The date to elect the new executive of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) has not been set.
This is according to Nalini Mc Koy, Administrative Secretary of the body.
Mc Koy yesterday told Stabroek Sport that they were awaiting the ratification of the constitution by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
“Please note that the final GOA constitution which was agreed to by the members first has to be finally ratified by the IOC and then the GOA will be given the go ahead to proceed with elections based on the new constitution,” she told Stabroek Sport in an invited comment.
A few weeks ago, at Olympic House, during a special meeting, the GOA General Council voted 29-13 to limit the age of its office bearers to 70.
The result meant that 76 year-old Kalam Juman-Yassin, who has been at the helm of the body for the past 26 years, will now be ineligible to contest the post once the IOC ratifies the amendment to the constitution.
Yassin is a member of the Panam Sports executive but it is unclear whether he will have to give up that post too.
Mc Koy told Stabroek Sport that no one has been nominated so far as the date for elections has not yet been fixed.
The GOA executive body consists of a president, three vice presidents, a general secretary, a treasurer.
The three vice presidents are Charles Corbin, Godfrey Munroe and Dr Karen Pilgrim.
The general secretary is Hector Edwards and the treasurer, Garfield Wiltshire.
Tricia Fiedtkou is the assistant treasurer and Deion Nurse, the assistant secretary.
The GOA’s constitution clearly outlines who will be eligible to contest the post of GOA president.
In article 14.4, it states: In order to be eligible for election as an Officer of the Association, a person shall:
14.4.1 be a national of Guyana and ordinarily resident in Guyana;
14.4.2 be of good standing;
14.4.3 have been, at the time of being first elected, a member of a Constituent Member, for at least two (2) years.; and 14.4.4 not have exceeded the maximum age-limit of seventy (70) years on the election date.
14.5. The Officers shall hold office until the next Electoral General Meeting.
14.6. The position of President of the Association shall be limited to a maximum of three consecutive four-year terms.
According to a source who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the GOA’s electoral meeting should be held sometime “in late July or early August.”
What is certain, when the elections are held, The Officers of the Association shall consist of:-
14.2.1.The President
14.2.2. Three (3) Vice-Presidents, including at least one Vice- President from each gender
14.2.3. The Secretary General
14.2.4. The Treasurer
14.2.5. The Assistant Secretary
14.2.6. The Assistant Treasurer
14.3. There shall be at least three (3) Officers of each gender and at least five (5) Officers elected from Olympic Sport National Federations.
Mc Koy said that the closing date for nominations is two weeks before the election date.
