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HEAD of the Guyana Olympic Association, K.A Juman-Yassin, on Friday night reiterated that his association’s decision is justified in its decision with the selection of the six-member team that represented Guyana at the London 2012 Olympics. He also emphasised the fact that local sports associations are not getting the kind of support (financial) they need from the government.
Juman-Yassin made these remarks while addressing awardees at the Guyana Olympic Association’s (GOA) Appreciation and Awards Ceremony which was held at the Georgetown Club on Friday night.
The long-serving GOA head said no financial assistance was given to his organisation to support the team’s travel to or accommodation expenses in London.
The Attorney-at-Law reminded the audience that for any athlete to qualify for any Games, that athlete must make the qualifying standard set by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and that was the criterion used in selecting the six-member team that went to London to represent the Golden Arrowhead.
After not winning medals at the London 2012 Olympics, there was some unsavoury comments by members of the public as to who should have been Guyana’s representative in the women’s 400m at the Games, but Juman-Yassin pointed out that three-time Olympian and US-based Guyanese Aliann Pompey had returned the qualifying time and her name was submitted to the IOC by the March 23 deadline.
However, he said some persons believe that the choice should have been another US-based Guyanese in 17-year-old Kadecia Baird who, just before the London Olympics, clocked 51.04s for the 400m.
He stated that while Guyana did not win any medals, one has to take into consideration that our athletes continue to compete against other athletes who are far better-off in terms of facilities, as it relates to their respective disciplines as well as they get their government’s support.
Pompey, he said, works eight hours a day and then goes and trains while other athletes around the world are being paid to train.
“We got no medals, yes, but let us look at the stats; 204 countries participated at the London 2012 Games, 109 won no medals (including Guyana); in track and field only 41 countries won medals with only nine winning medals in field events.”
He also pointed out that of the 19 countries that were represented in the swimming events, only 10 countries won medals.
In Judo he said, only 23 countries won medals.
The other members of the Guyana contingent to the London Games were track athletes Winston George, Jeremey Bascom, swimmers Niall Roberts and Whitney Van Lange and judoka Raul Lall.
Juman-Yassin took the opportunity to congratulate the recipients of awards, stating that they have helped in the development of Guyana’s young athletes. He also thanked the associations affiliated to the GOA for re-electing him to the position of president for another term.
Meanwhile, the report on the association’s performance for the year 2012 was presented by Administrative Secretary Shanomae Blackmore who reported that to date G$62M has so far been spent on the Association’s Olympic Complex currently being constructed at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.
Blackmore pointed out that currently the GOA is paying a rent of US$1000 per month for the building they occupy in High Street Kingston and a committee, which was set up to oversee the construction of the facility on the East Coast, is very satisfied with the work completed so far.
GOA vice-president Noel Adonis, earlier in the night introduced the awardees among whom were Guyana National Rifle Association’s Richard Fields, Guyana Weightlifting Association’s Frank Tucker, former president of the Guyana Table Tennis Association Beni Sankar and Avenash Ramzan who copped the Sport-Journalist-of-the-Year 2012 award.
Juman-Yassin made these remarks while addressing awardees at the Guyana Olympic Association’s (GOA) Appreciation and Awards Ceremony which was held at the Georgetown Club on Friday night.
The long-serving GOA head said no financial assistance was given to his organisation to support the team’s travel to or accommodation expenses in London.
The Attorney-at-Law reminded the audience that for any athlete to qualify for any Games, that athlete must make the qualifying standard set by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and that was the criterion used in selecting the six-member team that went to London to represent the Golden Arrowhead.
After not winning medals at the London 2012 Olympics, there was some unsavoury comments by members of the public as to who should have been Guyana’s representative in the women’s 400m at the Games, but Juman-Yassin pointed out that three-time Olympian and US-based Guyanese Aliann Pompey had returned the qualifying time and her name was submitted to the IOC by the March 23 deadline.
However, he said some persons believe that the choice should have been another US-based Guyanese in 17-year-old Kadecia Baird who, just before the London Olympics, clocked 51.04s for the 400m.
He stated that while Guyana did not win any medals, one has to take into consideration that our athletes continue to compete against other athletes who are far better-off in terms of facilities, as it relates to their respective disciplines as well as they get their government’s support.
Pompey, he said, works eight hours a day and then goes and trains while other athletes around the world are being paid to train.
“We got no medals, yes, but let us look at the stats; 204 countries participated at the London 2012 Games, 109 won no medals (including Guyana); in track and field only 41 countries won medals with only nine winning medals in field events.”
He also pointed out that of the 19 countries that were represented in the swimming events, only 10 countries won medals.
In Judo he said, only 23 countries won medals.
The other members of the Guyana contingent to the London Games were track athletes Winston George, Jeremey Bascom, swimmers Niall Roberts and Whitney Van Lange and judoka Raul Lall.
Juman-Yassin took the opportunity to congratulate the recipients of awards, stating that they have helped in the development of Guyana’s young athletes. He also thanked the associations affiliated to the GOA for re-electing him to the position of president for another term.
Meanwhile, the report on the association’s performance for the year 2012 was presented by Administrative Secretary Shanomae Blackmore who reported that to date G$62M has so far been spent on the Association’s Olympic Complex currently being constructed at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.
Blackmore pointed out that currently the GOA is paying a rent of US$1000 per month for the building they occupy in High Street Kingston and a committee, which was set up to oversee the construction of the facility on the East Coast, is very satisfied with the work completed so far.
GOA vice-president Noel Adonis, earlier in the night introduced the awardees among whom were Guyana National Rifle Association’s Richard Fields, Guyana Weightlifting Association’s Frank Tucker, former president of the Guyana Table Tennis Association Beni Sankar and Avenash Ramzan who copped the Sport-Journalist-of-the-Year 2012 award.
