Council member of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) Leslie Black says that if the association wants to move ahead and develop athletes and the association then all involved need to work together.
“If we want to see betterment in athletics we have to work together,” Black said. “We should try to see eye to eye.”
Black who coaches several athletes including Carifta Games gold medallist Jevina Straker, claimed that over the years he and his athletes have not been receiving the respect they deserve from the AAG. To this end, Straker had issued comments expressing her displeasure with the AAG’s actions when she returned from the Carifta Games last week Sunday.
After these comments appeared in the press, AAG President Colin Boyce had surmised that Straker was probably echoing comments made by Black, prompting Black to contact Stabroek Sport to set the record straight.
Asserting that all he coached Straker to do was run, Black said he was upset at the allegations, but was ready to unite with the AAG for the athletes’ sake. “Straker’s comments do not surprise me,” Black said. “But I am just her coach. I am just a push to her. I never told her to say anything. It made me feel bad.”
Black said Straker’s comments stemmed from the treatment she and her parents received from the AAG, and were all her own. Black alleged that at the beginning there was hesitation by the association to send Straker to the meet because she did not make the qualifying time at the trials. However, he said, that should not have been an issue since for the past few years local distance athletes have rarely made the qualifying time at the trials but were still able to go to regional meets and win medals. He said that while the sprinters would make the qualifying times at the trials, they found it hard to bring in victories when competing outside Guyana.
Claims that the AAG ignores the distance athletes to accommodate the sprinters, despite the fact that the latter athletes bring Guyana recognition were dismissed by Boyce as peddling of misinformation. Boyce said this only appeared to be the case because the sprint events garner more hype from audiences and receive more spotlight.
Black admitted that he did not feel it was a case of discrimination against distance athletes but that the AAG needed to pay more attention to the athletes who were bringing home medals.
“I don’t think they [the AAG] have a problem with the athletes, I think they have a problem with me, because I always speak my mind,” Black said.
He then urged that they all put aside their differences and focus on the athletes, and for the athletes and their parents to be shown the love and respect that they deserve. He said that a united front from the association would encourage the corporate sector to support the AAG. (Tamica Garnett)
