Barbados gives up on hosting Carifta Swimming Championships

The Barbados Aquatic Sports Association (BASA) last weekend gave notice that it will no longer be hosting the Carifta Swimming Championships this year.

After postponements earlier in the year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the BASA says that with the current crisis, coupled with the effects of the ash from the eruption of La Soufiere volcano in St Vincent, the organisation can give no reasonable timeline for the staging of the event on the island.

“After careful consideration and consultation with the Ministry of Health and the

COVID-19 Monitoring Unit, the Barbados Aquatic Sports Association is unable, at this time, to give any indication as to when Barbados will be allowed to host sporting competitions,” said a release from BASA President Cheryl Lady Forde.

With some countries in the region reporting spikes in COVID-19 numbers and the rescheduling of the regional CXC exams to fall in the time slated for the championships, it has become almost impossible for Barbados to host the event.

“It is with utmost that council has agreed that under these persistent circumstances we can no longer hold the federation in a state of uncertainty. We are therefore informing the secretariat that Barbados is unable to host Carifta 2021,” Forde continued.

The BASA has asked for an extension to host the

event in 2022, hoping that the introduction of a vaccination campaign will result in improved conditions next year.

“We are most anxious to hold to our commitment by having our agreement to host Carifta extended to 2022. We are confident that with the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine programmes in our respective states, conditions will improve,” Forde said.

Only last week, the Government of Jamaica gave the okay for competitive swimming to return to the island.