GUYANA’S eight-member delegation for the Central American and Caribbean Body Building championships was cut down to six members from the initial eight after two positive PCR tests.
According to a release from the Guyana Amateur Body Building and Fitness Federation (GABBFF) the team was also hampered by visa issues but arrived in El Salvador on Thursday (Guyana time). Apart from the two positive team members, the coach of the team was advised not to travel as he was in close proximity to the duo.

VISA ISSUES
Prior to departure, the body had checked travel requirements to the South American country, also confirming with the El Salvador Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation and the Central America and Caribbean Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (CACBBFF).
Both agencies confirmed that no VISA was needed to enter the country, but rather, the members of the delegation would have to purchase a ‘Tourist Card’ upon arrival.
Nevertheless, the GBBFF obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, under the signature of the Permanent Secretary, a correspondence, addressed to the relevant authorities in El Salvador, explaining that, if necessary, the members of the delegation will purchase their visas upon arrival in El Salvador.
The GBBFF sent 4 (four) of its members to the Airport on the morning of August 10, 2021.

At the airport the members, inclusive of the coach Videsh Sookram, was told by the COPA Airline that they cannot board the flight because they would require an El Salvador Visa.
This sudden change in events led to GBBFF immediately contacting the CACBBFF for clarity on the matter but for a prolonged period there was no reply from the CACBBFF.
Contact was made with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and all requested information about the team was submitted to the relevant authorities. Eventually CACBBFF and the El Salvador Federation reached out to the GBBFF with an official document from the El Salvador Federation giving clearance for the 8 (eight) athletes of the delegation to enter El Salvador but did not include the names of the president of the GBBFF, its coach and other delegation members.
Immediately they were both contacted and informed that the said official document was missing 5 other names.

At this point the GABBFF continued to follow up with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation and also contacted the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport to ascertain if direct contact could have been made with the Immigration Ministry in El Salvador. Nevertheless, the members of the delegation with American Visa travelled to El Salvador with American Airlines and arrived at the official hotel at about 23:30hrs (El Salvador time (two hours behind Guyana) on the 12th day of August, 2021. After a 23-hour journey that consisted of several delays and several connecting flights, the delegation arrived in El Salvador. Competition gets on its way today with weigh-in having wrapped up yesterday. The president of the GABBFF, Keavon Bess, will now assume responsibilities of coach and manager of the delegation while already serving as its head of delegation.
Bess registered his disappointment with the CACBBFF and the El Salvador Body Building and Fitness Federation.