Guyana’s representation at the Caribbean and Central (CAC) Bodybuilding Championships in El Salvador was affected by a visa fiasco and positive COVID 19 tests resulting in a reduction in the composition of the squad from eight to six members.
Four members of the Guyana delegation turned up at the airport only to be informed that they needed visas to travel.
To compound matters two of the athletes Nicholas Albert and Darius Ramsammy, later tested positive for COVID-19.
A release from the Guyana Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (GBBFF), said that initially they were informed that visas were not required to travel to El Salvador.
Information on the internet concerning visa requirements were misleading and confusing and, as a result, the GBBFF sought the direct intervention of the El Salvador Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation and the Central America and Caribbean Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (CACBBFF) in answering the relevant questions and addressing the concerns raised, a release from the GABBFF stated.
“The main contention was whether or not the Guyanese team required visas to enter El Salvador and the answer to that concern was a resounding no,” the release stated.
“In fact the GBBFF was informed that all that was required was for the members of the delegation to purchase a “Tourist Card” upon arrival.
“Nevertheless the GBBFF obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation, under the signature of the Permanent Secretary, a correspondence, addressed to the relevant authorities in El Salvador, explaining that, if necessary, the members of the delegation would purchase their visas upon arrival in El Salvador.
Coach of the team, Videsh Sookram, told Stabroek Sports yesterday that extensive research was done and all indications showed that there was no visa required to travel to El Salvador.
“We did our research and it showed we didn’t need a visa. We only had to purchase an on-entry ticket for $12USD. We booked the ticket and went to the airport but the flight attendant said we had to get an American, Canadian or El Salvador visa, apparently it changed last year or something,” Sookram said.
He added: “The guy checking us in was very helpful and told us we could get a letter from the El Salvador Foreign Affairs saying they will give us the visa when we arrived with COPA.
“The GBBFF, feeling secure after being told by the El Salvador Federation and the CACBBFF that there were no visa requirement for Guyana to enter El Salvador and after obtaining the said letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation, sent 4 (four) of its members to the airport on the morning of the 10th day of August, 2021. At the airport the members, inclusive of the Coach Videsh Sookram, were told by the COPA Airline that they cannot board the flight because they required an El Salvador visa,” the release added.
The GBBFF then contacted CACBBFF to clarify the matter with the four-member delegation returning home in the meantime.
CACBBFF and the El Salvador Federation duly responded and clearance was given for the eight athletes but not the GBBFF president, coach and other members.
During this time, the remaining delegation with American visas traveled through El Salvador via American Airlines.
Several other National Federations were in a similar or worst off position as Guyana. The Jamaica delegation arrived in Panama just to be told that they could not board the COPA flight to El Salvador. After it was ascertained that 3 (three) of the members of the delegation had American visas, those three members were allowed to board and arrived in El Salvador yesterday. The other members are still stuck in Panama awaiting some form of diplomatic intervention to resolve their position, the GABBFF release stated.
The events that then took place afterwards saw Albert and Ramsammy testing positive for COVID-19, effectively cutting down the competing party to six.
Sookram was not allowed to board the new flight despite returning two negative PCR tests based on his interaction with the two athletes.
He is of the opinion that the two athletes who tested positive were definite gold medalists and was especially disappointed, knowing the hard work, dedication and financial sacrifices made over the last year. Though both athletes were asymptomatic, 20-year-old Albert told this publication that he received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and was at a loss of how he contracted the virus since he recorded a negative test at first, before testing positive twice in the space of a day or two.
“It was a big disappointment because it was the first time I was travelling and I always wanted to compete with other people internationally but I am still working hard for the next tournament. It is still early and I put in a lot of hard work, you know, diet, preparation and so to get my body ready,” he said.
The junior competitor reasoned that the injection was geared to fight off the virus but the body’s immune system might have been low since they were trying to eat lean.
Sookram shared a similar opinion.
“The harsh diet and the stress of back and forth made the body run down and the virus easier to contract.”
Ramsammy suggested that he might have contracted the virus at the airport.
“I would have contracted the virus when I was at the airport trying to check in there was a guy coughing next to me and my colleague.”
“I believe the misinformation came from the travel agency and the people who were in charge of handling the situation. The travel agency should not have booked the tickets without telling us that we required visas to enter the country. That’s a major oversight on their behalf.
“Also, some blame is to put on the bodybuilding federation because they were in charge of doing their homework to make sure their athletes got to the country and they did not,” said Ramsammy.
Like Albert, Ramsammy is now turning his focus to upcoming competitions which are set for Aruba and Miami.
“My team and I believe I would have won the gold and most likely brought home the Pro Card. We are now turning our focus to a competition in Miami and hoping that we can get through to the ministry to grant us our visa so we wouldn’t have a problem like this again as athletes,” he said.
President of the GBBFF, Keavon Bess will take up the responsibilities as coach and manager of the team.
Competition gets underway today. The release stated that Bess has already registered the GABBFF’s disappointment with CACBBFF and the El Salvador Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation and now awaits any recompense that will be made to the GBBFF.
