on the lack of information about the Federation’s activities. To this, he was told, “listen nuh, you see all that old talk, I ain’t able with it. If you feel you know so much, come and be my assistant.’ And so said, so done.

“Thus began my sports administration odyssey,” says Lewis.

Lewis, who is married to Sandra, father of Sanian and Aasan, grew up in Belmont, a place where he credits his love of and knowledge of sports and activism. “Growing up in Belmont, a wonderful sports-oriented place, it was always about sports, you were facing reality because besides the reality of life in Belmont, you learned all about social activism, steelband and Carnival were thriving... actually all of Belmont was teeming with social activism.”

Lewis dabbled in football, enjoyed athletics training , did weights, and became involved in rugby in 1984. He was the club representative for Falcons which merged with Guevara’s from Belmont and which in 1998 went into Harvard Club and formed the Harvard Rugby section. He became a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Rugby Football Union’s Management Committee.

He laughingly recalled that his sum total of representing the TTRFU in active duty was in a President’s 15 game.

“But I just loved the game and for anything named sports, just call me I ready to go,” he said as he noted that he “got beaten by Granny Luces about four times in the Trinidad Marathon.”

In 1996, the Rugby Union’s representative couldn’t go to a meeting so he was mandated to “go to the meeting and see what happening.”

“I went to this TT Olympic General Council Meeting . Listened to a contentious matter being debated and typical me, made some point, remember I am only a replacement.

“Soon after, out of the blue I got a call from Camacho, who was going to be president of the TTOC and wanted to put a good team together, he noticed Rugby’s profile in the media had risen in 1996 when I became PRO of TTRFU, asking me to come in to deal with media and public relations.

“In 1997, I ended up running for election as an Executive Member with a mandate to start changing the image of the TTOC which I myself had a problem with. That was the start of my involvement with the Olympic Committee. I moved up to Assistant Secretary General, and was Secretary General from 2005 for eight years. I must mention that in terms of the Olympic Committee, Larry Romany (former TTOC president) and I are from the same batch and have always worked well together,” he said.

At the TTOC, Lewis was asked to start up a youth camp; and among many other achievements, in 2003 was Assistant Chef de Mission at the Commonwealth Games to Malaysia and also Chef de Mission to the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo. In 2004 he was Chef de Mission to the Olympic Games in Athens.

While he moved ahead in sports, formal education was not left behind and in 2005/2006, Lewis read for and successfully graduated with an Executive Masters degree in Sports Management on an International Olympic Committee ( IOC) scholarship. His research and thesis focused on Governance of sport in Trinidad and Tobago. He currently lectures, part time, in the UWI Master’s degree in the Sports Management programme, in the area of Entrepreneurship in Sport.

Well qualified then to lead the TTOC, the road to the position was anything but smooth.

Having served on the TTOC’s Executive Committee from 1997 for 36 years, the final eight as Secretary General from 2005, what should have been a “shoo in” turned out to be difficult four-month campaign.

Said Lewis, “At no point in time did I deviate, but ensured that I conducted my campaign in a positive and constructive way to maintain the dignity and integrity and ethics of the Olympic movement because I was always mindful that at the end of the day. The Movement was bigger than us, the individuals.

“Therefore it was always my intention that when the voting was over, the movement would not have been compromised in any way. So I never set out to win at all costs.”

As Secretary General to the two presidents before him - Larry Romany and Douglas Camacho - and somebody who “always had their backs,” he was suprised to discover he was not their pick as a possible candidate.

“ I found out that the two of them (Romany and Camacho) and other members of the then Committee felt that the next president should be someone with sufficient stature and influence in the business world with high networking individuals in this country, someone who (presumably) could pick up the phone and influence people to support sport and the Olympic Committee,” said Lewis.

“It was at that point that I made it known to my colleagues that I had the necessary experience, skill and strategic inside workings of the Olympic movement to be a credible candidate for the presidency…Bottom line is that after some strong discussions, we agreed to disagree on the basis of a philosophical difference with regard to what should be the attributes of the next president.

“I didn’t think it was personal and respected their right to have a different opinion. When I made that decision I most probably had one vote which was myself,” he said.

“They gave me sometime to consider it, which was fair...I decided in any event I was not going back up as Secretary General...

“And after careful thought and sober reflection, I decided I was going to run. We agreed to disagree again with no hard feelings. As time went along I put forward a vision of a strategic marketing approach, as it would have been unethical for me to put up a slate because my only disagreement was with the presidency.

“Forty-two national sport organisations in the membership affiliated to TTOC had to be financial at the Annual General Meeting… 34 were present and financial, plus 11 executive members made up voting list on the day, May 6.

