… Yassin seeking re-election, despite being above IOC-recommended age limit

LONG-serving president of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), Kalam Juman-Yassin, seems to be at odds with his executive committee members on several issues related to the important sports institution.

The executives of the GOA are Kalam Juman-Yassin (President), Dr Karen Pilgrim (Vice-President), Godfrey Munroe (Vice-President), Charles Corbin (Vice-President), Garfield Wiltshire (Honorary Treasurer), Hector Edwards (Secretary-General), Deion Nurse (Asst Secretary), Tricia Fiedtkou (Asst. Secretary Treasurer).

In response to a letter sent by Yassin to members of the GOA (associations) on April 29, the executive members collectively chastised Yassin for what they consider an attack on some of the officials, the GOA’s proposed new constitution and several other wide- ranging matters that are considered imperative to the good governance of the institution.

Yassin is the longest-serving sports administrator in Guyana, having held the position of GOA president since December of 1996.

With the GOA elections drawing near, Yassin is seeking re-election, even though it was recommended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), that the Association’s IOC-ratified constitution has an age limit of 70.

Yassin, a former Chief Magistrate, just celebrated his 75th birth anniversary. Yassin is insisting that there should be no age limit.

The letter in response to Yassin’s April 29 missive, seen by Chronicle Sport, pointed out that the new Constitution was drafted by a committee then sent to the IOC for their comments.

Jerome Poivey, the IOC’s Associate Director, Institutional Relations and Governance of the NOC Relations Department, said he had carefully examined the GOA’s draft given the Olympic Charter and the basic principles of good governance.

The Executive Committee Members said all of Poivey’s recommendations which were based on the Olympic Charter were accepted, with one exception – the GOA president.

“Mr Juman-Yassin, with no apparent thought for what this could mean for the future of the association, insists that there should be no age limit,” the executives said.

“While Mr Juman-Yassin is thinking of the possibility of his re-election, the view of the members of the executive is that such a provision is for the good of the organisation. It should be noted that age limits are also included in the IOC Charter for members of the IOC.”

Despite all, the executive members of the GOA said they remain committed to doing all that they were elected to do and will support the president in any decision or initiative that follows the principles of good governance.

Yassin’s tenure of the GOA has been placed under the microscope for several years, as many questioned his motive for wanting to remain as head of the body, even though its success is usually debated.

Meanwhile, Yassin aimed at the GOA Administrative Officer, for her role as Chef-de-Mission for several notable International engagements under the IOC/GOA umbrella.

“The Executive Committee of the GOA is a democratic body, elected to work in the best interest of all affiliates. While the president can, and does influence many of our decisions, we do not believe he should expect to prevail when he is the sole dissenting voice,” the Committee said in their letter to Member Associations.

They further pointed out that “while this is not the first time that we have been made aware of his efforts to malign and discredit some of us (especially by attempting to create the impression that only he supports requests from affiliates), this is the most blatant. We have also had cause to ask him what his problem is with Ms Nalini McKoy. He said he has none.

“We also fully support Ms McKoy as she continues to do her routine work and perform the role of Chef de Mission under these difficult circumstances.”