Guyana will be sending an eight-member squad to take part in the 3rd Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India from October 12-18.
And speaking exclusively to Stabroek Sport President of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) KA Juman Yassin said on their part everything is in order.
Juman Yassin said that the GOA along with the organizing committee for the games will be funding the tickets for the athletes who will be taking part.
The boxers are Akeem Alexander, Cleveland Rocke, Stefan Gouveia and Herlando Allicock while the table tennis team is made up of females Trenace Lowe, Michelle John and Ambrose Thomas and lone male Nigel Bryan.
Tiffany Blair was originally selected in front of Bryan but because of her commitment to sit the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) examination in 2009 she opted out of the team.
Additionally the coaches of the two groups who will also double as managers will have their accommodation and meals looked after by the host but they will have to finance their own tickets. However, the tickets for the athletes will be financed by the Guyana Olympic Association in addition to their meals and accommodation.
The coaches are Linden Lawrence in table tennis and Carl Franklyn in boxing. And accompanying the team is President of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) Affeeze Khan.
“GABA and the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) were informed long ago that they would have to find airfares for the coaches,” Juman Yassin said. He added that Guyana was afforded two officials by the organizing committee of the games. Regarding the airfare to India, the president of GABA at a previous press conference stated that nearly $400,000 would be needed to carry the coach to India.
Juman Yassin added that today is the deadline for the submission of the names of all persons who are to be accredited by the games. This accreditation will act as visas saving the athletes from going into the Indian High Commission here in Guyana to secure visas but this is no guarantee that the athletes will receive the in-transit United States visas. The whole team is scheduled to go to the US Embassy on September 15 in order to acquire visas.
Meanwhile the Chef-de-Mission has been identified as General Secretary of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) Dr. Karen Pilgrim and her airfare as well as accommodation and meals will be provided by the GOA.
Juman Yassin added that the GOA will be providing a small stipend to the athletes while they are in India and GABA President, Khan, also called on well wishers and family members to give to the athletes so that they can bring home tokens from India.
These games are geared especially for youths and athletes born before 1990 will be ineligible to take part in the seven-day meet.
