Manager and coach of middle distance athlete Alika Morgan, Leslie Blacks yesterday expressed his disappointment at the decision taken by the National Sports Commission (NSC) in giving the Junior Sportswoman of the Year award to table tennis player Trenace Lowe ahead of Morgan.
“Panel members don’t know nothing about sports. There should be persons on the panel who are well acquainted with all the sports and the different sports personalities,” Blacks told Stabroek Sport.
The manager and coach also contended that the focus is not so much on athletics and so the athletes are treated poorly. He believes that the panelling system operates on a “who know who” basis.
Blacks said he’s glad that Cleveland Forde won the Sportsman of the Year award because it would be of benefit to him in reaching the Olympic level.
However, Blacks de-clared, he knows of a young man who could have better won the award.
He is advocating that the system should be changed so the persons who are elected to sit on the panel would be persons who are well acquainted with each sport.
According to Blacks, 15-year-old Morgan was very disappointed in the decision made since her performance should have been placed way above other female athletes.
In 2006 Morgan copped 28 gold medals and two silver medals. She has accomplished a total of 110 miles in competitions, excluding training and has performed at both junior and senior levels with outstanding results.
In addition, Blacks said that Morgan worked hard towards winning and she ended 2006 by gaining the gold medal in the CARICOM 10Km championship.
