Dear Editor,
How bad do we need another medal at the Olympic Games? It depends on how much we are prepared to invest. When we invest big, you will get results. Similar to business, you invest big, your returns are huge. Penning this independent message, it is with absolutely no affiliation to any Government office, sports body and I am solely responsible for my writings. I have absolutely no desire to sit on any sports committee neither do I have any political aspiration. I will state for the record that I do not possess any sports related title to my name, I have no journalistic training, but I simple write as an independent observer on the sidewalk. A suggested avenue as a start to be considered for the possible transformation of sports is as follows:
Guyana at this stage needs to have a forum with the following stakeholders all under one roof, in trying to establish how we can all contribute collectively to change the way our sport sectors are currently in shape. Namely, the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), the Guyana Teacher’s Union, the National Sports Commission, the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), the Private Sector, the tourism sector, the Education Ministry’s Department of Sport, the local arm of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), international sports consultant, representatives from all other nine administrative regions apart from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), club representatives, coaches, the Opposition, an IAAF representative and any other sport related office.
Athletes/sport ambassadors needs to understand fully that a scholarship in no way means that when you jet off abroad, you just show up on a track for training. You have to showcase balance with your academics.
They also need to understand that a training stint abroad in no way guarantees persons are going to pass the first round of any international meet. Are we prepared mentally for such a challenge?
I say to the general public at large, not to be ‘MIS-LED’ by the media or anyone that one can just show up and make it to the medal podium of any Olympic Games. There is a process of preparation that needs to be taken and perhaps the GOA and the AAG can share or educate the public further.
I am not the type to just sit around when the Olympic Games are held and only focus on the athletes who are served with medals and listen to anthems played.
I crave to listen and learn about the adversities some athletes would face in getting to the World Stage… The Independent Olympic Athletes, who marches under the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) white flag are such people I make reference towards. I urge those in authority to make an effort to listen to those stories and only then we will understand that the journey/adventure is not only about medals.
Yours faithfully,
T Pemberton
