THE Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) has announced the cancellation of the Annual Mashramani Meet. The meet was scheduled to be held from today to Sunday February 19. The MASH Meet is the first major meet every year and this year it is being combined with the 2011 Nationals. This Meet was to be the final qualifier for Goodwill and CARIFTA Squad selection.
However, GASA executives had not yet received permission to use the National Aquatic Centre for the Meet. The meets were previously held at the Castellani Pool but use of this pool was halted after the opening of the National Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal.
Overseas-based swimmers Jessica Stephenson and Noelle Smith were expected to participate in the meet and were being notified of the cancellation. The MASH Meet was to also feature swimmers from Moruca, twelve of whom had already travelled to Georgetown.
GASA also announced yesterday that the Council will be called for an emergency session over the weekend to discuss a Motion expected from the Executive relating to the hosting of the Goodwill Swimming Championships in August.
It is expected that the Executive will seek the approval of the Council to notify partner Associations in Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and Suriname that Guyana will no longer be able to host the Meet as a result of ongoing challenges with the use of the National Aquatic Centre.
It is projected that the statutory GASA Council Meeting in April will decide on whether Guyana will be able to keep its commitment to host the CARIFTA Swimming Championships in 2013.