“But I had done my own campaigning, went out to national sport organisations, people wanted to know about the money situation. I took a more holistic approach that money and fundraising were one aspect of a strategic marketing approach. We needed to transform the sport sector into one that was marketing oriented, and rather than begging for a fish, let’s teach others how to fish,” he said.

And so he worked for it, and he succeeded in his bid.

Now in the president’s seat, what does this hardworking and dedicated, but very calm and collected member of the TTOC see for his 2013-2017 term?

“I would like to see that the TTOC would have contributed to the transformation of the TT sports sector. The sports sector needs to evolve and become self sustaining and self generating from an economic point of view.

“Above all, I would want to see us exceed our London 2012 Olympic performances in 2016 in Brazil,” he said.

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The legal contest between the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) and the 2006 “Soca Warriors” was officially declared at an end yesterday by TTFF president Raymond Tim Kee.

But the matter of Germany 2006 World Cup revenue still being unaccounted for in the wake of the players’ maiden World Cup campaign may not be over.

In fact, there could be legal repercussions for embattled former Minister of National Security Jack Warner--also an ex-Caribbean Football Union (CFU) and CONCACAF president--who was last month accused by a CONCACAF committee of mismanaging funds.

During yesterday’s press conference at the Hasely Crawford Stadium’s VIP Lounge to announce the TTFF’s settlement with the players—the sum of which is still undisclosed, both parties said, due to players’ security concerns—Tim Kee hinted that there might be legal action taken by the Federation depending on what ongoing CONCACAF investigations find.

“From our understanding, TTFF is very much a part of CONCACAF, and in pursuit of (CONCACAF’s) uncovering and investigating all the goings-on in the past, Trinidad and Tobago has not been exempted from that,” Tim Kee said yesterday during the event. “I believe that that arm will be extended to the TTFF, where the forensics and all the investigations will be done. That is a big one that my mouth is not quite capable of biting and chewing. That’s bigger than me.
“The investigations will reveal something, and based on that, we’ll have to take appropriate actions.”

Tim Kee said when he was chosen to head the TTFF last year, he “dreamed of the day and time” when he would be able to help settle the players’ matter. To him the issue was a “vexatious” one over the last seven years, and he feels now that the matter is settled, T&T football can move on to a “glorious future”.

“This journey for me is not about dollars and cents. It is about the future of our football,” Tim Kee said. “This journey for me is about trust and loyalty. It is about commitment and accountability. At the end of today the road we have travelled must speak for how well we care for and love our football players, our entertainers.”

Then, after explaining that promising talks were held with FIFA president Sepp Blatter in March, and with CONCACAF head Jeffrey Webb in terms of assisting the debt-ridden Federation, Tim Kee said Webb brought to his attention unclaimed funds associated with T&T’s failed World Cup 2014 campaign, including TV rights. Immediately, he added, he earmarked the funds to clear the debt to the players.

The TTFF president invited T&T’s former footballers to “come back home” and contribute to the national game, before taking the time to say sorry.

Said Tim Kee: “I want to sincerely apologise, most sincerely apologise for the pain which you (the players) have had to endure over those years. I want to ask you to come and join the pleasure which together we can bring as we take Trinidad football once again into the glorious days and into that new global era.”

Tim Kee also promised the Federation’s “120-something” creditors that the TTFF is actively seeking to become sustainably self-sufficient, and will pay off its debts.

“(These are) debts that are mind-boggling because some are small and some not so small. But things have to be paid off. And I can promise you that we are not going to enjoy one cup of soda before we (settle) our debts with the people who had entrusted their service and their own investment, their own money in supporting us in the past.”

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After seven years of legal wrangling with the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF), the 13 2006 “Soca Warriors” can breathe a sigh of relief that the “nightmare” is over.

So said Brent Sancho, whose voice had been chief among those seeking to recover bonuses connected with their World Cup 2006 campaign. They achieved victory in their 2007 arbitration ruling by the Sports Dispute Resolution Panel (SDRP) and subsequently two awards of interim payments in the High Court over three years ago.

But only yesterday, with the intervention of the TTFF’s most recent president Raymond Tim Kee, the matter with the players was finally settled, with previously unclaimed television rights money and other funds associated with T&T’s failed World Cup 2014 campaign, according to TTFF officials.

Sancho was front and centre with Tim Kee and new general TTFF general secretary Sheldon Phillips, who recently replaced Richard Groden after the latter stepped down from the post.

