‘I am ineligible to run in the GOA’s general elections’

Dear Editor,

I am humbled by the confidence reposed in me after having read over the past few months, rumblings started by a very valiant and idealistic Mr Rawle Welch that I will be contesting the position of the presidency of the Guyana Olympic Association. Regrettably, such confidence was misplaced.

Mr T Pemberton repeatedly mentioned in his earlier letters to the media, that the presidency is a serious position not to be taken lightly and needs a good active dedicated captain. I certainly agree with Mr Pemberton and envisioned that any candidates for the position would be actively lobbying for support closer to the elections.

At this defining moment of sports and specifically Olympic sports for our beloved Guyana I wish to point out as with everything there are rules, guidelines and policies to guide us and ensure that fairness always prevails. Within the Guyana Olympic Association the constitution is clear as to the general meetings.

Article 5(A) of the GOA’s Constitution sets out that notice must be given to the member associations and sub-section 5 goes on to specify clearly who are to be the eligible attendees of this meeting. Earlier recommendations were publicly made for all sports journalists to attend but this is still in limbo.

The council itself is constitutionally supposed to be comprised of representatives elected from the various Olympic sporting associations/federations “approved by the IOC and accepted by the Committee.” From 2011 to 2014, I was a member of the Council of GOA, representing the sport of Squash. That position on the council has now been assumed by Mr David Fernandes.

I have since been focusing my energies on the Guyana Sport Shooting Federation which has under its disciplines, a well-defined and structured Olympic sport which is Archery. I recall an earlier letter to the media from Mr Lester Sealey who rightly opined that “I do think the time is now ripe for non- traditional sports, ie Archery…”

Most of Guyana by now should be aware of the significant strides the GSSF has been taking to launch and introduce Archery to Guyana. Support for the GSSF as it relates to this prominent Olympic sport has been gained from the government via the Ministry of Education, Department of Sport and the National Sports Commission to ensure that our local archers are given a fair chance to compete internationally and later at the Olympic level.

It has been crushingly disappointing that our request for affiliation and approval made to the GOA since 2014 is still pending.

This position taken over the years by the GOA has all but halted the progress made by the GSSF for Archery. The GSSF, having gained international recognition and affiliation to the Swiss-based World Archery Federation, is viewed as the recognised body for the sport of Archery in Guyana. This international affiliation was granted and is currently maintained by the GSSF after having fulfilled all the criteria set out by the IOC’s governing body for Archery. Additionally, Guyana is now enlisted as active for the Olympic sport within the zone of World Archery Americas, and is officially represented by the Guyana Sport Shooting Federation in this regard.

Despite numerous reminders and attempts over the past years to engage GOA’s attention, along with the provision of documentation from the World Archery Federation confirming us as a legitimate affiliate, we have, on a now monthly basis been asking the GOA to revisit our request.

The GSSF went on to secure additional letters sent from World Archery Americas to the National Olympic Committee of Guyana (ie GOA) so as to facilitate our affiliation to Guyana’s NOC, which is a requirement for our local archers to participate in qualifying world events and to begin training for the Olympics, where there is a real chance Archery can bring home Olympic medals in years to come, but to no avail.

Hence, because of the silence of the current Executive Committee of the GOA to the GSSF’s request for affiliation to the Guyana Olympic Association only as it related to the sport of Archery in Guyana, there can be no representative of this Olympic sport on the GOA executive.

This in turn renders me ineligible to run for any post on the Committee of the GOA in their upcoming general elections.

Thank you however again for the confidence placed in me. I am continuing to learn more about the sport and will endeavour to continue to see how best we can ensure Guyanese archers will one day reach the Olympic level and bring home medals!

Best of luck to all the contenders and I hope that the new board will realise that Archery, as an Olympic sport, needs all the support it can get. Yours faithfully, Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon President GSSF