Dear Sport Editor,
Oops! They have done it again. And, this time we are not going to sit idly and help stretch the lethargic ineptitude perpetrated.
Oops! might be a delicate exclamatory response to the recent work of the selection panel for the National Sports Commission’s yearly sports awards, but that is where the subtleness ends.
We were forced to sit and think long and hard, through the bungled selections, and we are startled almost to the point of immobility.
But, we have a duty as sports advocates to see justice meted out to the deserving by those who are the, seemingly, trusted and impartial ‘knowledgeables’.
The inconsistency of the selections year after year, is mind boggling.
And, when fingers point to the chamber populated by those we rely on to do the “right thing”, it shatters our ability to ‘pass on’ to and motivate the younger ones.
For the Junior Sportswoman-of-the-Year award, isn’t it time Alika Morgan gets her due?
We have all learnt of this young lady’s exceptional year, and those achievements on any formula are better than those of the winners.
Even though she competed across the board, the accolades for Morgan should be in the juniors, since that is where her age catergorises her.
We recall the Nicolette Fernandes’ debate a few years back when she was considered for the senior and junior categories.
A junior can compete in the Open class, but a senior cannot compete among the juniors, so the appraising should reflect such.
Secondly, how can Marian Burnett’s achievements be so overlooked in the Sportswoman set-up?
She competed admirably at the highest levels in world athletics, yet loses to someone actually her age with lesser feats.
Morgan and Burnett represented Guyana where the region and the world sent their best, and they came out with excellent showings by our nation’s limited standards.
This year’s choices did not so how come, someone like Pan Am bronze medalist Clive Atwell did not get recognition?
We respect the efforts and achievements of our local rugby alliance but, we cannot understand why one of the awards couldn’t have gone, instead, to the football fraternity.
The case we make is that the footballers have been the unsung heroes of Guyanese sports in 2007.
Isn’t it significant enough that the governing body of the world greatest sport (football/soccer) – FIFA – declared last year that Guyana had been the most improved team/greatest mover in the world rankings?
In other societies such an achievement would be lauded immensely.
Was the panel misguided by recent snappish exchanges in the media and, thus exhibited pitiable judgment by referring to those recent happening?
Next, isn’t it prudent to select Dianne Ferreira-James for her international successes, including the Women’s World Cup officiating?
It may the ‘umpteenth’ award, but if others want to dethrone her they have to do similarly, or better. There must be apposite requirements and standards as beacons in this process, and not sorority rewarding.
Similarly, here’s an advocacy or endorsement for an individual or collective award for the principals of the Kashif and Shanghai organization. Isn’t it about time?
The argument will be made about the dependency on nominations. On the other hand, there is awareness of the accommodation given to ‘matters or nominations from the floor’.
Whatever the scenario that transpired on the voting table this past week, the end-products do not reflect well for Guyana.
To err is human; even though it is difficult to fathom errors being made after apparent careful nominations, deliberations and so on, and so on, before selection by more heads than one. However, to err and not repeal thereafter, borders on immorality.
It is no wonder our sports lag behind when compared to other nations we were considered ‘far better than in recent years’. Now, everyone wonders why the collective accomplishments of our sports persons are not at the level of those nations.
We are sending out notices to highlight these ‘crucial’ selections. The debate will grow. At the same time we have catalogued the facts to support the above-mentioned and are willing to share.
We urge the panel to reconsider its selection based on these ‘posits’. It would not only appeal to the ‘shortchanged’ selectees, but the entire sports loving public. We urge the panel to reconvene, do it right, endear yourselves and promote your process as fair.
Like the Britney Spears saga, our glory days of sports could thin out and hit the glare for all the wrong reasons: turmoil at both ends and the possibility of lost jingoism. Karma is watching.
Yours respectfully,
Advocates for Fairness in Sports
