By Marlon Munroe
The executives of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) at a recent emergency meeting decided to withdraw the Lady Jaguars team from the July 22-31 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, mainly because of financial constraints.
It was also taken into consideration that the football team is currently preparing for another round of World Cup qualifiers, on a home and away basis with Cuba.
General Secretary of the GFF Noel Adonis had previously told Stabroek Sport that the team’s presence at the championships would have been “dependent on necessity” especially since the GFF had expended funds from its bankroll to ensure the Lady Jags participation in tournaments and qualifiers for the World Cup.
At that time he had said that the GFF was trying to acquire funds from both government and the corporate community since it did not have the financial resources at present.
Yesterday in an email from Adonis, he stated, “In the absence of funding from the GOA, the Government, and corporate Guyana, the GFF which to date has expended in excess of US$150,000 for the team’s participation in the Gold and World Cup qualification, had to take the decision to withdraw from the Games.
“It is regrettable that when our national representative teams qualify for such high level participation in regional and international tournaments that the support of all sectors and agencies concerned with the promotion and development of sport in Guyana is not readily forthcoming,” Adonis added in the correspondence.
Director of Sport Neil Kumar had told Stabroek Sport that “government will be giving its unflinching support to the associations and the GOA for their presence to be felt in Puerto Rico.”
Kumar hangs up
But contacted by Stabroek Sport yesterday for a comment on what he had previously said Kumar hung up his phone without commenting.
Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) president K Juman Yassin when contacted yesterday said that it was regrettable that the footballers will not represent Guyana. He said he felt disappointed but acknowledged that he understood the federation’s position.
The GOA had only budgeted $5M for assisting the various sports associations which were likely to participate in Puerto Rico. On the other hand, the GOA had not budgeted for football since it had not yet been known if the team had qualified for the CAC Games.
Meanwhile, according to word coming out of the Organización Deportiva Centroamericana y del Caribe (ODECABE)/Central American and Caribbean Sports Organization (CACSO), the organising bodies for the CAC Games, there are 12 sporting disciplines which will not appear at the games.
In an email it was noted that “CACSO authorized for this occasion (CAC Games) to allow as an official event and to count on the medal board all the sports that have four (4) competitors of equal numbers of National Olympic Committees.
“After the nominal registration, it indicates that there are 12 sports that have events with entries of only three (3) National Olympic Committees or less. Therefore CACSO issues this resolution to inform of the events that shall be eliminated from the Games Competition Programme,” the statement read.
The disciplines are diving, canoe and kayak, modern penthalon, artistic roller skating, wrestling, judo, rhythmic gymnastics, archery, trampoline and sailing.
