CARIFTA Games cancelled

The CARIFTA Games for 2021 in Bermuda has been cancelled due to the pandemic.

The cancellation of the 49th edition of the Games which was postponed last year and rescheduled on multiple occasions this year, was confirmed via circular by General Secretary of the North American and Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC), Keith Joseph last evening.

This year’s Games originally set for Easter weekend, was postponed to July 2 to 4 after a surge of COVID-19 cases during the early months of the year.

It was subsequently rescheduled again for August 13-15 given that the July dates would have clashed with the sitting of the Caribbean Examinations Council’s external examinations.

However, a another COVID-19 spike cast a fresh shadow over the games which were to be hosted at the National Stadium in Hamilton.

The spike along with a ‘non-negotiable’14-day mandatory quarantine for unvaccinated visitors all but guaranteed its cancellation.

Since the vaccination requirement would impact all Under-17 athletes as well as some of the Under-20s, it was a significant stumbling block.

Other potential challenges included the impact of positive COVID-19 tests during the Games, available hotel rooms, and timelines for booking charters and making payments.

In the circular it stated:

“NACAC understands the impact that another cancellation of our premier annual junior competition will have on our young athletes. Unfortunately, we have carefully taken all factors into consideration and are left with no option but to cancel the Carifta Games 2021. The Bermuda authorities have made it clear that the 14day mandatory quarantine for unvaccinated athletes is non-negotiable. While Bermuda allows athletes from 16 years to be vaccinated, the majority of our Carifta Family members are in countries where the authorities only allow vaccination for persons 18 years and older. We cannot host the event without the Under 17s, who, from our vantage point, are as integral to the event as the U-20s. We are not agreed to having an edition of the Carifta Games that does not engage the traditional categories and which disenfranchises a significant number of athletes.

NACAC, while understanding the changing circumstances and attendant protocols in Bermuda, necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic, is also cognizant that accommodation agreements made thus far have been well below the required number of rooms for the traditional Carifta Games and that this is unlikely to change. This suggests that for much of the planning since the postponement from the traditional Easter weekend, accommodation has been a problem for the LOC.

Finally, we are also aware that the government is not prepared to facilitate any additional funding to the Local Organising Committee at this stage, for the realization of the Games. This therefore leaves individual member federations and NACAC in a very precarious position relative to the Carifta Games 2021 being of an order consistent with its long history. NACAC apologises to the membership for the cancellation of this year’s edition of the Carifta Games.”

Guyana is scheduled to host the 50th edition of the Games. In an immediate reaction last night, President of the Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG), Aubrey Hutson stated that “We will now need to have serious discussions with NACAC on whether Guyana should continue to plan for the 2022 CARIFTA Games or the 50th edition of the Games.”