Over the years the innocent have had to pay for the guilty because of a few selfish sportspersons who have seen it fit to abscond when they are provided with visas to travel to or through the United States of America.
Many of Guyana’s genuine sportsmen and sportswomen have been denied visas because of the actions of a few and have had to face the indignity of being turned away from the US Embassy in Kingston.
Sports officials could relate tales of the difficulty of securing visa for their peers despite receiving official documentation and invitations for our athletes to participate in events overseas.
Many have had to use alternative routes to get to competition because of the denial of the travelling document from the US.
Absconding by local athletes is not new.
In 1987, nearly all of the senior national football players absconded in the United States during a World Cup qualification match.
That memory remains etched indelibly in the minds of those who follow the sport and who can remember that chapter and the consequences that followed including a ban by FIFA, the world body governing football.
The headlines are worldwide now about Guyana’s
boxers fleeing in the United States in transit home from the Commonwealth Games in India.
These were boxers who would have travelled through US territories in the past and their actions are very puzzling.
With the opportunities being afforded to the three pugilists one would have expected them to be the ambassadors for Guyana, a nation with a proud boxing history that was looking forward to their exploits.
But Clevon Jordan, Dexter Jordan and Devon Boatswain brought shame and humiliation to this nation at a time when we are seeing a positive turnaround of the fortunes of our athletes at international competition.
Their actions now overshadow Aliann Pompey’s silver medal won at the Commonwealth Games.
We have seen what misfortune befell the footballers back then. Several died after being caught up in illegal activities while others, unable to return home, continue to live like fugitives.
The boxing officials too should share some of the blame for not keeping closer tabs on the boxers and for allowing themselves to be duped by Boatswain.
Those persons who are harbouring these three boxers in the United States should hand them over to the authorities.
We know that these boxers have potential but their action outside of the boxing ring has brought shame and disgrace to Guyana and its people.
The action of Rock, Jordan and Boatswain must be condemned and every effort made in the future to curb such embarrassment.