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."