`I don’t want to comment on the issue because I only took over the presidency about a year ago, so I can’t say anything’
President of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) Colin Boyce says he was not immediately aware that Marian Burnett was ill following her participation at the Central American and the Caribbean (CAC) Games, where she represented Guyana in the 800m and the 1500m.
Speaking with Stabroek Sport in a telephone interview yesterday, Boyce stated that it was not until he spoke with Burnett while requesting her to attend the Commonwealth Games that he was informed of the unfavorable condition of her health.
However, Boyce did note that while no probing assessment had been done on the athletics performance at the games since its conclusion, he did have a discussion with team manger Branford Burke where they discussed issues pertaining to what transpired at the games.
In an article published in yesterday’s edition, Burnett, in an exclusive interview with Stabroek Sport, related why she opted out of representing Guyana at the Commonwealth Games.
She also vented the frustrations that she has faced in representing Guyana on the international stage.
The 34-year-old explained that subsequent to her participation at CAC, she fell ill and despite her willingness to take part in the Commonwealth Games, her doctor advised against it. As such, she said, since she was in no position to give of her best it would be useless for her to attend the upcoming Games.
“If I can’t go and run my best and get a personal best or get a medal, then there’s no point in going. I don’t want to be there just to say look I was there and I represented Guyana, if I can’t give of my best then what’s the use, so I said I just don’t want to be there. I just told him (Boyce) that I’m not fit right now,” Burnett explained.
The former Sportswoman-of-the-Year said what perturbed her was that she did not receive any official contact from any association in Guyana showing concern about her health. The world-ranked athlete stated that she was particularly displeased that she had put her all out there to represent Guyana and they showed no concern.
Burnett said that despite feeling ill following her performance on, 26 July, in the 1500m where she placed fourth, she still went ahead to participate in the 800m on 29 July, where she earned Guyana a bronze medal. After giving that much, Burnett said she is disturbed that no official body showed concern over her ill health.
“On the Tuesday night (27 July) I was just so sick I was coughing and I had no appetite. And on that Thursday (29 July) the only thing I had was breakfast…but I still decided to run because I really wanted to get a medal for Guyana…. I was basically pushing my body to the limit, and they didn’t even contact me after. And when they called they weren’t concerned about my health, they were just concerned about Commonwealth Games,” Burnett declared.
She related that while she has since been in communication with Dion Nurse, the Chef-de-Mission for the Guyana contingent at the CAC Games, nothing official was forthcoming from any official association in Guyana.
Burnett emphasized that she felt the means by which the relevant associations communicate with their athletes overseas was very deficient.
“They need to communicate with the athletes more often, see how they are doing, ask them about their training. When I see the list of who is going along with the team I have to read it in the newspapers. If I don’t read up on things I don’t know what’s going on in Guyana,” Burnett stated.
Burnett noted that while it was not about the money, she was irritated over the lack of support that she has been receiving from Guyana.
“This is for my country, but I’m doing it on my own, no assistance. For CAC I had to purchase the ticket, but I told them that they had to reimburse me and I understand that the AAG put half and the GOA (Guyana Olympic Association) put the other half.”
“I have to work, train and represent Guyana and other people are getting assistance and I’m not getting anything, come on… And it’s not about money, because if it was all about money I never would have been running and representing Guyana, I’m doing this because I love my country.”
“You have to be really, really strong and determined to represent Guyana because the encouragement isn’t there. So they can’t say it’s about the money because if it was I would never have represented Guyana,” Burnett concluded.
Regarding comments that Burnett made about her lack of support from Guyana, Boyce stated that having only taken over the presidency of the association last year he is not privy to what support, or lack thereof, Burnett may or may not have received from the association over the years.
He concluded that a meeting of the AAG executives was to be held yesterday and he would subsequently be commenting on the issue. “I don’t want to comment on the issue because I only took over the presidency about a year ago, so I can’t say anything – I don’t know what was put in place so I can’t comment without knowing. I will be meeting with some of my executive members this afternoon (yesterday) and there we will discuss it,” Boyce said.
Burke, who is the vice-president of the association, also responded to the article stating that while he would not argue Burnett’s claims about the treatment she received, he was somewhat uncomfortable with the way Burnett “left things hanging” as the article did not reflect the entire story.
In a telephone interview, Burke stated that since his return to Guyana from the CAC Games, via the electronic medium, he has somewhat been in contact with Burnett, and had expressed his concerns over her health.
Burke pointed out that it was he who had written the letter in his pursuit of getting Burnett and Pompey registered for their respective races.
“I was working all the time to get them into their races, Marian and Aliann, I spoke to one of the officials and she told me to write a letter, and it was through me that they got into the race,” Burke stated.
He explained that from the very moment that Burnett’s illness came on he was there with her all through and was supporting the athlete.