Now, with the anniversary of T&T’s first World Cup match looming—it will be seven years since T&T faced Sweden in Germany on June 8, 2006—the dreadlocked former defender says the players can finally savour memories of the occasion.

“I think this June 8 will be looked at very differently, said Sancho. “When you look back at what has transpired over these seven years when we were basically ignored by the then Federation, and the treatment that we received, I think in June we can look forward to some of the memories in Germany.

“I know that is something (great)… we’ve never been able to enjoy that. This has been a nightmare for seven years for us.”
Sancho thanked Tim Kee and the TTFF for finally settling the matter, as well as the players’ legal team, the public for their support, and even the media for keeping the matter highlighted in the public.

He also accepted Tim Kee’s apology for the “pain” the players have endured over the seven-year period, and accepted the latter’s offer to play a testimonial match against the 1989 “Strike Squad”.

“Some of us would’ve lost our international careers through blacklisting and through retirement,” Sancho said. “For many of us we never got the opportunity to leave the stage with a bow. This is a tremendous gesture. We are looking forward to the game.”

Ex-goalkeeper Kelvin Jack, who was also one of the biggest voices representing the players, called the settlement a “big relief”.

“It’s a new chapter now in Trinidad and Tobago Football,” he said. “It’s all positive, and I hope that the new Federation will lead us back to where we were back in 2006.”

Jack said T&T football has gone back “quite a long way”, but was confident that it can recover because of a wealth of talent locally. Still, he feels it will be “very, very difficult”.

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Kelly-Ann Baptiste emerged victorious in her first 200 metres race this season, the Trinidad and Tobago sprinter getting home first in the National Training Centre (NTC) Classic women’s half-lap event, in Florida, USA, on Saturday.

Baptiste clocked a wind-assisted 22.63 seconds, a strong 6.3 metres per second following wind pushing her to the line.

Keston Bledman stopped the clock at 10.14 seconds to finish first in heat one in the men’s 100m preliminaries. The race was the T&T sprinter’s 2013 individual opener.

In the final, Bledman was a non-finisher. The Express has been informed, though, that the double Olympic medallist is not injured.

Machel Cedenio seized silver in the men’s 400m, the 2013 Carifta Games boys’ under-20 champion clocking 46.66 seconds to finish behind Kenya’s Alfas Kishoyan (46.61).

Moriba Morain clocked a wind-aided 21.10 seconds, for second spot in the men’s 200m “B” race.

On Sunday, at the Belem Grand Prix, in Brazil, T&T’s Rondel Sorrillo snapped up silver in the men’s 100m dash in 10.28 seconds. Marc Burns finished fourth in 10.51, the same time clocked by his fifth-placed fellow-T&T sprinter, Emmanuel Callender.

Mikel Thomas bagged bronze in the men’s 110m hurdles, the T&T athlete getting to the line in 13.77 seconds.

At a meet in Baie Mahault, Guadeloupe, last Wednesday, Sorrillo topped the men’s 100m field in 10.21 seconds.

Jehue Gordon was also impressive, the T&T athlete clocking 49.05 seconds—his fastest time this season—to finish second in the men’s 400m hurdles. Gordon is sixth on the 2013 world performance list.

Jereem Richards finished second in a men’s 400m event in 47.30 seconds.

Reubin Walters was second in the boys’ under-20 110m hurdles in 13.91. In the men’s 400m hurdles “B” race, Walters got home in 53.51 seconds to cop third spot.

Ayanna Alexander produced a 13.67 metres effort to secure bronze in the women’s triple jump.

Michelle-Lee Ahye got home in 23.59 seconds to finish fourth in the women’s 200m. And in the men’s 110m hurdles, Thomas clocked 13.50 seconds to earn fifth spot.

Alexander was back in action on the weekend, at the Virginia Challenge, in the United States. The T&T athlete won the women’s triple jump with a 13.70m effort.

St Augustine’s College junior, Jameel Walcott returned a time of one minute, 53.26 seconds to finish 12th overall in the men’s 800m.

At the Oxy-Lu Last Chance Qualifier, in California, Magnolia Howell completed a rare treble, winning the women’s 100 “B” race in 11.77 seconds, the 200m in 24.08 and the 400m in a personal best 53.45.

Deborah John struck gold at the Summit League Championships, in Indiana. The North Dakota State University junior clocked 13.75 seconds to capture the women’s 100m hurdles crown. In the preliminaries, John got to the line in 13.68. The T&T athlete also competed in the 100m flat event, finishing seventh in the final in 12.26 seconds—27-hundredths of a second slower than the 11.99 she had clocked in the qualifying round.

