National Track Relays declared null and void
... competition to be re-run later in the year
By Faizool Deo
Guyana Chronicle
February 23, 2007
THE Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) has declared the National Track Relays Championships which took place on Sunday last at the Police Sports Club ground Eve Leary, to be null and void.
This decision was made on Wednesday, following a meeting involving the executives of the AAG and invited affiliated clubs.
On Sunday the home team was adjudged the unofficial winners of the championships with 214 points, compared to defending champions Royals Youth Movement’s (RYM) 202 points. President of the AAG Claude Blackmore had however announced that the association would have to evaluate some irregularities before an official announcement could be made.
The executives have since decided to set a new date, venue and time for a re-run of the event later in the year.
According to a release from AAG media manager, Leeron Brumell, Blackmore at the meeting said the event left a ‘distasteful atmosphere’ after it was discovered in some instances athletes ran out of their age categories, older athletes ran in lower categories and there was the soliciting of athletes from one club to represent another.
He did congratulate the clubs for a competitive and entertaining event, but thrashed them for their win-at-all-cost mentality.
“It’s good to win, but at all costs (including cheating) is not the way athletics should go” he stressed. The president also warned that coaches should seek not to bring antagonism between athletes of different clubs.
Overall Blackmore said both the association and clubs are to blame for the events that transpired and said the line has now been drawn in Guyana.
Blackmore also announced that the Association will look into the transfer of athletes from one club to another in one year.
Previously when an athlete was registered with a club at the beginning of the year he/she could not run for another until the next season. However the president said it will be addressed and can be done during the window periods at the beginning of the year and also mid-year.
The information of the championships being deemed null and void will be communicated to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). Present at the meeting were representatives of the Police (Progressive Youth Club), RYM and Upper Demerara Clubs. Absent were representatives from the New Amsterdam Track Club.