Allicock, Williams among 1st athletes to receive GOA Stipend
On Saturday morning at the Olympic House, Liliendaal, the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) took the first step to making local full time athletes and coaches a reality.
Athletes and coaches will begin to receive monthly stipends from the Guyana Olympic Association for their efforts
With funding from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Solidarity, the GOA took the opportunity to disburse monthly stipends to 30 local and overseas based athletes and 13 coaches from 10 disciplines retroactive to December 2017. The annual figure will be in the region of $18 million.
According to President of the GOA, K.A Juman-Yassin, the monthly stipends will vary according to individuals with the lowest being $20,000 while the highest would be $60,000.
He maintained; “I have been speaking for years that our athletes and coaches need to be rewarded. It will not fully reward them but it’s the first step.”
Juman-Yassin added “Once you make the first step it’s easier to make the second.” He then encouraged the government “to come onboard since the resources can be pooled.”
The GOA boss then reinforced “this is just a start” since the list of disciplines and recipients will be expanded in the future.
One of the association’s Vice Presidents, Godfrey Munroe noted that there will be specific conditions and reporting requirements which must be fulfilled by the recipients in order for them to receive stipends.
Another VP, Dr Karen Pilgrim, added that the timely completion of WADA whereabout forms along with attending anti-doping seminars are a few of the obligations that athletes must fulfill in order to continue to receive the stipends which will be paid out bi-monthly.
General Secretary of the GOA, Hector Edwards also added, “Today’s event is one that we can all embrace and at a later time have much appreciation.” He added that the days of being a successful part time athlete are long gone. In the same breath he stated that the GOA will do everything in its power to make local athletes successful. Edwards also pointed out that it is important to be successful academically as well as athletically.
Among the first set of athletes to receive stipends are rising track star Daniel Williams and youth boxer Keevin Allicock. Williams is the World U-18 400m Silver Medalist while Allicock punched his way to Commonwealth Youth Games silver last year as well.
Below is the full list of Athletes and Coaches who will be receiving GOA Stipends:
Athletics Association of Guyana
Coaches: Johnny Gravesande, Linden Phillips, Julian Edmonds and Glenton Pantlitz.
Athletes: Compton Caesar, Jermaine King, Kenisha Phillips, Deshana Skeete, Chantoba Bright, Joanna Archer, Toyan Raymond, Daniel Williams, Daniel Melville, Winston George, Troy Doris, Brenessa Thompson and Kadecia Baird.
Guyana Amateur Boxing Association
Coaches: Terrence Poole and Sebert Blake
Athletes: Keevin Allicock, Christopher Moore
Guyana Badminton Association
Coach: Gokarn Ramdhani
Athletes: Narayan Ramdhani and Priyanna Ramdhani
Guyana Judo Federation
Athlete: Joshua Buchanan
Guyana National Rifle Association
Athletes: Lennox Braithwaite and Ransford Goodluck
Guyana Amateur Swimming Association
Athletes: Andrew Fowler, Leon Seaton, Hannibal Gaskin and Jamila Sanmoogan
Guyana Squash Association
Coach: Carl Ince
Athletes: Mary Fung- A-Fat and Sunil Seth
Guyana Table Tennis Association
Coaches: Hillary Anderson and Idi Lewis
Athletes: Shamar Britton, Christopher Franklin, Chelsea Edghill and Trenace Lowe
Guyana Rugby Football Union
Coaches: Theodore Henry and Larry Adonis
