Jul.23.2010

TRINIDAD and Tobago’s lone Olympic gold medallist Hasely Crawford has been appointed a Sports Ambassador.

The announcement was made yesterday by Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Anil Roberts during the weekly post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair.

Roberts said that the appointment was long overdue as Crawford has put Trinidad and Tobago on the world map and continues to serve his country.

Crawford won the men’s 100 metres sprint at the 1976 Olympics staged In Montreal, Canada.

Roberts also addressed Crawford’s problem of not being able to access freely the Hasely Crawford Stadium at Mucurapo which ironically is named after him.

“We have solved the problem he has been having as nothing was put in place for him to gain access to the facility. Up to recently he had to pay to enter into his own stadium but it has been rectified. We are in the process of providing him a car parking spot and making it official that he can gain access to his stadium whenever he wants free of charge,” Roberts said.

He also indicated that national cricket captain Daren Ganga has also been appointed Sports Ambassador but with specific responsibilities.

“His responsibilities are to create and develop linkages across the globe using his contacts he has developed in countries especially the large trading countries of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa Australia and England,” Roberts said.

He added that Ganga’s responsibilities also included developing sport tourism, business development, sponsorship, sport management rights as the government tries to fulfill their manifesto promise of transforming sport into a viable industry.

Roberts noted that star cricketer Brian Lara and footballer Dwight Yorke will also remain Sports Ambassadors .

The minister also congratulated swimmer George Bovell III on winning a gold medal on Wednesday at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico in a time of 22.23 seconds.

“I would like to say he has made us very proud and I look forward to the other members of the team bringing home much more precious medal,” Roberts said.