At the Big Sky Conference Championships, in Oregon, Portland State University’s Geronne Black won the women’s 100m title in 11.57 seconds.

Steve Waithe grabbed gold in the men’s triple jump, at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships. The Shippensburg University student produced a winning effort of 15.48m. In the long jump, Waithe was fourth with a 6.94m leap.

At the Abilene Christian Oliver Jackson Twilight meet, in Texas, Reyare Thomas captured the women’s sprint double. She won the 100m in a wind-assisted 11.38 seconds, and the 200m in a windy 23.04. In the men’s 400m, Abilene Christian University student, Osei Alleyne-Forte was fourth in 47.88.

Emanuel Mayers secured silver in the Georgia Tech Invitational men’s 400m hurdles in 50.34 seconds.

At the Sun Belt Conference Championships, in Florida, Kashef Daniel finished second in the men’s high jump, the Arkansas State University junior getting over the bar at 2.05m. Middle Tennessee State University sprinter, Kendall Bacchus was 17th overall in the men’s 100m in 10.84 seconds and 23rd in the 200m in 21.81.

At the Atlantic Sun Championships, in Florida, Jacksonville University senior, Akeela Bravo earned silver in the women’s shot put with a 12.98m throw. She was fourth in the hammer throw (49.68m), but fouled out of the discus competition.

In Ohio, Alena Brooks was fourth in the Big 10 Championship women’s 800m final in 2:09.70. The University of Minnesota student had clocked 2:08.31 in the qualifying round. University of Iowa’s Carisa Leacock finished seventh in the women’s triple jump with a wind-aided 12.19m effort, and 14th in the long jump (5.57m).

Samantha Shukla got home in 4:32.71 to finish fourth in the women’s 1,500m event, at the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Championships, in Iowa. The Wichita State University student was 11th in the 5,000m (17:39.03) and 12th in the 800m (2:16.21). Wichita State sprinter, Aaron Leung Woo-Gabriel finished 16th overall in the men’s 200m in a windy 22.59 seconds and 17th in the 100m in 11.10.

At the Incarnate Word Last Chance meet, in Texas, Ade Alleyne-Forte was fourth in the men’s 400m in 47.27 seconds.
Coppin State University freshman, Deandra Daniel cleared the bar at 1.71m to finish ninth in the women’s high jump, at the ECAC & IC4A Championships, in New Jersey. Temple University sophomore, Kiersten LaRoche was 10th in the women’s long jump with a 5.68m leap. Haysean Cowie-Clarke finished 11th overall in the men’s 100m, the Coppin State freshman getting to the line in 10.81 seconds. And Delaware State University’s Kevaughn Laviea was 32nd in the men’s 400m hurdles in 1:01.62.

At the Pac-12 Championships, in California, Shawna Fermin clocked 53.36 seconds to book a lane in the women’s 400m final. However, the Washington State University student did not face the starter in the championship race.

And at the Conference USA Championships, in Texas, University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) senior, Kyron Joseph was 13th overall in the men’s 200m in 22.09 seconds.

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Dexter St Louis won twice on the opening day of the World Table Tennis Championships, in Paris, France, yesterday, to earn a berth in the men’s singles qualification knockout draw.

The France-based Trinidad and Tobago player topped group 71 with victories over Kazakhstan’s Timur Kelbuganov and Peru’s Juan Luperdi.

St Louis was extended to seven games by Kelbuganov, the France-based southpaw winning 11-7, 15-13, 9-11, 10-12, 13-11, 9-11, 11-8. He had things a lot easier against Luperdi, St Louis dismissing the Peruvian 11-7, 11-4, 11-9, 11-4.

The other T&T player in the men’s singles, Anthony Corbin lost twice in group 18, and was eliminated. Corbin was defeated by Macau’s Kin Wa Leong, the England-based player losing 5-11, 4-11, 12-14, 8-11. And in his showdown with India’s Soumyajit Ghosh, Corbin was beaten at 7, 5, 6 and 7.

Rheann Chung won her opening match in group 56 of the women’s singles event. The France-based T&T player made light work of Malta’s Therese Genovese, cruising past her opponent 11-1, 11-9, 11-8, 11-3.

Chung will be back on the table today for her showdown with Costa Rican Denisse Navarro. At stake will be a spot in the women’s singles qualification knockout draw.

St Louis and Chung will combine today for a mixed doubles main draw duel with Adrien Mattenet and Alice Abbat, of France. And in the men’s doubles preliminary round draw, St Louis and Corbin square off against England’s Liam Pitchford and Samuel Walker.

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