– GASA executive no shows at meeting with Sport Minister
Following the filing of a complaint by Dolphin Speed Swim Club to the World Aquatic Integrity Unit on allegations of misconduct by the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA), the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), and the National Sports Commission (NSC) after a meeting on Thursday, has suspended funding to the entity.
This was disclosed by a source who spoke to Stabroek Sport on the condition of anonymity. According to the source, the meeting, which featured the Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sports, Charles Ramson Jr., Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle, GOA President Godfrey Munroe, and representatives of the respective clubs, was hosted at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal.
After that meeting, which was aimed at addressing the allegations and complaints of victimisation within GASA, the decision was made by the NSC and GOA to cut funding to the local governing body until the internal issues were resolved.
According to the source, only representatives from the various swimming clubs were present at the meeting, with no executives from GASA, who were invited, attending the seminar. This is the third meeting that Minister Ramson Jr. has staged, and the GASA executive committee has been absent, the source further disclosed.
In light of this meeting and since the filing of that complaint, there has been silence from GASA, as attempts to contact the President have proved futile with unanswered calls and messages.
The current GASA executive committee comprises President Dwayne Scott, Vice President Leon Seaton, Vice President Yelema Phillips, Treasurer Paul Fredericks, and Secretary Rajpattie Boodhan.
According to the source, the swimming clubs all voiced their concerns to Minister Ramson and the team, where they discussed the alleged victimisation by GASA President Scott and national coach Sean Baksh.
Chief among those complaints was the denial of access to the National Aquatic Centre for clubs like Trident Swimming Academy, the Guyana Defence Force Club, and the Guyana Police Force Club. Additionally, those clubs for more than five years have been prevented from being a part of the association.
The prevention of selected athletes from participating in competitions was also explained. It was revealed that the only club whose athletes were allowed to participate in competitions were those from the Orca Swim Club, where Baksh serves as head coach.
Ramson and his team also heard that GASA Secretary Boodhan is culpable for turning down members from being part of the association by not accepting their applications or payments that go along with those respective applications.
In a concerning complaint, club representatives said that in 2022, GASA reportedly prevented over 11 children from the Dolphin Speed Swim Club from attending the Goodwill competition. Additionally, in 2023, 15 children were similarly barred.
The flimsy justification given to the club was that there was an insufficient number of participants. However, GASA still sent a single athlete to the Carifta Games.
There are also allegations of mismanagement of funds, which include the misuse of OSP funds and the forging of signatures to access these funds.
A conflict of interest was also pointed out, where Baksh’s involvement with three swimming clubs could potentially give him influence over voting and decision-making within the executive.
An instance of misuse of funds to support the travel of the Vice President was also mentioned, while it was noted that another athlete has been the only swimmer receiving scholarships over the past four years.
