This is an anonymous submission.
How can the person who represents the very highest position of leadership in sport in Barbados be complaining that not enough is being done for athletes? Who is Mr. Stoute complaining about? Is he not then the very highest person who should be working to see that everything is done in the interest of Barbadian athletes? If this is not the role of Mr Stoute’s association (as the president seem to be suggesting here), then what exactly is that role?
Does the Olympic Association not receive millions of dollars each year from various sources including the local lottery, for the development of athletes? How much money exactly is provided to the Barbados Olympic Association (BOA), and how much of this goes to athletes, as opposed to fancy buildings and first class travel overseas?
Did the lottery not provide over $100 million to local sports over the past 10 years? This is for a population of 1 quarter million people. The equivalent amount of funding in the USA with their population of 200 million persons would be $80 billion over the ten years in order to cover the same amount per person in the population. This is nothing to sneeze at. What was the final cost of the team to the Olympics? and what portion of this money is for the athletes as opposed to perks for officials?
Mr Stoute has been lamenting the failures of national sport now for some time. He predicted a small weak team for these Olympics months ago and apparently he has no role to play in changing this outcome. If the president of the Olympic association is so fed-up and helpless, then what can the poor athletes be expected to do? Surely after again admitting that he has no idea how to lead national sports successfully, Mr Stoute will gracefully resign his position as president on his return from London. Barbadians do not need to hear more predictions of failure and helplessness from such a highly placed official.
Leave a Reply to Pigeon toesCancel reply