TWO recently published reports about young promising Guyanese backstroke swimmer Delroy Tyrrell, who previously resided in Trinidad and Tobago, has caught the attention of viewers who are dumbfounded to understand the reason(s) behind him being ineligible to represent the country of his birth, Guyana.

First, in the Stabroek News on August 14, President of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association Dwayne Scott first proclaimed: “The nationality issue is with World Aquatics. Mr. Tyrrell got a response from World Aquatics on the matter. The nationality requirements must be evidently met for this to apply. GASA doesn’t control that, but more so Mr. Tyrrell himself.

You must first meet those criteria, one of which is you must be resident of Guyana, and that residency must be in excess of one year.
That has not been fulfilled, that is the key one. You can do what you want in and around Guyana, but your residency must be fulfilled.
You have to provide proof of residency; that’s the most major requirement, and you can’t say that you’re living in Guyana, but you’re in residency in the US, and you’re swimming in the US. This is on record because you’re swimming as a collegiate in the US. What do you think that World Aquatics will assess it as?”

Then on August 16, in the Kaieteur News, Scott reported: “GASA has already submitted all necessary documents to the sports global governing body and it is awaiting written confirmation regarding when Tyrrell will be eligible to compete.”
Scott further stated “Tyrrell must wait 12 months for the change in a national association to take effect, while saying the swimmer has been representing two different clubs over the past year.
But this club representation claim was debunked by the Delroy Tyrrell who said Scott had signed on to documents that he was representing the Dorado Swim Club, and he challenged such a statement that the swimmer had been swimming for more than one club over the past year.
On July 27, 2023 Tyrrell met with Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson (Jr.) where in attendance were the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) President Godfrey Munroe and Scott among others, where Tyrrell’s objective to represent Guyana was ventilated.
At the end of that meeting according to Delroy Tyrrell a document was prepared to be sent to World Aquatics to expedite him representing Guyana.

In that document which was signed, according to Tyrrell by the GASA President, were clear references pointing out his nationality and that he last represented Trinidad and Tobago in 2022.
Speaking to this newspaper yesterday Delroy Tyrrell said his birth certificate and his residency giving clearance was sent to World Aquatics, which was signed by the GASA President Dwayne Scott.
However, when the Tyrrell family contacted World Aquatics recently they were told that no such submission was made concerning Delroy Tyrrell’s application to switch allegiance to represent Guyana. In light of this Tyrrell’s family wants to know if the promised document from GASA was sent last year, following that meeting with Minister Ramson (Jr.) in July, why until now World Aquatics response was one which indicates GASA did not make such a request?

A distraught Delroy Tyrrell reiterated yesterday to Chronicle Sport: “There was a document that said that I had completed all the necessary requirements to represent Guyana, and Mr. Scott signed the paper, so I am really confused as to how now he can say, that I do not have any of the requirements. Scott a year ago signed that document saying that I am eligible to represent Guyana.”

Tyrrell had set a new 50m backstroke National record when he swam representing the Dorado Swim Speed club in Couva in Trinidad and Tobago on the 18th May, at the National Aquatic Centre in Trinidad, beating the previous record set by Raekwon Noel, which was 27.31, replacing it with his 27.05secinds.

So, one wonders therefore (1) if that document which was prepared outlining Delroy Tyrrell’s eligibility was sent, and (2) if so why then would Scott say he has not fulfilled basic requirements to represent Guyana?
However, the lingering question is why Delroy Tyrrell has not been given clearance to represent Guyana.

Mr. Dwayne Scott the GASA President could not be reached for comment since attempts to locate him proved futile and it is believed that he is currently out of the country.