… Asks Michelangelo Jacobus

BEFORE I get to the crux of the story; let me put you the reader into perspective.

We are just eight days away from the Elite Caribbean Cycling Championships which will be held in the Dominican Republic from October 13 to 14. Bermuda and other Caribbean countries have already named their respective cyclists who will be gunning for top honours two weeks prior to the said Championships.

Now, let me paint the Guyanese picture for you. Cycling is one of the most active sport disciplines, in Guyana. Almost every weekend, sometimes twice, there are competitive meets in the National Park, road races and individual time trials throughout the length and breadth of this beautiful country of ours.

The main aim of our young, upcoming and incredibly talented cyclists is to represent the ‘Golden Arrowhead’ on the international stage; this is not easily realised. Even though the talent is there, cycling is an incredibly expensive sport’ a proper racing bike is easily US$10,000-US$13,000 – the price of a car in Guyana.

The bike aside, travelling, accommodation and other equipment relative to cycling are always needed. This is where the problem comes in as the cyclists often have to seek sponsorship to get to Regional or International meets if and when selected by the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF).

Here enters the issue at hand, eleven of Guyana’s most promising cyclists have qualified for the Elite Championships. The Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF), in a correspondence back in August, had revealed that they would be selecting five of the eleven cyclists based on performances from then to a few weeks prior to the Championships.

Here we are, just a week away from the Championships, not a single murmur from the GCF about the five-man team and who have been selected, much less the details of travel arrangements and other key logistics.

Why the secrecy, why the indolence? What is going on in the hierarchy of this federation? Where are we heading in respect to the sport?

These are all questions that require answers from the GCF which is led by the president Horace Burrowes.

He is overseas-based and when contacted, there has never been a response to a text or a call in this age of technology where two persons can communicate with the touch of a finger on a device.

Chronicle Sport keeps in constant communication with cyclists and many of these individuals have said that this is supposed to be the highlight of the year for them. However a cloud of uncertainty now hangs over the Championships.

Back in August, Jamual John, one of Guyana’s most consistent and successful cyclists over the last two years, also one of the eleven qualified persons; had told this publication that it was his hope that the GCF would be timely in their selection process as they would have to go about getting sponsorship.

Now, John is overseas racing on the international circuit where he can be better compensated and appreciated for his talent. Were I in his shoes, I would have surely done the same.

Is it fair to our athletes that these eleven cyclists who train and work tirelessly to be treated like this by a federation that is supposed to have nothing but the best at heart for them?

These eleven cyclists; Andrew Hicks, Christopher Griffith, Curtis Dey, Deeraj Garbarran, Jamual John, Romello Crawford, Silvio Innis, Hamzah Eastman, Paul DeNobrega, Briton John and Alonzo Ambrose have become household names in Guyana and put their all into a sport that they love.

They deserve far better than the GCF is currently doing; Chronicle Sport calls on the GCF to provide answers to the questions asked.

I will be repetitive for the sake of driving the gist of this article home; WHAT IS THE GUYANA CYCLE FEDERATION DOING?