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Friday, June 19, 2009

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No-shows could spoil the first ever Caribbean Games By FRED STURRUP ~ NG Associate Editor ~ frederick@nasguard.com: Who are the possible no-shows for the first Caribbean Games, scheduled for July 12-19 in Trinidad & Tobago? The list reads like a who's who, actually. Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell, Shelly Ann-Fraser, Kerron Stewart, Sherone Simpson, Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica, Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago, Churandy Martina of the Netherlands Antilles and the Bahamian stars led by Chris Brown and Leevan Sands thus far, cannot be penciled in to participate. I get updates regularly from the Games Organizing Committee and the appearances of those power brokers in the region have not been confirmed. The Jamaicans aforementioned stormed through the Beijing Olympics last year, cementing that country's great legacy on the big stage. Bolt, of course, won three gold medals (100, 200 and sprint relay in world record time). Fraser won the women's 100 meters while her compatriots Stewart and Simpson tied for the silver. Campbell-Brown repeated her 200 meters gold from Athens four years earlier. Thompson ran second in the 100 meters in the great time of 9.89, overshadowed of course by Bolt's 9.69. Martina placed fourth with Walter Dix of the United States stopping a Caribbean sweep. Thus far, here at home, the Bahamas Association of Athletics Associations is waiting until the upcoming Nationals event is completed before confirming the local entrants. Boxing, tennis, volleyball and netball will be included in the games also but track and field will be the glamor category. As such, if the organizing committee cannot lure the big names to compete, the inaugural competition for elite Caribbean athletes will be somewhat of a bust. I understand that Bolt has agreed to put in an appearance but not as a competitor. Herein lies the problem for the Caribbean Games. The regional sports leaders who are spearheading the games ought to be mindful of the West Indies Federation Games. That entity was one-and-out. As expressed in this space before, patriotism will not win the day for the games. There is no doubt that all of the elite athletes of the Caribbean are patriotic and love their background. The big issue today though is finance. This is a different era. In previous decades, regional athletes simply, for the most part, depended upon just physical training and hoped to not get injured before competition. Now, it is a costly venture for them to reach peak condition to be competitive with their world peers. They need a doctor, a nutritionist, a physiotherapist, a personal trainer, and in many cases an agent. They all have to be paid. In essence, the elite Caribbean athlete is now a small company with like responsibilities. To expect them all to give up on opportunities on the lucrative European circuit just because of the name, Caribbean Games, is a bit of a folly. I think appearance fees to entice the top flight Caribbean athletes might be the way to go for future games. Friday, June 19, 2009