LABA to recognise GABF suspension of players

AFTER rejecting the suspension of Dwayne Roberts and Shane Webster by the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF), the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA) has agreed to make sure the suspension of players is carried out after a meeting between the two custodians of the game last Sunday. 

Roberts, who plays for Retrieve Raiders, and Amelia’s Ward Jets centre Webster were teammates on Guyana’s senior National Men’s basketball team that participated at the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC).
Despite the team finishing a creditable sixth place, the off-the-court gimmicks and rebellion against the Nigel Hinds-led GABF, due to stipend owed, led to the entire team receiving fines and suspension; some more severe than others.
Webster was fined $40 000 for dissent and for keeping their uniforms which, if he does not return by February 1, 2015 an additional $70 000 will be added.
Roberts, according to the GABF, played a leading role in usurping the authority of management and refused to return any uniform and was suspended for one year and fined $80 000. An additional fine of $70 000 will be imposed on the dominant power forward if he fails to honour the stipulated deadline.
However, LABA was reluctant to honour the suspension of the players who play for clubs affiliated to them, owing to the fact that LABA wasn’t written to directly and only learnt of the suspension via the media.
But the source told Chronicle Sport that the GABF president, along with Dennis Clarke, visited the mining community and held a meeting with LABA.
Clarke’s presence was questioned since he holds no affiliation to the GABF but sat in the deliberation between the country’s governing body and its sub-association.
“LABA questioned certain irregularities on how the decision to suspend the players came about and why the players weren’t called into a meeting and placed before a disciplinary committee,” the source said.
Also, the source said, that LABA was curious about the involvement of Michael Singh, president of the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) who had resigned and publically renounced his ties to basketball in Guyana but sat in the meeting which was held to suspend the players.
The source pointed out that it’s their understanding that Hinds told LABA that the GABF did not accept Singh’s resignation though the Linden body asked why this information was not given the same prominence like the player’s suspension in the media.
With regard to the Coaches Report, the source said that when LABA asked why the assistant coach Kevin Joseph wasn’t invited to give a report LABA was told that Mark Agard gave a verbal report. “I never heard of any decision coming off a verbal report from a coach yet.”
Nonetheless, LABA, according to the source, will adhere to the GABF’s suspension of the players but will address all matters when the General Council meets in September.
Nigel Hinds when contacted and asked to comment on the meeting, told Chronicle Sport, “Ask LABA to comment. I think they will be in a better position”.
While LABA secretary Joe Chapman could not be reached for a comment, president Haslyn Graham said that he was ignorant of any of the facts of the meeting but said that he should be receiving an update from Chapman and the other executives who were present at the meeting.

(By Rawle Toney )

 

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